Celtic performance keeps Aberdeen '˜positive' ahead of Rangers clash

Dedryck Boyata and Aberdeen's Gary Mackay-Steven compete for the ball during the Betfred Cup final and suffer a nasty clash of heads. Picture: SNS

Assistant boss Tony Docherty claims Aberdeen moved from disappointment to determination immediately after Sunday's Betfred Cup final defeat to Celtic at Hampden Park.

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The Dons suffered their third successive final loss to Brendan Rodgers’ side with Ryan Christie’s first-half strike enough to keep the trophy at Parkhead.

Afterwards Aberdeen retreated to their hotel on the outskirts of Glasgow to get ready for their Ladbrokes Premiership clash with leaders Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

Docherty, who revealed winger Gary Mackay-Steven was sent home on Monday as he continues to recover from the concussion he suffered when he clashed heads with Hoops defender Dedryck Boyata, insists spirit in the camp is “very good” as they look to get back on track against the Light Blues.

He said: “We have just lost a cup final but you wouldn’t know it, speaking to the boys and seeing how the boys are around the hotel, there is a real positivity.

“There is a disappointment losing a cup final, of course there is. We have stayed together as a group since the final whistle, we have done everything together.

“We dealt with the disappointment but we have focused on the positivity of how good the performance level was and I think that is important and the boys realise that.

“That process started straight after the game.

“On Monday we recovered, trained and prepared for this game and there is a real good feeling about them because I think they realise that the performance level against most teams in this league will win a lot of games.

“But as good as we are we realise we need to be a bit more clinical to get the goal to win the game.

“Rangers are in good form and great home form so we realise we can’t dwell on it.”