The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Robson vows Dons will be ‘miles better’ in Tynecastle showdown
Aberdeen boss Barry Robson insists all the pressure is on rivals Hearts in the third-placed Premiership showdown at Tynecastle.
And the Dons gaffer also issued a warning that his side will be “miles better” for the high-stakes clash after under-performing in the 0-0 draw with Hibs.
Robson’s Reds and Hearts will battle it out in Edinburgh on Saturday in the race to finish third and land a potential Euro windfall.
Finishing third could be rewarded with a Uefa cash prize of around £3 million and Euro group-stage action until December, if Celtic win the Scottish Cup.
There is also a bumper £3.5m SPFL prize for securing third, £1m more than the £2.5m paid to the club that finishes fourth.
Aberdeen currently occupy that coveted third spot and hold a five-point advantage over fourthplaced Hearts.
With just three games remaining, a win at Tynecastle would secure a third-placed finish for the Dons, if fifth-placed Hibs also fail to beat Rangers.
Robson reckons all the heat is on Hearts in the biggest game of the season.
He said: “Hearts are a good side and it is a difficult venue to go to.
“But the pressure is going to be on Hearts, not us.
“We are sitting in third place and will go down there and try to win the game.
“It is up to us to go to
Hearts and perform as well as we can.”
Aberdeen delivered arguably their worst performance under Robson’s management when drawing with Hibs on Saturday.
The Easter Road club twice hit the woodwork and keeper Kelle Roos saved a penalty from Kevin Nisbet in the 79th minute.
Robson accepts his squad were below par but after a recent seven-game winning streak refused to be critical of them.
The Dons boss faces a fitness sweat over Duk for the trip to Tynecastle as the 18-goal striker was substituted against Hibs due to a hamstring problem.
Regardless of whether Duk is passed fit or not Robson warned the Dons will rediscover their top form in the capital on Saturday.
He said: “We will be back to our old selves.
“You cannot be brilliant in every game.
“We will perform miles better against Hearts, I’m really confident of that.
“We all have games like that one against Hibs when things are not going well and you are not playing at your best.
“What you need to do then, when you feel like you can’t win it, is don’t lose it.
“And they didn’t lose. “They fought, they were dogged, they worked hard and were tired.
“As frustrated as we are after that performance we still kept the distance (five points) we had in the league.
“Hibs were playing at their absolute maximum and we were nowhere near our maximum, but we still got a point.”
There were two controversial VAR reviews during the stalemate with Hibs.
In the second half Josh Campbell’s high foot caught Aberdeen defender Liam Scales in the face as he chased down the ball.
Referee Nick Walsh brandished a yellow card to Campbell, which was backed by VAR.
A penalty was also awarded to Hibs following a VAR review after a volley by Harry McKirdy was adjudged to have hit the arm of Hayden Coulson.
Keeper Kelle Roos saved the 79th-minute spot kick.
Robson was critical of the VAR system following the Dons’ recent 1-0 loss to Rangers at Ibrox.
He was furious a foul by defender Connor Goldson on Dons striker Duk that finished inside the Rangers penalty area did not go to a VAR review.
When quizzed about the VAR reviews against Hibs Robson said he was “sick talking about it”.
When asked if the challenge by Campbell on Scales warranted a red card, he said: “I’ve not seen it again. Is it a red card?”
Then, when quizzed about the VAR review that led to the penalty, Robson said: “Do you know what, I’m sick talking about it.
“VAR is what it is. I’m not even going to talk about it.”