The tired champions' status as Scotland's superior side appears to be in danger at the start of 2003 after a draw at Pittodrie left them three points adrift of leaders Rangers.

Celtic were hoping to end the first half of the season by returning to the top of the Scottish Premier League with victory against the Dons.

And it looked good when Henrik Larsson scored his 30th goal of the season to give them an undeserved half-time lead before going off with a head injury with Rangers struggling.

But Russell Anderson scored a second-half header to give new manager Steve Paterson his first point against the Old Firm since taking charge.

And with Aberdeen unfurling the centenary flag and the red flares being lit before kick-off it certainly seemed to fire up the home side from the first whistle.

They twice went close in the first two minutes when first Darren Mackie headed Kevin Rutkiewicz's cross wide from five yards and again from Jamie McAllister's centre.

The visitors might have been boosted with big guns Henrik Larsson and John Hartson recovering from illnesses to play, but they certainly looked off-colour especially at the back for the most of the game.

In fact Aberdeen were appealing for a penalty after five minutes when Kevin McNaughton went down in a heap under the clumsy challenge of Joos Valgaeren from Mackie's cross, but referee Mike McCurry waved away the protests from the home side.

Celtic continued to live dangerously and they survived another big shout for a penalty when Mackie went down heavily under the challenge of Bobo Balde this time.

Moments later and the Glasgow giants breathed another sign of relief when Chris Clark's corner broke to Russell Anderson on the edge of the area and his effort was deflected just past the post by Stilian Petrov's vital challenge.

The home side finally woke up after 24 minutes and they had the ball in the back of the from their first quality passing move of the game when Larsson finished off Petrov's pass, with Hartson also involved, but the linesman ruled it out for offside.

They did, however, move up a gear and a deflected shot from McNamara, in for flu victim Didier Agathe, off the foot of McAllister whistled past the upright.

But from their next attack the champions took the lead and it was no surprise that it was Larsson, who came to their rescue with the opener on the half-hour.

Hartson did well to find Sutton and from his ball over the top the Swede flicked the ball over David Preece and got in ahead of Philip McGuire to head the ball into the net.

While his team-mates celebrated his 30th goal of the campaign he remained grounded after colliding with McGuire, but soon recovered to the joy of O'Neill and the travelling fans.

But McNaughton should have put Aberdeen on level terms just four minutes later when he met McAllister's cross, after another mistake by Johan Mjallby, but headed straight at Magnus Hedman in the centre of goal.

The home side would have been lifted, however, moments later when a visibly-shaken Larsson was forced to leave the field and was replaced by David Fernandez.

McCurry continued to frustrate the home supporters when he booked Rutkiewicz for an innocent tackle on McNamara three minutes after the restart.

It did not look like being Aberdeen's day until the 51st minute when Anderson rose unmarked in the box to glance McAllister's corner into the corner of the net from five yards with Hedman on the ground after unsuccessfully coming to try and claim the ball.

Fernandez lacked match fitness having spent months on the sidelines, but he did his best to win his side a penalty in the 63rd minute with a dramatic dive under the challenge of McGuire and the Aberdeen man let him know just what he felt about his antics.

But the home side could have got their own back when Mackie played McNaughton into space, but he slashed at his effort and blazed just over from the edge of the box.

The home side clearly sensed victory now and they gave the champions another scare in the 70th minute when McNaughton's shot looped off Balde and glided just past the upright with Hedman committed totally the other way.

O'Neill would not be satisfied with just the point and he freshened up his side in the 70th minute by bringing on Jamie Smith for Petrov.

But Mackie almost got a winning touch on Stephen Payne's cross with minutes remaining which would have knocked the life out of the tired-looking Celtic players.

Substitute Fernandez was substituted late on as his team-mates held on for a share of the points.

It gave Martin O'Neill's UEFA Cup glory-chasing Bhoys hope in the race for the title in the new year if they can come back after the winter break with their batteries recharged.

Teams

Aberdeen: Preece, Anderson, McGuire, McAllister (Payne 82), McNaughton, Deloumeaux, Rutkiewicz, Derek Young, Clark, Mackie, D'Jaffo (Michie 82).

Subs Not Used: Esson, Mike, O'Donoghue.

Booked: Rutkiewicz.

Goals: Anderson 51.

Celtic: Hedman, Valgaeren, Balde, Mjallby, McNamara, Lambert, Petrov (Smith 77), Sutton, Thompson, Larsson (Fernandez 34), Hartson, Fernandez (Maloney 88).

Subs Not Used: Gould, Crainey.

Goals: Larsson 30.

Att: 16,331

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).