A change is as good as a rest, as the saying goes, but Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes and his players know they cannot afford to put their feet up when they face Hibernian in the League Cup.
The trip to Easter Road tomorrow (Wednesday) represents, on paper, a straightforward task for the Dons. After all, they just disposed of last season’s Championship winners with ease on their own patch on Sunday.
Facing Hearts was supposed to be the acid test of Aberdeen’s character against a side they have struggled against in recent seasons and who have been particularly strong at home.
But the weekend win against the Jambos at Tynecastle, which extended the Dons’ perfect start in the league to eight matches, will have no bearing on the return trip to the capital on cup duty.
Aberdeen will travel to Leith with confidence, and rightfully so, while the Red Army is set to back their team in large numbers yet again.
Expectation is growing with each passing win for McInnes’ men but with Aberdeen’s tremendous start comes a bullseye as every other team in the country forms an orderly queue in the hope of becoming the first side to beat the Dons in Scotland this season.
The Dons players and manager will relish the challenge as Aberdeen is a team primed for competing on all fronts now but a shock loss to Alan Stubbs’ side would put a huge dent in the confidence which is cursing through the Red veins at Pittodrie.
But fear of defeat can be a great motivator and having laid the ghosts of cup defeats of the past to rest by winning the League Cup in 2014, the Dons know if they play to their capability they will progress to Monday’s quarter-final draw.
Beating Celtic, Hamilton and Hearts in the space of eight days was an impressive feat but there is no time to dwell on these wins as the next challenge comes into view.
Hibs have quality in their ranks such as former Don Fraser Fyvie but they’ve struggled to score goals so far.
This Aberdeen team is carrying a threat from all over the pitch with Ashton Taylor, Graeme Shinnie, Paul Quinn, Kenny McLean, Adam Rooney, Niall McGinn and Adam Rooney all on the scoresheet in the flawless start to the season.
It should also be noted goalkeeper Danny Ward has only picked the ball out of the back of his own net three times so far with his side coming from behind on two of those occasions to win already.
Everything points to an away win but as the Dons know all too well the form book goes out the window in cup competition.
That’s why McInnes will be telling his players before the game to forget about the eight league wins; they count for nothing here.
But for all the words of caution and reminders not to under-estimate the opposition, anything less than the Dons reaching the last eight would be viewed as a huge shock given their terrific start to the season.