By Julian Taylor

Barry Robson made a dream start with his first touch at Pittodrie

Celtic kept up the pressure on Rangers at the top of the SPL by coasting to victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Darren Mackie missed an open goal for the Dons, with Shunsuke Nakamura scoring for Celtic on 16 minutes.

Aiden McGeady doubled the Hoops' lead on 33 minutes with an exquisite shot, before Scott McDonald converted a penalty and headed home a fourth.

Lee Miller struck a consolation, but Celtic debutant Barry Robson drove in a free-kick to complete the rout.

Interview: Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood

Interview: Celtic manager Gordon Strachan

Aberdeen now face Bayern Munich in the Uefa Cup, and that challenge will require all of manager Jimmy Calderwood's motivational skills after this ragged showing.

The Dons were attempting to regroup following a wretched midweek CIS Insurance Cup semi-final exit against Dundee United.

New signings Dave Bus and Alan Maybury both came into the defence for an expected stiff test against the SPL champions.

Celtic, in contrast, won comfortably at Kilmarnock on Scottish Cup duty last week, but boss Gordon Strachan made two changes.

Andreas Hinkel and Paul Hartley both returned at the expense of Paul Caddis and Massimo Donati, the Italian not even making the squad.

The visitors almost went in front after 12 minutes when the unlikely figure of Scott Brown got into the Dons penalty area, but his header came off the post from McGeady's teasing left wing cross.

Mackie should have hit the target from close range but shot wide in one of Aberdeen's best chances.

And with Celtic showing plenty of aggression, the Dons paid the price for Mackie's profligacy, when Nakamura drove home.

The unmarked Japanese tucked home at the far post after some dismal Dons defending which saw them ball watch McGeady's low cross.

Eventually, Aberdeen forced the tempo, and almost equalised when Mackie saw his left-foot shot hit Artur Boruc's post after Miller had threaded the ball through the Hoops' defence.

Aiden McGeady was in fine form as Celtic romped home

But McGeady dented the Dons' hopes further with a superb second.

The Republic of Ireland international picked up possession in an innocuous position 35 yards out, and bent his well-placed effort into the top corner after ex-Celt Jackie McNamara had failed to close down the winger.

Further misery found Aberdeen when in-control Celtic added a third.

Josh Walker brought down the speedy McDonald in the 42nd minute with a rash challenge, and the striker drove home the resulting spot-kick to put the Glasgow club comfortably ahead at the interval.

It was McDonald's 22nd goal of the season, effectively killing the contest.

Aberdeen could not contain McGeady, and his piece of sublime skill and subsequent cross set up McDonald for the fourth.

With the Dons defence once again absent, the Australian headed an easy chance home at the far post.

Some light relief did arrive for Calderwood's men when they grabbed one back through Miller.

Celtic failed to clear a free kick from the right by Scott Severin, and the striker pounced to rattle the ball high into the net.

The visitors freshened the ranks with Giorgios Samaras and Robson, and the latter scored Celts' fifth with his first touch.

The �1.2m January signing from Dundee United curled a left-foot set-piece through the Aberdeen wall from 25 yards past Langfield, making an instant dream impact.

Strachan's men eased off in the closing stages, with the home support bearing witness to a second hammering in a week ahead of the Bayern tie on Thursday.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Maybury, Diamond (Considine 50), Bus, McNamara, Nicholson (Foster 17), Walker, Severin, Young, Mackie, Miller, Foster (Maguire 63). Subs Not Used: Soutar, Lovell, Duff, Aluko.

Booked: Walker, Young.

Goal: Miller 62.

Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Nakamura (Robson 73), Hartley, Scott Brown, McGeady, McDonald (Samaras 61), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Killen 85). Subs Not Used: Mark Brown, O'Dea, Sno, Caddis.

Booked: McGeady.

Goals: Nakamura 17, McGeady 34, McDonald 44 pen, 48, Robson 74.

Att: 14,651