Dominic Ball: Aberdeen won't need to worry about events elsewhere

Dominic Ball believes Aberdeen will not need to concern themselves with events elsewhere on Sunday as they are capable of winning at Celtic Park to ensure they finish runners-up in the Premiership for a fourth consecutive season.

Aberdeen's Dominic Ball tangles with Rangers' Alfredo Morelos during the 1-1 draw at Pittodrie on Tuesday night. Pic: SNS

The Dons hold a one-point advantage in the race for second place in the table after their 1-1 draw against Rangers at Pittodrie on Tuesday night.

The final day of the campaign sees them travel to the home of champions Celtic ,who have not lost a domestic fixture at Parkhead since December 2015. But midfielder Ball insists Aberdeen can buck that trend and ensure that the outcome of the match between Hibs and Rangers at Easter Road has no bearing on them.

“There are a lot of things that could happen and different variables on Sunday, but we are going down to Celtic to win the game,” said Ball.

“It is as simple as that – what happens in the other games will happen. We just want to finish the season well.

“We were all a little disappointed only to get a point against Rangers, considering the way we played in the first half.

“I thought if we had carried that into the second half we would have won the game.

“It now goes down to the last game of the season at Celtic. The togetherness we have in the team will give us a really good chance. If we can play to the level we did in the first half against Rangers over 90 minutes at Celtic, I feel we will have a very good chance of winning.”

It will be a celebratory afternoon for seven-in-a-row champions Celtic, who will receive the Premiership trophy after the game and Ball hopes that may be a distraction for their hosts.

“Quite possibly,” added the 22-year-old. “But we will be focusing on ourselves to go out there and get a result. It was disappointing we didn’t get the three points against Rangers because we could have got them. So we now need to go to Celtic and do what we haven’t done yet this season and pick up points against them. On the back of our run of form at the moment, I feel we have a really good chance.

“I think we are the second best team in Scotland this year. Celtic are still the best, but they have been beaten this season. Hearts, for example, beat them 4-0 when no-one expected it and we have to show that attitude Hearts showed and to try and get the three points.

“The last four games since the split have been cup finals for us. We have had to go and get points in every single game. We haven’t picked up wins in the last two games against Hibs and Rangers but they are all cup finals. Sunday is the biggest one really.

“The gaffer and a lot of the boys who have been here for the last couple of seasons have said this has been their toughest test. If we can get second this year it would be amazing.”

Ball, on a season-long loan from Rotherham United, is due to return to his parent club this summer where he has another year left on his contract.

“I don’t know what is happening at the moment,” said the former Tottenham youngster who previously had a loan spell with Rangers.

“I am just focusing on the last game of the season with Aberdeen and we will see what happens after that.

“I haven’t played as much as I would have liked here. I wasn’t in a good place when I first came up here, fitness-wise or mentally. Since Christmas I have really picked it up and the gaffer has given me a chance in the last couple of months. I have finally found a bit of form and I am just gutted I couldn’t have shown that a bit earlier in the season.”