Boss Stephen Glass has challenged under pressure Aberdeen to deliver a Scottish Cup run to re-energise the faltering season.
Glass reckons the Dons have the quality to end the club’s 32-year-old wait for the trophy – despite languishing ninth in the Premiership table.
The heat is on Glass to progress to the quarter-finals by overcoming Motherwell away in Saturday’s fifth-round clash.
With a return of just two points from the last possible 15, struggling Aberdeen have tumbled down the league table.
Manager Glass believes a cup run would bring the ‘feel-good factor’ back to the Reds and haul them out of their slump.
He reckons they should fear no team in the silverware bid after performances against Rangers, Celtic, Hearts and Hibs this season.
Keeper Joe Lewis will miss today’s clash, his third straight game unavailable, as he is still ruled out by illness.
Glass said: “You win four games, you win the Scottish Cup. That’s the aim.
“We know we are capable of performing well against any team in the country. We showed that the other night (against Celtic), we showed it against Rangers, Hearts and Hibs.
“We need to make sure we are in the hat to give ourselves that opportunity.”
The ‘feel-good factor’ of a cup run
Aberdeen go into the cup tie with dire away form, having won just twice in 14 domestic games on the road this season.
Glass is under no illusions as to the importance of ending that dismal away form in a fixture which will be played to a finish, including penalties if required.
He said: “It’s enormous. It would give a real feel-good factor to make sure we are in it.
“There would probably be a decent amount of Premiership teams not in it come the end of the weekend.
“It’s important we are one of the Premiership teams still in the cup.
“Motherwell stand in our way and we know what they are capable of.
“It’s a challenge we are capable of taking on.
“We still have a league campaign that, if we look after ourselves especially over the next week, we will be in a pretty strong position”
Aberdeen’s 32-year Scottish Cup pain
Aberdeen’s away-day troubles have already cost them one cup bid this season.
The Reds’ League Cup campaign ended with an away loss to Championship Raith Rovers in August.
Glass said: “We’ve got to win and be in the next round of the cup.
“Every Aberdeen manager who has set here since Alex Smith (Scottish Cup-winning manager, 1990) has been asked about the Scottish Cup and never brought it back.
“It’s an opportunity to make sure we’ll still be in the next round of the cup and have the opportunity to do something that hasn’t been done for 32 years.”
Confident of travelling fans’ support
A large travelling support will descend on Fir Park to cheer on the Dons’ bid to reach the quarter-finals.
Aberdeen fans made their frustrations clear after a dire first-half when trailing Celtic 2-0 at the break on Wednesday.
However, the Red Army responded to a Dons’ resurgence in the second half and got right behind their team, who ultimately lost 3-2.
Glass insists it is vital his side give the supporters something to cheer from the outset against Motherwell.
He said: “To me, there’s one thing that’s never been in question and that’s the backing of the fans when they’ve been given something to back.
“That’s important to note for me.
“The start of the game is important, that we influence the stadium, influence our supporters, and get them right behind us.
“If we don’t give them it, it can turn a little bit and that suits the home team.
“I’m sure they’ll have a plan to try and do that.
“But we know exactly the backing we get when we give them something.
“That’s what we’re looking to do.
“Anytime we’ve shown real intent and determination like that (second half against Celtic), the fans have been fantastic.
“There are a lot of people who focus on the grumblings.
“However, if you’re in that stadium the other night, and you feel that atmosphere and the backing in the second half, it’s so apparent what they want and what they respond to.
“It’s important that as a group we give them that.”
Straighten the record against Well
Motherwell are also struggling for form recently and have taken just two points from their previous six Premiership games.
However, the Steelmen have the upper-hand over the Dons this season, having won both their league meetings to date.
Motherwell are the only side to have beaten Aberdeen by more than one goal domestically this season – and have done it twice.
They beat Aberdeen 2-0 at Fir Park on September 11 and won by the same scoreline at Pittodrie on November 6.
Remarkably, in both those victories, Aberdeen mustered just two shots on target – and scored with each one.
Glass said: “People don’t want to hear it, but it’s the facts within the games.
“We just need to make sure that we do whatever it takes to make sure the scoreline is favourable for us on Saturday.
“I couldn’t care less how many shots we have or they have, I just want to make sure that we’re in the next round of the Scottish Cup.
“We’re aware of the disappointments that we’ve had against Motherwell this season.
“It’s something we’re looking to put right.
“Obviously in a cup tie, you win or lose, so we’re either in the next round of the cup or we’re not.
“It would be nice to put right some of the bits of the performances that we haven’t done against Motherwell.”
Keeper Joe Lewis out of cup tie
Aberdeen will be without keeper Lewis for the cup clash, although on-loan Celtic left-back Adam Montgomery returns.
January transfer window signing Montgomery was ineligible to play Celtic due to the terms of the loan deal with his parent club.
Glass said: “Everybody has come through the game the other night, which is good.
“Monty’s available. Joe Lewis is still out.”
