Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin has hammered home to his players there is more at stake than just three points when playing Rangers.
Ahead of the Dons trip to Ibrox on Saturday, Goodwin emphasised to his squad how much beating Rangers means to the Red Army.
In a meeting this week, he explained the fans’ emotional connection to the fixture and how much they want a win for bragging rights.
Having rebuilt the squad, with the majority of summer signings new to the Premiership, Goodwin felt he had to clarify the enormity of the fixture.
Goodwin said: “In our group meeting this morning, we made our players aware of what the Rangers fixture means to the fans.
“We’ve got a lot of new players and a lot of boys from outwith Scotland that needed reminded of the importance of this fixture to the fans.
‘There is a lot at stake, a lot on the line, not just three points.
“It’s a significant game for everybody.
“Historically, there is a lot of emotion involved in the fixture anyway, with the supporters.
“There’s a hell of a lot on the line – the bragging rights for the supporters.
“We emphasised the fact that it’s almost going to be like a derby game.”
‘We want to see where we’re at’
Aberdeen will welcome back on-loan Middlesbrough left-back Hayden Coulson for the Rangers clash.
Coulson was left out of the squad for the 2-1 defeat of Motherwell last Saturday as his wife gave birth on the day of the game.
Buoyed by a three-game winning streak, in-form Aberdeen face a Rangers side under pressure after recent domestic and European results.
Should Aberdeen win at Ibrox, it would move Goodwin’s side to within four points of their second-place hosts.
Goodwin wants to see how close his side, with 11 new signings secured in the summer, are to Rangers on the field.
He said: “From our own point of view, as players and staff, we want to see where we’re at.
“We want to see how far away we are from Rangers.
“Are we capable of going there, a really difficult venue, giving a good account of ourselves and coming away with a positive result?
“If we can go there and get all three points, happy days.
“But if we go and get a point, it’s not the end of the world.”
Struggling Rangers under pressure – but Dons are Goodwin’s focus
There is stark contrast in recent form between the two teams ahead of Saturday’s clash.
Aberdeen have racked up three straight wins, having beat Motherwell (2-1), Hearts (2-0) and Partick Thistle (4-1, Premiers Sports Cup).
Rangers, however, are reeling from a disastrous Champions League campaign that hit another low with a 3-0 loss at Napoli on Wednesday.
The Ibrox club have lost all five of their group games, conceding 19 goals and scoring only once.
With a goal difference of minus 18, with a game against Ajax next week remaining, Rangers are perilously close to registering the worst ever Champions League performance by any club.
Domestically Rangers were also booed off the Ibrox pitch last weekend after drawing 1-1 with 10-man Livingston.
Goodwin prefers to focus on the positives within his own squad and not Rangers’ problems.
He said: “I try not to get too caught up about the opposition.
“We prepare the same every week, but we know the qualities Rangers have.
“There is no doubt they have had a dip in form. Obviously the Champions League hasn’t gone the way they would have liked. They dropped points to Livingston in the last league game and they wouldn’t have expected that.
“We need to try focus on the good things from Aberdeen’s perspective – we have been playing well, we have won our last three and are scoring a lot of goals.
📺 Highlights from our victory on the road at Fir Park.#StandFree | #cinchPrem pic.twitter.com/KxBpNvHaNN
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) October 24, 2022
“Only Celtic have scored more than us in all competitions and they have only conceded less than us as well.
“From our point of view, we are in a good place and I won’t worry too much about Rangers and their predicament.
“Giovanni (van Bronckhorst) doesn’t need me chipping in with my 10 pence-worth.
“It is always a difficult venue, but we are going there with confidence and belief.”
Bid for another win on the road
Aberdeen ended a poor run of away form with victory at Motherwell last week.
The Dons’ aim to make it back-to-back wins on the road will be bolstered by the in-form strike partnership of Bojan Miovski and Duk.
Both were on the scoresheet against Motherwell.
Miovski has nine goals this season, with Duk scoring seven.
Aberdeen, however, are without a win in their last seven league visits to Ibrox, drawing two and losing five.
They have failed to score in six of those games.
Goodwin said: “We want to be consistent at home and on the road.
“The away record hasn’t been good enough.
“To get a win at a difficult venue like Fir Park, a place where we haven’t done so well, was very pleasing.”
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