Loan star Killian Phillips insists Aberdeen are up for a Scottish Cup battle to ensure they are not bullied by Kilmarnock again.
Interim boss Neil Warnock slated the Dons for being too nice and easily bullied in a 2-0 loss to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park last month.
Those hard-hitting comments stung Phillips – because they were right.
The on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder says Aberdeen are fired up to “make it right” when hosting Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup quarter-final today.
The 21-year-old said: “It stings every time you lose a game.
“When the gaffer said stuff like that he was right.
“It does hurt and it is up to us to turn it around.
“We have a chance to put the wrongs right.
“Winning your individual battles is the first priority in any game.
“That’s what you have to and the rest will take care of itself.”
No-one talked on the bus back from St Mirren
Aberdeen will also bid to bounce back from the setback of a dramatic late collapse at St Mirren last weekend.
Leading 1-0 after the regulation 90 minutes, the Reds conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-1.
Phillips says it is the lowest he has ever felt in his career.
It was the same for his team-mates as the team bus was silent on the journey from Paisley back to the Granite City.
He said: “The loss at St Mirren hurt a lot. It was the sickest I have ever felt playing football to be honest.
“The boys were the same.
“No-one said anything on the bus. Not a word.
“We worked hard and were near-perfect defensively until the 90th minute.
“I was gutted and all the lads felt the same.
“It was a tough one to take.”
Phillips looking up the table…not down
Secured on loan until the end of the season, Republic of Ireland under-21 cap Phillips was Aberdeen’ s only addition during the January transfer window.
He spent the first half of the season at Wycombe Wanderers, making 30 appearances for the English League One side.
Despite the late capitulation at St Mirren, the performance of Phillips – who started – was a positive.
The Scottish Cup tie offers some respite from the pressures of a 10-game winless run in the Premiership which has raised fears of a relegation battle.
Aberdeen are four points ahead of the relegation play-off zone.
But Phillips prefers to look up the table, not down.
He said: “Winning football matches is the biggest thing.
“So far results haven’t been good enough, everyone knows that.
“In football you have to earn it and we have been on a tough run since I came here.
“I would rather be looking up the table than looking down.
“If we start winning matches, we will be looking up, but we take it one game at a time and well see where it takes us.”
The passion of interim boss Warnock
Interim Aberdeen manager Neil Warnock has been criticised for failing to turn around the Dons’ slump in form since arriving at Pittodrie.
Appointed until the end of the season while the Pittodrie board search for a new permanent boss, Warnock has yet to win in the Premiership.
In six league games, he has lost four and drawn two.
Warnock’s only victory was a 2-0 defeat of League Two Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish Cup to set up the Kilmarnock showdown.
Phillips said: “I have enjoyed working with him.
“He has been very good.
“Results haven’t been what we wanted – but it is up to us to turn it around.
“And he has now given us a platform on how to do that.
“He wouldn’t be here at 75 if he didn’t love football.
“When you are on the training ground every day with him and see him around the place, you see how much he loves football; how much he cares.
“I’m only here so far until the end of the season and I’m focusing on winning games.
“This is my club for now, that’s how I see it and I’m sure it’s how the manager sees it as well.”
Aberdeen v Kilmarnock talking points and predicted Dons line-up
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