Aberdeen midfielder Jonny Hayes believes the Dons have become the team everyone is aiming for in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic’s excellent start to the season has put them firmly in control in the title race, leaving the rest of the league to compete for the runners-up spot which the Dons have held for the past two years.
It is a challenge Hayes has welcomed.
He said: “We finished second last year and some teams maybe look at how Celtic have started this season and see the standard we set last year and want to beat it.
“It gets tougher every year. Hearts had a great season last year and are better again this year and not only are we dealing with a good Hearts side we’re up against a good Rangers side as well, and St Johnstone and the other teams who are challenging in the top six.
“It’s more competitive and I’d imagine with Hibernian and Dundee United possibly coming up next year it could be even tougher.”
The Dons go into the game knowing their club has not won at Ibrox in 25 years.
Hayes is amazed by the Dons’ barren run at Ibrox but is hoping his side can end the supporters’ long wait for an Aberdeen away win against Rangers today.
He said: “Celtic and Rangers were highly successful in the last few decades but it is a little hard to believe that it has been so long.
“Our aim is to win on Saturday. It’s a different Aberdeen, a new Aberdeen team, and a different Rangers team, too. We will treat it as another 90 minutes for us and we certainly won’t be thinking about the last 25 years.”
Hayes insists Rangers supporters should be pleased with where the club is in the Scottish Premiership.
The pre-season talk of a title challenge emanating from Ibrox has been quelled following the Light Blues’ sluggish campaign so far.
Rangers are third in the Premiership, eight points behind leaders Celtic, who have three games in hand.
The gap between Mark Warburton’s team and the league champions may be a wide one but Hayes believes the Gers are doing just fine in their first season in the Premiership.
He said: “If I was a Rangers supporter I’d be quite happy with where they are right now. They are a team that has been promoted after winning the league comfortably last year.
“Hearts are a good team as are St Johnstone and they are right in the pack with the other teams.”
