Aberdeen’s ability to handle the fatigue following their rollercoaster Scottish Cup win at Kilmarnock is manager Derek McInnes’ biggest concern ahead of today’s visit of Ross County.
The Dons went to the wire before emerging victorious 4-3 at Rugby Park at the end of 120 pulsating and unforgettable minutes to book quarter-final trip to St Mirren next Saturday.
McInnes believes the adrenaline of coming from behind not once but twice to win the tie will carry the team through today’s match but the Dons boss is concerned at what toll the tie will have taken mentally ahead of the game against the Staggies.
He said: “The physical fatigue is something we’ve clearly got to try to deal with. The mental part, having won the game, makes it a bit easier.
“We were back here at three in the morning. They say it’s 48 hours (to recover) from when you get to your bed. They get to bed half three in the morning so it’s half three Saturday morning (before recovery).
“We’ve tried to push training back an extra hour today to try to give them an extra hour in their bed. Sleep is as important as anything at this stage.
“When we lost on penalties to Hearts in the League Cup, I remember how we felt and the detrimental part of that as well as putting on that effort in mentally and physically.
“We had to pick ourselves up for the next one. I think the win helps that side of things.”
Aberdeen have beaten County home and away this season and McInnes believes his side should be feeling confident ahead of the third meeting of the sides today after rediscovering their knack of scoring goals in the last 10 days.
He said: “The boys should feel good about themselves. Their game is in a good place. They’ve scored plenty goals.
“The performance the other night, barring 25-30 minutes in the first half where we couldn’t get any control through the middle, I thought we were very good against a decent side.
“We’ve scored eight goals in three games. The game was very open the other night as a consequence of 4-4-2 versus 4-4-2. The players showed how much they wanted to get a result and that’s really pleasing.”
Matty Kennedy’s first goal for the club and Sam Cosgrove’s second goal of the year, which took his tally for the season to 22, were added bonuses for the Dons boss, who will give Funso Ojo a fitness test today after he received stitches to close a knee wound after the Celtic game on Sunday.
He said: “I think for any new attacking player coming in, it’s important to score a goal. Kennedy, probably more than anybody else on the pitch, carried the fight.
“He kept getting at the full back and kept putting the ball in the box. We’ve always said that our wide players have to get goals and it’s good for him to get his first one for us.”