As Celtic celebrated a 2-0 victory over Dundee at Parkhead, fans couldn’t help but keep one eye on the action unfolding at Pittodrie.

Aberdeen clinched a thrilling 2-1 win over Rangers in their much-anticipated showdown at Pittodrie, keeping pace with Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership. With both the Dons and the Hoops now nine points clear of the Gers—and it’s not even November—the title race is heating up faster than expected.

Jimmy Thelin has made an impressive impact since his summer arrival in the Granite City, steering Aberdeen into an unexpected title challenge.

Jimmy Thelin has transformed Aberdeen into a formidable force, yet he’s staying grounded amid rising title buzz. With his team level on points with champions Celtic and nine points ahead of Rangers just 10 games in, speculation has taken off. But when the BBC pressed him on whether Aberdeen is in a title race with Celtic, Thelin shut down the talk, responding simply, “No.”

Thelin emphasized caution, saying, “It’s still early, and we know that, which is why we have to stay focused. Now it’s a semi-final, we have to recover and focus on that one.”

This focus sets the stage for a thrilling Premier Sports Cup semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen at Hampden on Saturday. With the top two teams battling for a place in December’s final—and after their intense 2-2 league clash just weeks ago—fans can expect box office drama in a showdown that promises to shake Scottish football.