Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes insists lessons have been learned and there will be no repeat of last year’s European hangover for the Dons.
Aberdeen’s exploits in the Europa League qualifiers left the Dons lacking energy for the opening game of the Scottish Premiership season as they slumped to a shock 3-0 home defeat by Dundee United.
The Tangerines are the opposition for the Dons yet again on the opening day of the new season this afternoon, this time at Tannadice, but McInnes, who returned to Aberdeen with his players at 6.30am yesterday following their 2-1 defeat to Kairat in Kazakhstan, is confident there will be no reaction to the long haul trip tomorrow.
He said: “A year ago we were going into the United match on the back of a home tie, so you would think the travelling this time would be more of a factor.
“That might make it more challenging but that is something we have to be seen to be able to cope with if we are going to be in European competition.
“What we will do is prepare everything right to give the players the maximum chance of getting a win on Sunday.”
McInnes believes he was culpable for the Dons’ uninspiring showing against United a year ago after failing to freshen up his side after the defeat by Real Sociedad at Pittodrie.
Despite his squad being smaller than that of a year ago, the manager believes the quality in reserve ensures his team will be better prepared for the New Firm derby.
He said: “I’ve no criticism of the players as there were reasons for it as we didn’t have any more energy to give when we needed to produce it.
“I played my part in that because I maybe didn’t freshen up the team as much as I should for the United game.
“The Sociedad match obviously took a lot out of the players but Dundee United always give us a hard game whenever we play them.
“They beat us more than just in that first game of last season, so every time we play them we need a high level of intensity to get the better of them.
“That and ability is what is required at Tannadice to get us a good result.
“I’ve got less of a squad in terms of numbers than I had last season but I feel there is the capability to change it.
“There are a lot of factors to take into account and I have a team in mind to play in that game but it depends on how fresh everyone is from the European game.”