Derek McInnes feels Aberdeen will have to deliver a repeat of their first-half Rangers display if they are to get a positive result at Celtic Park on Sunday.
The Dons were held to a 1-1 draw by Rangers at Pittodrie last night, with Kenny McLean giving them the lead in the first half from the penalty spot in his final home game for Aberdeen. Ross McCrorie’s second-half header ensured the honours were shared.
Anything other than a Hibernian win against Hearts tonight means McInnes will have steered the club into a fifth successive European campaign. If the Hibees win, it takes the fight to the last day, with the Dons at Celtic Park and Rangers going to Easter Road. A draw between Hibernian and Rangers and a defeat for Aberdeen against Celtic would see the Pittodrie outfit drop down to fourth on goal difference.
McInnes was pleased his Reds showed they could go toe-to-toe with Rangers in the first 45 minutes and needs something similar at Parkhead.
The Aberdeen manager said: “We’re in good form and we had to show we could lay a glove on Rangers. I think we did that. We’re going to have to do something similar – we’ve not managed to get anything from Celtic this season, either. We’re going to have to bring a level of performance that allows us to get something on Sunday to have a fighting chance of second.
“That’s us broken 70 points again for the fourth year in a row. If someone said after the Scottish Cup final, when I’m losing half my team and there’s talk of Aberdeen being pushed aside, that we’d be sitting second going into the last game of the season then we’d have grabbed that.”
McLean played a starring role for the Dons in his final outing in the Granite City and was unlucky not to add to his tally, crashing an effort off the bar in the first half.
McInnes added: “It was his last game at Pittodrie and he was even more determined to go out on a high. We’re hoping his calf settles.
“Gary Mackay-Steven was a bonus – he responded to treatment on the morning and wanted to give it a go. His lack of training over the last few weeks told in the last 20 minutes. Hopefully, Kenny will be OK, as we’re already without Scott McKenna and Ryan Christie for Sunday.”