Is Aberdeen vs Celtic on TV? Live stream, channel and highlights details

Celtic return to Scottish Premiership action on Saturday lunchtime when they travel north to take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Ange Postecoglou’s league leaders last played a competitive match in the 2-1 victory over Ross County on November 12 before the five-week domestic shutdown for the World Cup.

The Hoops embarked on an Australian tour during the break, taking part in the Sydney Super Cup with friendlies against A-League side Sydney FC and Premier League outfit Everton. They travelled to Portugal for a week of warm-weather training and lost 4-3 in a bounce match against Ligue 1 side Rennes in Faro, with Matt O’Riley scoring twice.

It will be the second time this season Celtic have faced Jim Goodwin’s Dons side, with both clubs previously meeting on the opening day of the season back in July at Parkhead when the hosts ran out 2-0 winners.

Here we have rounded up all you need to know about the fixture, including how to tune in if you won’t be at Pittodrie.

When is Aberdeen vs Celtic?

Aberdeen vs Celtic will take place at Pittodrie Stadium on Saturday, December 17. Kick-off is scheduled for 12.30pm UK time.

Is it on TV?

Yes, it is. This game will be shown on Sky Sports Main Event, for those who subscribe.

Coverage will start at 12pm. Subscribers can also tune in online through SkyGo.

Highlights details

BBC Scotland will show highlights at 7.30pm on the same night, while highlights will also pop up on Sky Sports News throughout the evening and following morning.

Fans can also catch highlights on each of the clubs’ official YouTube channels.

What Ange Postecoglou has said

Postecoglou reckons Celtic’s tremendous away form this season has gone under the radar. He told the club’s website: “We’ve been back for a couple of weeks, had a good week in Portugal and a good week training here, and we’re ready to get going again.

“It’s always a tough game at Aberdeen. Even last year we won there twice but both of them were tough games, so you expect a tough match. Their home form’s been great but I think it’s probably been missed by a few people but our away form’s not bad either, so there’s a bit in there as well.

“We obviously had a really strong start to the season in the league, and the key to that now is to keep improving and I don’t think there’s any reason why we shouldn’t. Our league form’s been very strong even though we had a really hectic schedule, including Champions League games, going into the break.

“So whilst the schedule is just as challenging moving forward, we don’t have that challenge of Champions League football and we’ve got a couple of players back from injury as well, which I think will hopefully make us stronger moving forward.”

What Jim Goodwin has said

In his pre-match press conference, Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin said: “The first two fixtures are as difficult as they can get because they are the top two teams in the country at the moment. Celtic have only had one defeat all season up until now against St Mirren away from home, so we’ve got to take a little bit of encouragement from that result.

“I thought St Mirren’s game plan on the day was excellent, they frustrated Celtic for large periods and deservedly won the game. What that proves is that they can be beaten if you get a number of things right on the day.

He added: “We respect them as an opposition, they’re a very good side and they’ve scored in excess of 50 goals this season already. But our home form has been excellent and won six out of seven league games at Pittodrie. We’ve scored the same amount of goals as Celtic and Rangers have done at home as well.

“Our defensive record which is something people have been quick to point the finger at us and deservedly so because our away record defensively has been poor, but here at home we’ve only conceded six goals. It’s only Celtic and Rangers who’ve got a slightly better goal difference than us at home so we’ve got to take all of the positives and the confidence from those things, albeit we know how difficult it’s going to be.

“Recent results in maybe the last decade or so haven’t made for great reading from an Aberdeen perspective, and that’s something me and this new group of players want to put right.”