Strachan was ordered away from the dugout by referee Charlie Richmond after an argument with an Aberdeen official following Kenny Miller's 85th-minute goal that put the Hoops 2-1 ahead.

Burns revealed Strachan had been defending his assistant Garry Pendrey following accusations he had made a rude gesture to the Aberdeen fans behind the dug-out.

Strachan was apparently pointing out that Pendrey's two-fingered gesture was to mark the second goal.

Burns told BBC Radio Scotland: "They can shout and call you all the names under the sun but we are winning 2-1 and that's what makes us happy.

"If that constitutes someone running from the crowd wanting to report us to the police then God help us all.

"It ends up a real embarrassment for the manager when he is suddenly sucked into that because the person involved who suddenly came from nowhere - a steward believe it or not, what the hell the steward is doing looking at us instead of the crowd I don't know - he has come down to complain and just tell blatant lies.

"And Gordon felt that quite rightly so, as the manager, he had to protect people that work for him.

"And that being the case, for some strange reason he is sent to the stand, which defies logic.

"I think he was actually stating to the policeman that the guy who was down sticking two fingers up was telling lies."

Burns, stepping in for Strachan after the Hoops boss declined to carry out post-match interviews, was happier with his side's display.

Massimo Donati cancelled out Craig Brewster's first-half opener on the hour mark before Miller's late double.

Burns said: "The first half Aberdeen were up for it - they are a smashing side with a lot of energy and creative ability.

"It took the lads time to find their feet and show a bit of composure, which they did in the second half."

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood said: "The first half we were dominant and had them on the back foot.

"We knew Gordon would give them a rollicking at half-time and we warned the players.

"The second half we weren't as crisp in our passing. When Brewster came off we lost someone to hold up the ball, we started to get a bit ragged.

"Defensively we were poor, which we weren't in the first half.

"I'm just annoyed after such a very, very strong first half performance, that the game finished the way it did."

Donati revealed the fear of being replaced by substitute Paul Hartley helped drive him forward for the equaliser.

Donati told Setanta Sports: "The first half I didn't play well. In the second half I saw Paul Hartley getting changed but then the goal changed the game."

Substitute Kenny Miller was the hero for Celtic, scoring two late goals as a strong second-half performance from the Hoops gave them victory.

Craig Brewster scored from close range to give Aberdeen a 25th minute lead, but after Shunsuke Nakamura hit the bar with a free-kick, Celtic drew level through a fine strike from Massimo Donati.

Miller then made his presence felt with a close range finish - after which Strachan was sent from the technical area - before Miller pounced again in injury time, with a terrific 30-yard shot.

Aberdeen flew out of the traps early on and the home side thought they should have been awarded a penalty in only the second minute.

Brewster touched a cross from Barry Nicholson into the path of the onrushing Chris Clark, who went down in the Celtic penalty area after colliding with Lee Naylor.

But referee Charlie Richmond ruled any collision was accidental and play continued at a frantic pace.

Aberdeen kept up the pressure on their opponents and Jamie Smith had a dipping 20 yard free-kick tipped over the bar by Artur Boruc, before Celtic threatened for the first time, with Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink shooting just wide from 12 yards.

Aberdeen forward Brewster then endured a worrying spell, when he went down in the ninth minute clutching the shoulder which he dislocated last season.

Pleasingly for the Dons, Brewster quickly recovered, only to have to leave the field of play again, this time for a cut sustained in a clash with Gary Caldwell, which was patched up in the treatment room.

But Brewster's afternoon soon brightened up, when he gave Aberdeen a deserved lead.

Aiden McGeady lost possession for Celtic and although the midfielder thought he was fouled, Michael Hart took full advantage of the situation in sending a pass to Nicholson, whose low centre was tapped in by Brewster at the back post.

Celtic attempted to respond immediately to the loss of the opening goal and Nakamura's whipped cross was met by the head of a diving Scott McDonald, but the Australian only succeeded in directing his effort wide.

Boruc was then called upon to make a good save from Darren Mackie's shot after yet more good link up play between Nicholson and Brewster, but Polish international - starting for the first time this season following a shoulder injury - almost gifted Aberdeen a second goal in first-half injury time.

Mackie's 25-yard drive somehow squirmed from Boruc's grasp and came close to crossing the goal-line, only for the keeper to recover in time and spare his blushes.

Aberdeen created the first real opening of the second half when Mackie lashed a half-volley wide of Boruc's near post, but that scare only resulted in Celtic moving up a gear and taking control of the game.

In the 59th minute Nakamura rocked the underside of Derek Soutar's crossbar with a trademark free-kick, but Celtic only had to wait a further three minutes to restore parity, when McGeady fed Donati, who cut inside Zander Diamond before curling a terrific shot into the far corner of the net.

Mackie then should have done far better with a header from substitute Richard Foster's cross and in the closing stages that miss was punished to the full extent by Miller.

Wilson's cross was shifted by Nakamura to Donati and he passed to Miller, who confidently shot low past Soutar.

Strachan was then ordered from his dug-out by referee Richmond in a frenetic conclusion, before Miller curled a delightful 30 yard shot past Soutar to ensure the Parkhead club left Pittodrie with all three points.