Aberdeen v Celtic: How can underdogs stop holders and win Scottish Cup final?

“The season really hinges on what happens next week in the Scottish Cup final,” said Sportscene pundit and former Scotland player Michael Stewart when reviewing Aberdeen’s final league game of the season at Dundee United and their campaign in general.

A few days prior, former Pittodrie and Celtic Park defender Charlie Mulgrew, commenting after Aberdeen’s 5-1 home loss to Celtic, said: “Their form from November is bottom of the league form. They need to produce a performance at least to end the season on some sort of a high.

“If they don’t do that, it’s looking like not a good season for Aberdeen all of a sudden.”

Sunday’s 2-1 loss was a fourth defeat in a row for Thelin’s men, with their last win of any kind coming in their 2-1 Scottish Cup semi-final victory in extra time over Hearts.

Their last win over 90 minutes came on 26 April, 1-0 at home to Hibs.

Again, not great reading. But perhaps that win holds the key to how Aberdeen can spring a surprise.

Hibs finished third in the Premiership and were the league’s most improved side after struggling at the foot of the table as recently as November.

Aberdeen restricted their high-flying opponents, closed down space and did not allow danger men like Martin Boyle to have much of an influence. Indeed, there were no shots on target from the visitors and the Dons bested David Gray’s side in possession and shots overall, with Kevin Nisbet’s delicious volley settling the affair.

It was that restricting of the opponent that seemed to give Thelin’s side the confidence and platform to get the win they desperately craved as they tried to beat Hibs to third.

Undoubtedly, a restriction approach will need to be put on Celtic if Aberdeen are to stand any chance.

Of Aberdeen’s past four losses to Celtic, they have lost three of them by a margin of four goals or more and have been three behind by half-time in two of them.