Martin O’Neill hails Celtic match-winner Benjamin Nygren

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill hailed match-winner Benjamin Nygren after the Swede’s 19th goal of the season sent the champions above Rangers in the William Hill Premiership.

The Swede came off the bench to score the winner in the 2-1 win at Pittodrie with a deft finish from James Forrest’s low cross midway through the second half.

A first win in three league games moved Celtic five points behind leaders Hearts in second place.

Kieran Tierney’s early goal was cancelled out by a Kevin Nisbet’s penalty and Viljami Sinisalo made a good save from the striker’s header before Nygren again produced a major contribution.

O’Neill said: “He’s doing something that is the most difficult thing in the game – to score goals. And he’s popped up again with what proved to be the winning goal.

“I thought that when we scored the first goal, and it came very, very early on, I thought that’s the time for us to really push forward and try and get the second goal if we can.

“We came off the game a little bit, allowed Aberdeen into it, they got the penalty and scored, and that’s a tough old second half, having to try and create things.

“We have to take risks and that’s what we tried to do, but at the same time, try and not concede a goal, and that was always possible. But Nygren comes out with the goal, which was great.

“It was a big win. It keeps us, at least for a little while, it keeps us in the race.

“Substitutes in recent weeks have made big contributions to us, so that’s important for us. Our third game in six days, so that was tough.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game. It proved to be, but we saw it through in the end.”

O’Neill praised on-loan Brentford defender Benjamin Arthur after he was a late replacement for Dane Murray for his first start.

“I thought he did fine, he stepped into the game,” O’Neill said. “Half an hour beforehand his mind was thinking,’ I wonder will I get on at any given stage’ and then the next thing he’s called upon to start the game.

“So you have to have almost a different mindset. He comes back into the dressing room, gets himself ready, and I thought he really did fine. Dane felt his thigh, which is a concern for us really.”

Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven was unconvinced that Nygren was onside for his winner during a lengthy VAR check which ruled that Gavin Molloy’s foot was playing the Swede on.

He said: “It looks offside, but then again, why is there not two lines drawn? There was only one line drawn on our player. I thought there was always to be two lines drawn.”

Leven also thought there was scope for a late penalty when Reo Hatate dived into a tackle on Lyall Cameron.

“The players need to be a bit more streetwise,” he said. “Lyall needs to ask the question later on when Hatate goes in.

“I think he was too honest in trying to stay on his feet. There could have been contact there.”