Aberdeen FC's high-profile festive fixture against Celtic has been confirmed for a noon kick-off at Pittodrie on Sunday 20 December. The match will be broadcast live by Sky Sports as part of a Scottish Premiership double-header.
The SPFL announced the latest televised picks, slotting the Aberdeen-Celtic clash into a Sunday lunchtime slot the weekend before Christmas. Stephen Robinson's side, currently eighth in the Premiership on eight points, will face the league leaders knowing they are 13 points adrift in the table. Aberdeen's recent form has been inconsistent, with the team scoring only 10 goals in their 11 league matches so far this season, a statistic that shows the challenge of facing the champions.
Broader festive schedule
Immediately following the Pittodrie encounter, Rangers host Hearts at Ibrox in a 2.30pm kick-off, also on Sky Sports. The broadcaster has secured four more games between now and the end of the year, while Premier Sports has landed two further picks, including Dundee v Celtic on 2 December.
A potential complication exists for the weekend of 13 December. If Aberdeen overcome Celtic and Rangers beat Hearts in their Premier Sports Cup semi-finals, both clubs would contest the final on Sunday 13 December. In that scenario, Rangers' scheduled league trip to St Johnstone that day would be postponed.
Team context
Aberdeen head into this busy period seeking improved consistency. They suffered a 1-0 home defeat to St Johnstone last time out, a result that left them in eighth place. Manager Stephen Robinson acknowledged the challenge ahead, noting his side has a bit of catching up to do if they are to be involved at the top end of the table. The team's immediate focus shifts to a home match against St Mirren this weekend, a chance to climb from eighth before the winter schedule intensifies. The manager will be keen to address a defensive record that has seen his team concede many goals as they prepare for the visit of the league's top attack.
Check the latest standings to see how the table shapes up. Aberdeen v Celtic at Pittodrie will kick off at 12pm on Sunday 20 December.
This story first appeared at The Scotsman Football
