Aberdeen defender Michael Hector believes the Reds will have to do it the hard way if they are to reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.
The Dons were yesterday drawn away to Motherwell in the quarter-finals of the competition and Hector, who is on loan from Reading until January, believes the tie is the most challenging game his side could have had.
He said: “It’s the toughest draw we could have got, away from home to Motherwell. But we went there earlier in the season and got a result, so, hopefully, we can do the same again.
“Anything can happen in the cup and we take nothing for granted. We saw what can happen with Celtic on Tuesday.
“All the teams who are in the quarter-finals will be thinking they are favourites.
“We will be confident going into this tie.”
Aberdeen have been installed as favourites to win the trophy after Celtic’s shock defeat by Morton on Tuesday but Dons manager Derek McInnes is keen to temper expectations.
McInnes is delighted at the growing excitement among the support after his side’s 5-0 win at Falkirk on Wednesday but he insists no one at Pittodrie is getting carried away.
He said: “We get two wins back to back and there is so much euphoria and so much expected of everyone.
“I understand that and I would never try to fan the flames.
“At the same time we lost a couple of games and it was the end of the world.
“We have to trust what we are doing, knuckle down and work towards the next games.
“We can’t stop what other people are saying but we are not kidded – there is work to be done.”
In the other quarter-final ties, Caley Thistle will host Dundee United, while Morton, the only Championship club in the last eight, host St Johnstone.
The final quarter-final is an Edinburgh derby, with Hearts making the trip to neighbours Hibernian.
Hibs defender Ryan McGivern has welcomed the draw as a chance to “set the record straight” against Hearts.
Hibs lost 1-0 at Tynecastle to their administration-hit rivals’ youthful side in their second Scottish Premiership game of the season.
McGivern is looking at the Easter Road tie at the end of October as an opportunity to atone for that August disappointment.
The Northern Ireland international said: “It’s the draw all the supporters would have wanted, and the players as well, it’s a massive draw.
“It’s a chance to set the record straight for the result earlier in the season.
“Hopefully, we can do that with a sellout crowd in a midweek game. A cup match adds a bit more spice.”