IF Celtic were looking for solace in the fixture list today after a difficult week, then they would have been sorely disappointed. Neil Lennon acknolwedges that fact, saying that the trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen this lunchtime is as tough a test as any they will face domestically this season.

Despite the two defeats this week though, Lennon is taking great encouragement from the spirited second-half showing against AC Milan on Thursday night, believing it will fill his players with confidence once again ahead of the journey north.

“It'll be as tough a test as any for us,” Lennon said. “They had a great result and performance in midweek but it's another great game for us.

“It's always tough but our record is decent at Pittodrie.

“Off the back of the positivity of Thursday night's second half performance – even though we got beat – we can go into the Aberdeen game with a bit of confidence back.

“If we play with the same energy I think we'll be fine.”

Lennon hopes a win today can spark a recovery on a par with that which his side produced after the defeat to Rangers last December, and he has faith that his players could very well piece together a long run of wins.

If it doesn’t happen though, he has urged his players and his club’s supporters not to panic at this early stage of the season.

“Every season is different,” he said. “It's not a given that we'll go on an amazing run.

“But I've got a real belief in the players that they're capable of doing that.

“There's no evidence to suggest otherwise. But we have to park last season but no campaign is the same.

“We were brilliant last year on those runs. We've lost a game but we know with a game in hand – which will be tough because it's Aberdeen – we'll only be a point behind.

“At this stage of the season, that's absolutely nothing.

“We just have to have tunnel vision and not get caught up in anything. We have to be as professional as we can and try to play really hard now.”