One of the standout stories of the Scottish Premiership season so far is Aberdeen’s impressive ability to keep pace with Celtic at the top of the table.
The Dons, like Celtic, have enjoyed a perfect start to their league campaign, winning six matches out of six and collecting 18 points. They sit second in the table only due to an inferior goal difference to the reigning champions.
This strong start has inevitably sparked discussions about whether Aberdeen can genuinely challenge for silverware this season, with some suggesting that Jimmy Thelin’s side might pose a serious threat to Celtic’s domestic dominance.
Alan Shearer has added fuel to the debate, stating that Aberdeen are “serious” title contenders and could potentially capitalise on Celtic’s Champions League commitments to make a sustained push for the Premiership crown.
Speaking earlier this week, Shearer remarked that Aberdeen have the depth and quality to keep up with Celtic throughout the season.
However, Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has taken a more measured approach, seeking to downplay any title talk for now. In his Friday press conference, Thelin remained cautious about looking too far ahead.
“I can understand the discussion but how many games do we have left in the league now? So you see there are a lot of points left,” Thelin said.
“It is really early and we are not focusing on that. We aren’t focusing on that. We can only focus on being better and trying to play the games and now what is happening in May. It is so far away.”
Thelin emphasised the importance of continuous improvement over the course of the season, acknowledging that Aberdeen still have a long way to go before they can be considered serious contenders for the title.
“You have to keep this hunger to always improve and evolve to do better things,” Thelin added.
“You can never think we know everything and we are so good. We need to keep improving. The trick is to keep improving and to get better all the time. That isn’t so easy.”
Thelin’s team have yet to face the true tests of the Premiership, with no meetings against Celtic or Rangers so far.
However, that will change soon, as Aberdeen travel to Celtic Park on 19th October and then host Rangers at Pittodrie on 30th October.
These encounters will provide a clearer indication of whether Aberdeen can sustain their title challenge or if their early form is simply a brief hot streak.
If they emerge from those fixtures unscathed, Thelin may find it harder to temper the growing hype around his side’s title prospects. For now, the focus remains on continued improvement, but October’s fixtures will reveal much more about Aberdeen’s true potential.