Why Aberdeen are in a 'good place' ahead of Celtic clash

Derek McInnes won’t get hung up on Aberdeen’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Celtic being perceived as his side’s best chance to end the Parkhead club’s UK record in domestic knock-out competition that stands at 34 straight wins.

Aberdeen Manager Derek McInnes was keen to wave aside suggestions he may be meeting a Celtic side more beatable than at any time in their four-year winning cup run in the clubs' latest Hampden match-up (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The Pittodrie men have been Celtic’s cup greatest adversaries as they have hoovered up all Scottish honours. The pair’s latest skirmish at Hampden will be their fifth since 2016 - the teams contesting the Scottish Cup final of 2017, and the 2019 semi-final in the competition, as well as the League Cup finals of 2016 and 2018.

Not until now, though, during Celtic’s dominant period have Aberdeen gone into a cup tie against the Scottish champions while within three points of them in the league and been fresh from a 3-3 draw against them - in which they led twice - that helps accounts for Celtic finding themselves on a four-game winless run.

“I don’t think of any of that,” said McInnes. “We have shown we are a capable cup team, Celtic have been a brilliant cup team. I do feel as though we are in a good place. We have shown we are a good cup team over the years. Despite last year’s challenges we still got to this semi-final. We are probably in better fettle now, look a better team.

“I’m glad we have this opportunity because of last season’s work. We beat St Mirren and Kilmarnock away to get here. Normally you need to beat one of the Old Firm to get there and I believe we are in good shape. We understand the record Celtic have in cup competitions but we back ourselves to try and make our own season by trying to win this Scottish Cup.”

Aberdeen’s impressive firepower enhances their prospects at the national stadium with goalscoring talisman Sam Cosgrove having recovered from a fracture in his knee cap suffered in July. The big Englishman had a late, and effective, run-out against Celtic last weekend - “they certainly knew he was there,” said McInnes of his contribution - and will now be added to the frontline options of Marley Watkins, Ryan Edmundson and Ryan Hedges.

Cosgrove believes that “potentially” the semi-final could bring him a first start of the season. “I've not had lots of training behind me. I've not even been back for a month yet [but] I feel sharp, like I have got back into my football mindset [even if] I've not played more than 45 minutes in terms of 11 v 11,” said the forward, who cited occasions such as the semi-final as one of the reasons he turned down a £2.7m move to French second tier side Guingamp. “It could be a bit of a push but if I'm called upon, I'll definitely be ready and give as good as I can.

"It's natural when you hear you have the opportunity to move abroad for a multi-million pound fee, it's naturally attractive and you want to hear it out and see what it is. But after quite a bit of deliberation and thought and speaking to people close to me, it turns out it just wasn’t for me.”

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