St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson praised his players for their perseverance after coming from behind to defeat Aberdeen 2-1 at home in dramatic fashion.

Neil Warnock’s side had led from Connor Barron’s first-minute strike and looked on course for a first league victory for two months.

But Mark O’Hara converted a penalty after Toyosi Olusanya was fouled in the sixth minute of time added on before Olusanya claimed the winner a minutes later.

Robinson admitted he would have preferred to have seen the goals arrive sooner but felt his team were well worthy of the final outcome.

He said: “We had 70 per cent possession and 14 shots – we deserved to win.

“It took a lot longer than we wanted to get the goals but it showed the character and quality of the squad with the subs we made.

“Conor McMenamin was outstanding after training only three days, Toyosi comes on and scores the winner, it shows the strength in depth.

“It was everything we deserved. We dominated the game. They scored from a wonder goal but outwith that they were not a threat and looked a team under pressure.

“We tried to get the ball down and when we did that we controlled the game. It didn’t surprise me. It would have been an injustice otherwise if we hadn’t scored.

“We got the penalty we deserved, arguably we could have had two more that were very close decisions. The players showed a great attitude.”

Warnock, in contrast, was devastated at not seeing the game out as Aberdeen’s winless streak in the league was extended to 10 games.

The veteran manager said: “It’s difficult to talk as I’m absolutely distraught. The lads have given me everything and I’m so disappointed to lose in the way we did.

“You can’t go away from today and not be disappointed. We were on our knees and that’s how they should feel.

“They deserved to win that game. I don’t think they [St Mirren] knew how to break us down, not a clue. So it makes it doubly disappointing.

“The penalty knocked the players’ confidence and it was disappointing to concede again after all that effort. I thought that was the best we defended since I had been here.”

Mark O’Hara and Toyosi Olusanya scored in stoppage time to earn St Mirren a 2-1 home win and deny Neil Warnock his first league victory as interim Aberdeen manager.

Connor Barron’s goal after just 62 seconds looked set to earn the Dons a first league win for two months.

But substitute Olusanya won a penalty after a long VAR delay that was converted by O’Hara before just moments later the striker volleyed in what proved to be the winner to improve Saints’ top-six chances.

St Mirren were unchanged from the team that started their midweek draw away to Ross County, with Conor McMenamin fit enough for a place on the bench.

Aberdeen, in turn, made four changes after losing to St Johnstone.

In came Nicky Devlin, Junior Hoilett, Killian Phillips and Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes, with Jack Milne, Jonny Hayes, Jamie McGrath and Leighton Clarkson all dropping out.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino took a seat in the main stand after attending the IFAB AGM at Loch Lomond earlier in the day.

He was treated to a stunning goal after just 62 seconds as Aberdeen took an early lead.

Duk made a great run down the right wing before putting in a cross that was knocked out by Alex Gogic but only as far as Barron, who lashed a shot high in the net from 25 yards.

St Mirren rallied but a Greg Kiltie header from Scott Tanser’s cross was easily saved by Kelle Roos.

The home side should have drawn level when Zach Hemming’s deep free-kick was pushed on to the post by opposite number Roos after being helped on by Tanser.

The ball ran across the face of the goal but Lewis Jamieson couldn’t finish from close range. VAR checked for a penalty but it wasn’t given.

The forward tried a more spectacular attempt in Saints’ next attack only for his volley to clip the bar and go over despite his protests that Roos had saved it.

Aberdeen replied with a Barron header from a corner that went just wide before Mikael Mandron was similarly off target at the other end. Again VAR checked for a penalty for a foul on Mandron but once more it wasn’t given.

The visitors had been kept quiet for much of the first half but had a chance early in the second, Hoilett crossing for Bojan Miovski who headed over.

St Mirren had a chance to equalise but Elvis Bwomono sliced his shot wide at the back post while, in a rare Aberdeen attack, Phillips volleyed high into the stand.

Aberdeen looked like holding out for the win but Nicky Devlin tripped Olusanya and, after a three-minute delay, VAR decided it had been inside rather than outside the box.

O’Hara finished from the spot but Saints weren’t done there as McMenamin crossed from the right and Jonah Ayunga headed it back across for Olusanya to volley past Roos.

Aberdeen interim boss Neil Warnock admits he cannot be confident his side will avoid being drawn into a cinch Premiership relegation battle if they continue to concede “stupid” goals.

Warnock is still without a win in five league matches in charge – with Aberdeen winless in nine in total – and the Dons fell behind to a first-half Nicky Clark penalty after Richard Jensen’s handball.

Benjamin Kimpioka added a second late in the game and the Dons fans turned on their side and the clubs’ board.

Warnock confessed he understands their anger, saying: “You can understand that. They see the goals we’re conceding. We’ve had some good opportunities tonight, couldn’t score and we lose sloppy goals.

“It’s disheartening. The lads have to stop feeling sorry for themselves and we’ve got to get on with it. I’ve never experienced anything like it.

“Looking at the goals we’re conceding, do you see us winning another game? I can’t remember having a team concede goals like we are.

“You can’t legislate for the goals we’re conceding. We have quality but we still concede stupid goals.

“When you look at those goals, I don’t think anybody could be confident [of escaping a relegation battle]. It needs some experience here to look at what we’ve got and find a way to get something out of the games we have coming up”.

Saints boss Craig Levein hailed the character his side showed in bouncing back from a poor performance at St Mirren at the weekend, to add to Aberdeen’s misery.

He said: “On Saturday we didn’t turn up ready to fight which gave the opposition the advantage.

“The big question today was whether we could go out and deliver what we didn’t last week and I’m so proud of the performance today. We stood up to be counted in every single area of the pitch. It was a real team performance and a real fillip for us.

“We recognised that at Aberdeen the expectations are high and if the players and team don’t achieve what the supporters are looking for it can be quite tough.

“I’m only focusing on Saturday now and we’ll need to bring that type of performance. If we do, we’ll have a chance of taking something from the game”.

Aberdeen remain at risk of being drawn into a cinch Premiership relegation battle after the toothless Dons sank to defeat against St Johnstone.

Nicky Clark’s penalty late in the first half opened the scoring and Benjamin Kimpioka netted a second 13 minutes from time.

The win moves Craig Levein’s Saints level on points with the Dons as the two sides seemingly head on opposite trajectories.

Both sides rang the changes after weekend defeats, Aberdeen showing four changes after their 2-0 defeat to Kilmarnock, while Levein brought in five fresh players after defeat to St Mirren.

Neither side fashioned a clear view on goal in the opening period before a Matt Smith cross after 17 minutes found the experienced Clark, who tried to chest the ball home from close range, Kelle Roos saving comfortably.

Aberdeen were finding it hard to provide any service for lone striker Bojan Miovski and their best opportunities in the first half came from midfielders, Jamie McGrath forcing a fingertip save from Dimitar Mitov from a 25-yard free-kick, while Graeme Shinnie saw a shot from distance blocked by Liam Gordon.

The visitors were also shot-shy but they took the lead two minutes from the interval when Clark found the bottom left corner from the penalty spot after Richard Jensen’s handball.

The home side finally worked an opening for Miovski immediately afterwards but his subtle flick was easy for Mitov to hold.

A change of system at the interval saw Aberdeen become a more regular threat and Leighton Clarkson really should have levelled when he ran onto Roos’ long clearance but shot straight at Mitov.

Jonny Hayes flashed an effort wide and Clarkson hit over as the Dons searched for a leveller but the biggest threat to Levein’s side would be their own goalkeeper.

Mitov dropped a Connor Barron corner he looked to have full control of and his defenders scrambled to partially clear the ball before Miovski’s eventual shot was deflected over.

Two minutes later there was another scramble in front of goal, Mitov this time doing well to hold Stefan Gartenmann’s powerful header.

While Aberdeen may have had the volume of chances, the visitors looked sharp on the break with Kimpioka having the run of Gartenmann in particular and that would lead to the second goal.

Diallang Jaiyesimi’s ball over the top gave the striker something to chase and he drew Roos off his line before clipping home an angled shot to double his side’s lead.

Aberdeen huffed and puffed but as shouts of “sack the board” echoed round a rapidly emptying Pittodrie, Mitov in truth was rarely troubled.

Aberdeen’s interim manager Neil Warnock insisted his side must cut out the sloppy defensive errors that see him still on the hunt for a first cinch Premiership win following a 2-2 draw with Hibernian.

The Dons fell behind after Martin Boyle rounded Kelle Roos after just 12 minutes, but were quickly level through Nicky Devlin.

Jamie McGrath put the home side in front just after the break, but sub Emiliano Marcondes turned home from close range to earn his side a share of the points.

And Warnock said afterwards: “It’s frustrating. We’ve had 26 attempts on goal but given two goals away like Sunday league.

“I think that’s the best we’ve played since I’ve come here, and we just missed a little bit of the rub of the green.

“We played some good stuff at times, but we needed a clean sheet to win the game. I bet Hibs can’t believe the goals we’ve given them – it’s elementary defending, and it’s disappointing after the effort we put into the game.”

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery was handed his professional debut by Warnock during a spell at Sheffield United, and he felt his side could have got one over on his former boss.

He said: “I think we came here with a game plan, and we scored early but we’re disappointed with the goals we lost. It was a competitive game on a difficult pitch.

“I thought we probably should have had a penalty for handball in the first half, and in the second we conceded another poor goal.

“I thought we showed great character to level, and [Emiliano] Marcondes is a top quality player, and I thought his finish was quality.

“We had chances to win the game, as did Aberdeen. We could have taken three points but it wasn’t to be so we’ll take a point at a difficult place to come.”

Aberdeen’s interim manager Neil Warnock is still seeking a first cinch Premiership win after his side could only draw 2-2 with a resilient Hibernian at Pittodrie.

The visitors led through Martin Boyle, but Nicky Devlin quickly restored parity before the Dons went in front early in the second half thanks to Jamie McGrath.

However, a leveller from substitute Emiliano Marcondes ensured the sides shared the points.

The evergreen Boyle made an early impact, sliding past Kelle Roos at the near post after good work from Myziane Maolida had created the chance.

The Edinburgh side’s lead did not last long, as David Marshall could only parry Bojan Miovski’s 10-yard volley and Devlin threw himself at the loose ball to turn home a quickfire leveller.

Aberdeen would be the more threatening side, and Marshall had to look smart to deny Jack MacKenzie midway through the first half, and the former Scotland man then had to palm away a Connor Barron corner from under his own crossbar.

Miovski passed up a gilt-edged chance to put the Dons in front just before the half-hour as he ran onto Duk’s through ball, but in electing to lift over Marshall rather than round the veteran keeper, he allowed a save.

The home side survived a penalty scare as VAR official David Dickinson took a look at a potential handball from an Elie Youan cross, but at the other end they were denied a second goal by the woodwork, as Leighton Clarkson slid in to meet Miovski’s cutback, the ball coming back off the crossbar.

They would get their noses in front after 51 minutes, as Duk left Lewis Miller for dead, and put a ball into the box, where Clarkson found McGrath, and the Irishman passed into the net after getting the ball out from between his feet.

It looked like they might extend their lead when Miovski ran onto a ball over the top three minutes later, but Marshall was off his line quickly to avert the danger.

A flying save from Marshall denied Duk, and the keeper held a Graeme Shinnie volley before Hibs drew level in controversial circumstances.

Play went on after what seemed an offside on the left, only for assistant referee David Roome to raise his flag after substitute Marcondes turned home Joe Newell’s cutback. A lengthy VAR review followed, before eventually the goal was given.

Aberdeen threw on new signing Junior Hoilett for the last 10 minutes, and his first involvement set up an opportunity for Miovski, only for Marshall to deny the Dons top scorer. That would be the keeper’s last involvement as he picked up an injury that saw him replaced by Jojo Wollacott.

Despite 10 minutes of injury time, neither side could find a winner, though Miovski should have done better when the ball fell to him at the back post deep in stoppage time.

Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock has renewed his acquaintance with Junior Hoilett after signing the winger in a deal until the end of the season.

The 33-year-old Canada international joins following a spell with Vancouver Whitecaps.

The left-sided player has spent most of his career in the English league with the likes of Blackburn, QPR, Cardiff and Reading.

“Junior is a player I know well – he’s played for me three times so I know him inside out,” said Warnock.

“He’s an international player and I think he’ll benefit the squad between now and the end of the season.”

“I’ve worked with the gaffer before so it was a no-brainer to come up here and join him,” said Hoilett, who played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has scored 16 goals in 62 internationals.

“It’s a great opportunity and I’m just happy at the prospect of getting back out there playing football again under a manager who knows how to get the best out of the squad. I’ve no doubt he’ll get everyone working together so I’m delighted to be here.

“I still have a lot of fire in me for the game. I want to enjoy playing football again. I have been keeping fit training with Reading and just waiting for the right opportunity to come along. When the gaffer phoned it was a blessing and I am delighted to be here.

“I can tell already from the welcome I’ve had that it’s a great club and I want to be part of it and help the squad move up the table.”

Aberdeen substitute Duk hit a double as the Dons came from three goals down to claim a 3-3 draw against Motherwell in Neil Warnock’s first league match at Pittodrie.

The visitors looked set to bounce back from their cup defeat by Morton as Theo Bair’s double and Adam Devine’s strike put them in a commanding position inside 26 minutes.

But Duk soon netted 30 seconds after coming on as part of a double substitution and the attacker levelled five minutes after the break after Stefan Gartenmann had pulled another goal back.

Both sides went on to have goals disallowed and both will no doubt be disappointed with a point, which leaves each of them three points outside the cinch Premiership top six.

With Pascal Jensen dropping out through illness, Warnock started with three defenders – Gartenmann, Nicky Devlin and Jack MacKenzie.

His side looked vulnerable at the back and Motherwell were ahead inside five minutes after Shayden Morris clumsily brought down Georgie Gent inside the box. Bair hit the penalty into the roof of the net.

Aberdeen had their moments in the opening half hour. Bojan Miovski got in behind and forced a save from Liam Kelly, while Connor Barron and Morris threatened from outside the box.

But Motherwell came closer when Kelle Roos tipped Jack Vale’s volley on to a post and stopped Bair’s follow-up.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 22nd minute when Bair tapped home Gent’s cross from five yards for his eighth goal in his last six league games.

They were three up and apparently cruising four minutes later when Devine marked his first start for the club by steering home Blair Spittal’s blocked shot after some direct running from Harry Paton had left Aberdeen’s back three exposed.

Boos rang round Pittodrie and Warnock started plotting changes which came on the half-hour mark as attacker Duk and centre-back Angus MacDonald came on for midfielders Dante Polvara and Morris.

Duk instantly made his mark, turning home after Motherwell had lost possession from their own throw-in deep in their half.

The deficit was further reduced in the 37th minute following Barron’s inswinging corner. Devlin was allowed a free header and Gartenmann converted the rebound following Kelly’s save.

The Dons continued to exploit Motherwell’s vulnerability from set-pieces. Leighton Clarkson, twice, and MacDonald threatened before the equaliser came following a throw-in. Graeme Shinnie was allowed space to cross and Duk outmuscled Devine to head into the far corner.

Aberdeen thought they had completed the turnaround midway through the second half when Miovski bundled the ball home from close range. The striker was flagged offside and a lengthy VAR check confirmed the decision, although he looked level to the naked eye.

Warnock’s side kept knocking on the door and Gartenmann headed against the crossbar from another Barron inswinger.

Motherwell were struggling to retain possession long enough to relieve the pressure, but they were celebrating in the 80th minute after Paton turned the ball home after a corner led to a goalmouth scramble.

The home side claimed for at least one foul and referee Kevin Clancy disallowed the goal after seeing Calum Butcher push Jamie McGrath with two hands on his VAR monitor.

Aberdeen interim boss Neil Warnock has insisted his days of immersing himself in a job for the long haul are firmly behind him.

The 75-year-old has become a specialist in short-term fixes in recent seasons and has no desire to overstay his welcome at a club.

Warnock has seen Roy Hodgson – one year his senior – come under fire from Crystal Palace supporters after deciding to stay on for the current campaign following his impressive fire-fighting spell in charge of the Eagles at the end of last season.

Warnock is content to continue in end-of-season interim roles like the one he has taken on with the Dons, even though such a scenario means he is generally unable to recruit players in his mould.

“I don’t put myself in Roy’s situation,” he said when asked why someone in their mid-70s would take on such a pressurised position.

“I’m quite happy when I’m not involved in football, I’ve got a lovely family and everything. But I just get challenges that crop up and I look at my last few years when I’ve retired about eight times, the challenges have always been there.

“The Huddersfield challenge was impossible but we came through it, then Cardiff, to get promotion with a group like that, and even Rotherham, those challenges were something I had to roll my sleeves up for.

“And I’ve always wanted to manage up here (in Scotland). Yes, I wish it was a few years ago because I’d have loved to have had the opportunity to build a Scottish club up and bring my type of players in.

“Even though I’ve only had a couple of games, I can see what’s missing in certain areas. But that’s not going to be possible. I have to make the job as good as I can with what I have. It’s that buzz that I get but my wife does think I’m flipping my lid at times.”

Warnock has enjoyed his first week at Aberdeen as he continues the process of weaning himself off football management.

“When I’m at home and I’m fishing and going on little holidays and things, I don’t miss it altogether,” he said. “But I do miss the dressing-room banter and trying to improve players.

“I don’t miss hotels, air conditioning and motorways. That’s why I couldn’t do it long-term now because I don’t enjoy that bit but I still get a kick out of the games and trying to get the whistle to go when you’ve got a victory.

“I don’t think there’s any better feeling than that. I’m gradually weaning off, it’s just taking a lot longer than I thought.”

If Warnock was to have a transfer window, he would look to add more leaders in the mould of Graeme Shinnie.

“I like my leaders at a club, I like people to stand up and be counted during a game,” he said ahead of his first home league game in charge against Motherwell on Wednesday.

“We haven’t got many, there’s only really Shinnie that does that at the club. But they’re a genuine bunch so I just have to move on with that.”

Warnock has “one or two little knocks” to check on before naming his side for the visit of a Motherwell team bidding to bounce back from their Scottish Cup defeat at cinch Championship outfit Morton on Friday.

“I don’t think Motherwell will have any hangovers from Friday,” he said. “I think they might think they’re catching us at a good time. The games that are coming up now, I would imagine teams playing against us will think it’s winnable for them and we think it’s winnable for us as well.”

Rangers moved level on points with cinch Premiership leaders Celtic as Neil Warnock’s first game as Aberdeen boss ended with a 2-1 defeat at Ibrox.

The 75-year-old’s appointment until the end of the season had captured interest UK-wide but, in a turbo-charged start to the game by the home side, winger Rabbi Matondo capitalised on a mistake by Dons keeper Kelle Roos to give Gers the lead.

However, Dons striker Bojan Miovski levelled as the first-half entered three added minutes with his 20th goal of the season.

Rangers piled on the pressure in the second half and in the 73rd minute, when Roos palmed away a Tom Lawrence thunderbolt, Todd Cantwell followed up to finish it off.

Rangers second-half substitute Dujon Sterling was shown a straight red card by referee Don Robertson in the 88th minute for a tackle on Jack MacKenzie – the official stuck with his decision despite the VAR asking him to check his pitchside monitor – and the 10-man home side played out eight added minutes before victory was confirmed.

Rangers and Celtic are now on 58 points with the Hoops boasting a superior goal difference of just one.

Celtic play at Hibernian on Wednesday, which will again leave the Light Blues with a game in hand as the title race heats up further.

Gers boss Philippe Clement brought in John Souttar, Ridvan Yilmaz, Lawrence and Cyriel Dessers with Mohamed Diomande, the 22-year-old midfielder signed on a loan from Nordsjaelland with an obligation for the Light Blues to buy, on the bench.

Warnock’s first team selection showed two changes from the side which started in the draw against Celtic at weekend with Jonny Hayes and Leighton Clarkson in for Dante Polvara and Killian Phillips.

The home supporters were up for the game and soon had something to cheer with a goal initiated by Matondo’s pass to Cantwell.

The Gers player moved the ball on to winger Ross McCausland whose low drive from the edge of the box seemed to lack real power to trouble Roos but he spilled the shot to the on-rushing Matondo who blasted it into the net from close range.

It was mostly all Rangers.

Matondo hesitated before getting a shot away after he had carved open the Aberdeen defence and his effort was blocked for a corner which Lawrence headed over.

Rangers appeared in control but when midfielder Connor Barron lobbed the ball forward it caught the Light Blues napping and Miovski fended off defender Connor Goldson and slipped the ball past Butland with assurance.

The goal turned the Ibrox crowd into critics and there was a different feel to the start of the second half.

Roos made saves from Matondo and Dessers but the flag was up for offside. That was enough for Clement.

Matondo made way for new boy Oscar Cortes, the Colombian winger on loan from Lens, with Fabio Silva replacing Dessers.

Aberdeen were pinned back in their own half but a well-organised and determined defence kept an increasingly frantic Rangers at bay.

The Dons repelled a series of corners with Roos blocking a Lawrence shot with his foot following one of Yilmaz’s deliveries.

However, Lawrence’s next effort from distance was venomous and although the Pittodrie keeper made a decent save, the ball fell to Cantwell who slid the ball back into the net for his fifth goal in eight games.

Amid more substitutions, Diomande replaced Cantwell in the 85th minute to make his debut and took part in a frantic finale where Sterling, on for Lawrence, was dismissed with referee Robertson asked to check his pitchside monitor by the VAR only to stick to his guns.

It was quite an introduction to Scottish football for Warnock but Rangers continue their chase of Celtic.

Aberdeen are set to appoint Neil Warnock as their interim manager until the end of the season, according to reports.

The Dons are reported to be in advanced talks with the 75-year-old as they look for a short-term replacement for Barry Robson.

Robson followed Derek McInnes, Stephen Glass and Jim Goodwin in leaving the position of Aberdeen manager around this time of the year in four seasons running and the club look set to take their time over their next long-term appointment.

Warnock has long stated he wanted to manage in Scotland and has an affection for Morton given he has a home in Dunoon, across the Firth of Clyde from Greenock. He revealed last year that he thought he was once close to getting the Hearts job.

Warnock came out of retirement 12 months ago to return to Huddersfield and steer them from second bottom to safety in the Sky Bet Championship.

The former Leeds, Sheffield United and Cardiff manager departed in September with his work done and did not rule out restarting his career.

“My health is good, I’ve never felt better. If anything I’ve got the buzz again,” he said.

“You don’t know what the next knock on the door is going to be. I’m sure when February comes round people will be asking me again.”

Warnock could potentially have a high-profile debut as Aberdeen take on Rangers on Tuesday at Ibrox.

They will travel to Glasgow on a high after caretaker manager Peter Leven inspired vast improvement from his side in the second half of their home clash with Celtic on Saturday.

After failing to take a shot at goal before the break, and barely having any possession in the final third, the Dons took the lead through Bojan Miovksi in the 50th minute and had several other opportunities in the 1-1 draw.

First-team coach Leven afterwards stated he was taking his new role “day by day”.

“It’s a great bunch of boys, they were running all over the pitch, they gave everything,” he said. “Whoever’s coming in, great team, great bunch of boys.

“We just need to believe in ourselves because we are a top team, and you could see that in the second half.”

The draw left Aberdeen in eighth place in the cinch Premiership, 20 points behind Hearts in third place.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers called on his players to focus on the football and ease the dissent among fans with results after a 1-1 draw at Aberdeen exacerbated the concerns of the Hoops support.

Celtic ran out to chants of “sack the board” from the visiting fans and a banner reading “Celtic board, on your heads be it”.

Supporters were unhappy with a transfer window that saw Nicolas Kuhn and on-loan Norwich forward Adam Idah arrive and the likes of David Turnbull and Mikey Johnston depart.

Kuhn netted Celtic’s equaliser in the 63rd minute, four minutes after coming off the bench, but many supporters believe the failure to further strengthen the squad has risked their cinch Premiership title defence and they resumed their chants of dissent after the game.

The name “Lawwell” was central to the noise, after the influence of chairman Peter Lawwell and the record of his son, head of recruitment Mark Lawwell, came under scrutiny in recent days.

Rodgers had called for unity ahead of the game and he said afterwards: “I can only concentrate with the players on what we do on the field.

“You always find that winning games and performing well can ease those situations, and that’s what we aim to do.

“Supporters pay their money, they have every right to say what they want to say.

“For us it’s the field, we can only control that. If we can do that, then we will be okay.”

Rodgers, who felt his side lacked aggression in the second half, agreed it was “very important” not to let the complaints become a distraction to his players.

Although the fans were chanting against the board before and after the game, they applauded the players and manager after the final whistle and supported throughout.

“Whatever goes on outside of the field, you have to be able to deal with that,” he added.

“At a club like Celtic, and the biggest clubs, there will always be that pressure there. I don’t need to add any more pressure to the players. They understand, playing here.

“My job is to give them the confidence to find the results we need to find. But there’s still so many games and a long, long way to go.”

Aberdeen did not manage a single effort at goal in the first half but Bojan Miovski netted on the counter-attack in the 50th minute and the Dons had several opportunities to win the game in a strong second-half showing.

Caretaker manager Peter Leven revealed his simple message to his players at half-time: “Relax.”

He added: “Celtic are a good team, they are going to pin you back but when we turned possession over, we just needed to make a few more passes.

“We knew Celtic were going to press the first five seconds. I just said ‘believe in yourselves, be a bit more braver on the ball’. And I think you could see that in the second half.

“We had a few chances in the second half. The boys ran well second half, pressed them, passed the ball a lot better. It was just about belief.”

Aberdeen players were incensed that referee Steven McLean did not send off Maik Nawrocki after the defender fouled Miovski while already on a yellow card but Leven did not make much of the incident.

“I never saw it again,” the first-team coach said. “The second yellow card never happened but it’s one of these things the referee has got to deal with.”

Nicolas Kuhn scored his first goal for Celtic but pre-match dissent from the visiting supporters at Pittodrie was amplified as a strong second-half performance from Aberdeen earned the hosts a point.

Celtic ran out to chants of “sack the board” and a banner which read “Celtic board, on your heads be it” as the fans expressed their displeasure over the club’s transfer window business.

Their team had a goal disallowed and hit the bar twice in a one-sided first half but Bojan Miovski gave Aberdeen the lead with their first effort at goal in the 50th minute and his 19th goal of the season.

German winger Kuhn levelled in the 64th minute in his second appearance for Celtic but the game remained in the balance and the 1-1 draw ended a run of six consecutive wins for the cinch Premiership leaders since they lost back-to-back games in December.

Aberdeen had first-team coach Peter Leven in charge following the sacking of manager Barry Robson and he handed a first start to the club’s sole January signing, on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder Killian Phillips.

Celtic had both of their new signings, German winger Kuhn and on-loan Norwich forward Adam Idah, on the bench as Maik Nawrocki replaced the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The defender’s ball over the top earned Celtic their first real chance and Luis Palma was celebrating after converting the rebound from Liel Abada’s saved effort. The Honduran winger was clearly offside though, however it took the VAR team several minutes to disallow the goal.

Celtic continued to create a steady stream of first-half chances. Kelle Roos saved comfortably from Palma and Abada and the former missed a great opportunity after Alistair Johnston’s cross found him in space on the corner of the six-yard box. His shot hit the top of the bar and went over.

Paulo Bernardo lobbed a delicate effort over a crowded goalmouth and off the top of the bar as Celtic continued to dominate. They had 13 first-half shots at goal, but only three on target with Matt O’Riley and Alexandro Bernabei off target just before the break.

Aberdeen had barely managed to get the ball in the final third but they re-emerged from the interval with a new-found vigour and quickly turned defence into attack when a Celtic move up the left broke down.

Dante Polvara’s forward pass set Miovski up to run at Nawrocki and the striker shifted the ball inside before curling home from 18 yards.

The game was transformed. Aberdeen threatened from a series of set-pieces with Celtic blocking several shots and Phillips almost made himself an instant hero with an audacious 45-yard chip which had Joe Hart beaten but just drifted off target.

It was another recent signing that was soon celebrating though. Kuhn and Idah came on along with Anthony Ralston in the 59th minute and the winger soon made his mark as he cut in from the right, played a one-two and then got the ball back from Idah before shooting in off Nicky Devlin.

Both teams went all out to get ahead. O’Riley saw a deflected effort hit the outside of the post and Hart saved from Connor Barron after Nawrocki’s poor clearance.

The offside flag went up after good chances at either end and Graeme Shinnie looked all set to score only to hit Hart with his shot. Leighton Clarkson looked offside from Shinnie’s header before he got the ball back.

Miovski was definitely offside when he beat Hart to Clarkson’s low cross and knocked the ball into the net from close range.

Celtic finished strongly but Roos came off his line to foil O’Riley and substitute Stephen Welsh headed over with the last action of the game before the away supporters resumed chants against the board while applauding the players.

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack is braced for the “exhausting” process of recruiting a fourth new manager in the space of three years after Barry Robson was sacked on Wednesday.

First-team coach Peter Leven and under-18s coach Scott Anderson have been placed in temporary charge while the Dons board begin the now-familiar task of searching for a new boss.

Alex Neil, Neil Lennon, Robbie Neilson, Neil Warnock and Stephen Robinson are among those to have been linked with the Pittodrie vacancy.

Almost 12 months to the day after stepping up from his role with the under-18s to take charge of the first team – initially on an interim basis – Robson was relieved of his duties along with assistant Steve Agnew.

Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at home to Dundee, in which the 45-year-old came under fire from sections of the Dons support, proved to be the final straw, with a club statement saying this season’s results and performances in the cinch Premiership “have been well below the expectations set”.

Robson was appointed Aberdeen manager on a permanent basis last May after overseeing impressive form during his stint as caretaker, with a run of seven successive wins helping the Dons overhaul Hearts to claim third place and a crack at European group-stage football.

Cormack lamented the fact the Dons were unable to replicate such form this season as he described the current league position of eighth as “unacceptable”, even allowing for the demands of trying to juggle domestic matters with competing in the Conference League.

“Although it has been a difficult call, the board felt the change was necessary and in the best interests of Aberdeen FC,” the Dons chairman told the club’s website.

“Barry earned the right to be Aberdeen manager and knew the high level of expectation we had when he took the role.

“We gave Barry as much time and support as we possibly could in the hope, and expectation, he could return us to the league form we witnessed in the spring of last year.

“There is a talented squad of players at the club which makes our current league position unacceptable.

“With 17 games left in the league and still in the Scottish Cup, this change is necessary to help us refocus on our ambitions for the rest of the season.

“It’s important we thank Barry for his significant contribution to Aberdeen as a player, a coach and manager. He’s a good man who worked extremely hard in everything he did for us, and it goes without saying that we wish him, and Steve, our very best.”

Following the relative stability of having Derek McInnes in charge from 2013 to 2021 – finishing in the top four in each of his seven full seasons in charge – the Dons have seen Steven Glass, Jim Goodwin and Robson all last no more than a year at the helm before being sacked with the team in the bottom six.

Cormack is frustrated that he and his fellow Dons directors find themselves on the hunt for yet another new boss at a time when the club is “in good shape” off the field.

“The club, as a business, is in good shape,” he said. “We have no bank debt, significant commercial growth, record season ticket and AberDNA membership sales.

“We also have an evolving player trading model that is allowing us to invest significantly more in the football operation than the operating income we generate.

“But, as chairman, I accept responsibility, along with the board, for the managerial upheavals. It’s exhausting for everyone to go through, not least our fans and the managers who gave their all and lost their jobs.”

Aberdeen’s next two league games are at home to Celtic and away to Rangers before they host League Two side Bonnyrigg in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes expects Barry Robson to “bounce back” after being dismissed as Aberdeen boss.

The 45-year-old has departed the Granite City club along with his coaching staff following Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Dundee at Pittodrie.

Robson, initially installed as caretaker boss last January, led the Dons to a third-placed finish last season and qualification for the Europa Conference League, and took them to the Viaplay Cup final this season only to lose to Rangers.

However, he managed only one win in his last five league games in charge which leaves the Dons eighth in the cinch Premiership table.

Former Aberdeen manager McInnes, who signed former midfielder Robson for Aberdeen and subsequently appointed him to his coaching staff, said: “Disappointed as always.

“I think Barry earned the right for the job, during his time as caretaker when Aberdeen were searching for a manager.

“With the more results Barry got, I don’t think anyone was too surprised he got the job.

“He did well last season, he has had to contend with a lot this season, none more so than when the heat comes on and the results aren’t what is expected.

“He had to deal with that so it is extremely disappointing for Barry, he’s a pal and I speak to him regularly. Just prior to this time last year he was an Under-18s manager.

“But he has managed to gain a lot of experience as a first-team manager, he has managed in a cup final, managed in Europe, so he has gained a lot from it.

“My initial thoughts are for Barry and hopefully he will take the good from the experience and move on to his next opportunity when it comes along.

“He has so many good qualities and he will bounce back.”