It was all going so well for Aberdeen but another trip to Parkhead ended with a familiar sense of disappointment.
Aberdeen got the better of a low-key first half devoid of any major goalmouth incident with the Hoops struggling to find a way to unlock the Dons defence.
But Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata made the breakthrough for the league leaders after 57 minutes, glancing home a Scott Sinclair free kick, to inflict a 24th successive league defeat on Aberdeen at Parkhead.
The Dons contained the Hoops for long spells but rarely threatened at the other end with Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon never really called into meaningful action.
The result leaves the Dons 27 points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Aberdeen, looking for a first league victory at Celtic Park since John Stewart netted a last minute winner in a 3-2 success in October 2004, named the same team for the sixth match in succession.
Following five wins on the bounce and Aberdeen’s only January signing Ryan Christie being ineligible to face his parent club, it was no surprise that Dons manager Derek McInnes kept faith with a tried and tested line-up.
Celtic had won each of their last 23 home league games against the Dons but went into this encounter without forwards Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths as well as midfielders Stuart Armstrong and Tom Rogic, who had scored in all three matches against Aberdeen this season.
The Hoops made one alteration from the side that extended their unbeaten domestic run to 27 matches with a comfortable 4-0 victory against Hearts on Sunday with Mikael Lustig replacing Cristian Gamboa at right back.
Despite Celtic’s unbeaten record, with the Hoops missing several key players and the Dons enjoying a purple patch in form, this felt like a good time for Derek McInnes’ side to face the league leaders.
However it was the host swho started the game on the front foot with left back Kieran Tierney skipping past two Dons defenders before curling a shot over the crossbar.
The Dons were struggling to gain any meaningful possession but, by deploying an ultra-high defensive line, they reduced the area Celtic’s three attacking midfielders had to operate in.
It was a tactic that seemed to be working with little in the way of goalmouth action in the opening stages.
Indeed, it was Aberdeen who went close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute when Graeme Shinnie darted past Nir Bitton before drilling inches wide from 20 yards.
The Aberdeen game plan to frustrate the Hoops was working and the natives were becoming restless by their side’s inability to break down a well-organised Dons defence.
Two half-hearted appeals for Celtic penalties, the first for an apparent Graeme Shinnie handball and the second after Tierney collided with Jonny Hayes, were correctly waved away by referee John Beaton.
Dons captain Ryan Jack, who was enjoying a fine shift in the middle of the park, tried his luck from distance unsuccessfully before making a superb last-ditch tackle at the other end to prevent Scott Sinclair opening the scoring five minutes before the break.
Some diligent defending from Ash Taylor prevented Patrick Roberts racing clear on goal five minutes after the restart before Mark Reynolds snuffed out the Manchester City loan player as the home side pressed for the opener.
But Aberdeen’s resistance finally gave way in the 57th minute when Belgian defender Boyata wriggled free of marker Taylor to nod home a Sinclair free kick.
Harsh on the Dons who had been defending admirably.
That goal eased the tension around Parkhead and Celtic went close to doubling their advantage soon after with Sinclair rattling the crossbar with Aberdeen goalkeeper Joe Lewis well beaten.
The Dons were hanging on now with Celtic looking far more menacing in the final third with Roberts flashing a powerful drive just wide as the hosts pushed for the second goal that would kill the game as a contest.
Andrew Considine had a chance to claim an equaliser with 10 minutes remaining but his header from a Graeme Shinnie cross was too close to Celtic stopper Gordon.
Celtic had their chances to put the game to bed but were guilty of over-playing it in the final third and making one pass too many in front of goal.
The Dons went for broke in the closing stages, replacing a defender with a forward with Reynolds making way for Jayden Stockley but the Hoops held on for the win.