Caley Thistle midfielder Nick Ross knows time is running out to earn a place in the team for the biggest match in the club’s history.
Inverness take on Dundee United in the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup on Sunday seeking an immediate recovery from the 5-0 mauling at the hands of champions Celtic on Saturday.
Hibernian visit a week tomorrow before the March 16 League Cup final against Aberdeen.
Ross, pictured, started only one of Caley Thistle’s six matches last month, but was back in the team on Saturday after Aaron Doran missed out due to a groin injury.
The 22-year-old said: “Everyone feels if they get a chance they have to impress, whether they are in the side due to injuries or suspensions.
“We are all playing for a place in the final but also for every game from now until the end of the season.
“The final would be a nice game to play in, but we have games coming up before then.
“I got my chance on Saturday with Aaron being injured and hopefully I have done enough to keep my place.”
The defeat by Celtic ended Caley Thistle’s six-match unbeaten run. Ross knows what to expect from Sunday’s Scottish Cup match against Jackie McNamara’s Arabs side. There’s history between the team following Caley Thistle controversial League Cup win over United earlier in the season when Arabs attacker Nadir Ciftci was red-carded.
The Tannadice side has won four games on the bounce after a poor run over the new year but Ross expects his side to respond to Saturday’s heavy defeat and earn a place in the final four of the national competition.
He added: “It was hard to deal with Celtic’s movement at times on Saturday and they have a lot of quality players.
“We had been playing really well and we hadn’t been used to losing in the last few games, but matches against Celtic are one-off games and anything we get from them would be a bonus. This week will be nice as we don’t have a midweek game.”