Former Aberdeen attacker Josh Magennis believes the Dons will mount a Scottish Premiership title challenge to Celtic.
The Northern Ireland international was in the Kilmarnock side beaten 2-0 by the Dons at Rugby Park on Wednesday night as goals in either half from midfielders Peter Pawlett and Ryan Jack sealed an impressive win for Aberdeen.
Magennis, who moved to Aberdeen from Cardiff City in 2010 and spent four years at Pittodrie before his release in the summer after a loan spell at St Mirren, believes his former club can improve on last season’s third-place finish.
The 23-year-old said: “Last season was tremendous for Aberdeen, no-one can deny that, they won the cup and got to the semi-finals of another and finished third in the league on the last day of the season.
“There was optimism when Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty took over and they brought a stability, confidence and even an arrogance to Aberdeen which had they had been missing for a few years.
“Before then people thought they could turn over Aberdeen and didn’t give them the respect they deserved, but the management team have brought back that cutting edge.
“I have no reason not to think this season they will be up there again.
“They have brought in quality to the squad, they have a good mix of young and old in their playing staff so I have no doubt they will be challenging for the title this season, never mind finishing second.
“The manager has done his work over the close season and he will be looking to finish as high as they possibly can and go for the top.”
Magennis was denied a goal against his former club by two excellent saves by goalkeeper Jamie Langfield in the first half and added: “We didn’t get battered although when they scored their second goal Aberdeen went into cruise control a little bit.
“I’m going to say Jamie got a bit lucky, the first one was a good save but I’m sure the second one went off his finger and away.
“I came here to be the number one attacker, but to do that I have to get more goals.”