“It was a helluva game, it was a brilliant game,” Derek McInnes inspired by Dens Park thriller

The Celtic Star

·16 janvier 2025

“It was a helluva game, it was a brilliant game,” Derek McInnes inspired by Dens Park thriller

Derek McInnes watched Celtic’s match at Dens Park on Wednesday night and the Kilmarnock boss would have taken confidence from the manner in which the Hoops let the match slip away from them with the Celtic defence looking weak and fragile to say the least…

Dundee’s third goal. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Game should have been out of sight

In the end it took a late Arne Engels spot kick to salvage a point in a game where Celtic could and should have been 3-0 ahead and in easy street.

Vidéos OneFootball

The Kilmarnock manager takes his side to Celtic Park for the late afternoon kick-off in the Scottish Cup and McInnes will take notice of the Celtic frailties from what he described as a ‘helluva game’. Kilmarnock’s 1-1 draw at Celtic Park last season adds to the template from the visitors and McInnes also recalls in his first season as Aberdeen manager taking a team to Parkhead to take on a highly fancied Celtic team and knocking them out of the Scottish Cup.

Derek McInnes manager of Kilmarnock arrives ahead the cinch Premiership match between Celtic FC and Kilmarnock FC at Celtic Park on August 4, 2024 . (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

Kilmarnock have some injuries but that aside McInnes reckons his side have enough to cause a shock which he insists will be a shock but not the biggest one going. Celtic were beaten twice at Rugby Park and there have also been victories over theRangers with McInnes pointing out that his side were the fourth best team in Scotland last season.

‘I thought Celtic didn’t have the same confidence’

His press conference was yesterday afternoon and McInnes started by looking back at Celtic’s 3-3 draw with Dundee on Tuesday night at Dens Park. “Uncharacteristically I thought Celtic didn’t have the same confidence with their defensive work, which is unusual for them because normally they have been pretty solid.

“But it was a helluva game, it was a brilliant game and I think that Dundee deserve a lot of credit for that,” McInnes acknowledged.

Dundee celebrations. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“To breach that Celtic defence three times, I thought that they countered well, they used their physicality at set plays well, none more so than at the third goal. And clubs like ourselves, we have got to try and use everything we’ve got just to try and upset the momentum and be solid and confident enough to play within a shape.

‘It’s a different game when you play at Celtic Park’

“Sometimes it’s a different game when you play at Celtic Park. We’ve seen evidence of it here (at Rugby Park) where we’ve beaten Celtic twice last year by doing a lot of things right. We create so many chances against them here and we probably should have won the game here a couple of months ago.”

McInnes accepts the scale of the challenge after being given the short straw with an away tie against the Champions and Scottish Cup holders.

Yang celebrates. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

“Going to Celtic Park is always a wee bit more of a challenge for clubs like ourselves,” he said. “But it is a cup-tie, we’ll try and have a wrestle with them and do what we can to try to make the game the type of game that we want it to be. We’ll try and stay in the game and be concentrated to stay in the cup-tie. Because come Saturday evening you are either in the cup or you are out.

‘We’ve got to try to stay in the cup as long as we can’

“We’ve got to try to stay in the cup as long as we can. We got dealt a tough hand when the draw was made. You always want a home tie but you certainly don’t want an away tie at Celtic Park. But at the same token, it is an exciting tie for the players and ourselves to have a go and have a go at it.

McInnes reckons that there’s no reason Kilmarnock can’t beat Celtic on Saturday and his side’s performances at Celtic Park last season gives him extra encouragement

Celtic v Kilmarnock – Premiership – Celtic Park Brendan Rodgers r Derek McInnes before the Premiership match at Celtic Park, Saturday October 7, 2023. Photo Jane Barlow

No reason Killie can’t win at Celtic Park reckons McInnes

“No (reason Killie can’t win), we are a Premier League club, we were the fourth best team in Scotland last season, obviously we’ve still got work to do to try and be something similar this season but a lot of the same players that play on Saturday, I know we have some injuries but a lot of the players played a big part in these victories (over Celtic and theRangers).

“I remember my first season at Aberdeen, we went to Celtic Park in the Scottish Cup and we mamboed to beat a strongly fancied Celtic team as well. It wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world – it would be a shock, there is no doubt about it and I am sure you guys (the hacks) would say that but it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if we can go there and pull off a victory.

Derek McInnes at Celtic Park on 7 August 2024. Photo Getty Images

‘We are on the back of a brilliant performance’

“We go there confident. We have been much better with our defensive work recently and that is going to be tested on Saturday. We are on the back of a brilliant performance, although we never won the game against Motherwell, I thought we were so good in the game. And although we are getting a few injuries and a few challenges at the minute and issues we need to contend with, we still feel that there is a capability within the squad to go and win a cup-tie.

Referee Don Robertson points to the spot. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Celtic have got great attacking options

“Although we never won at Celtic Park last season that game (1-1) and another game last season, I thought we were good in the game and we were close. It was pretty tight. Celtic have got great attacking options. Kuhn came on and had an impact yesterday, he gets the penalty kick with his involvement and he’s only on the pitch a short time. So they have talented players that they can call upon, but we have to try and negate that as best we can.

Arne Engels scores. Dens Park, Dundee v Celtic. 14th January 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Always curious to see how teams deal with Celtic

“I’m always interested to see how managers set up throughout the season, particularly when teams go to Celtic Park. I am always curious to see how teams deal with Celtic’s capabilities. We’ve got to stick to what we think will work for us and what suits us with the players we’ve got available. We will try and be the team we’re capable of being ourselves,” Derek McInnes concluded.

Celtic v Kilmarnock in the Fourth Round of the Scottish Cup, takes place on Saturday 18 January at Celtic Park, kick-off is at 5.30pm (CPT). The match will be shown live on Premier Sports and will also be available on Celtic TV to subscribers based outside of Britain and Ireland.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and a player will both speak to the media at lunchtime tomorrow and The Celtic Star will quite possibly be in attendance!

Nick Walsh shows Reo Hatate a yellow card at Rugby Park. Photo Vagelis Georgariou for The Celtic Star.

Celtic v Kilmarnock – Match Officials

Match Officials for the Celtic v Kilmarnock Scottish Cup tie on Saturday early evening are as follows. Nick Walsh is the match referee and he will be assisted by Graeme Stewart and Calum Spence. Meanwhile Steven McLean will be on VAR duties assisted by Gary Hilland.

Scottish Cup – Fourth Round Draw

The full fourth round Scottish Cup fixture list this weekend is a follows with the Celtic v Kilmarnock and the Dundee Derby being the pick of the ties. The Falkirk v Raith Rovers match should be tasty to say the least while it’s nice and easy for theRangers with Fraserburgh travelling to Ibrox.

Brechin City v Hearts Broxburn Athletic v Ayr United Celtic v Kilmarnock Cove Rangers v Forfar Athletic Dumbarton v Airdrieonians Dundee v Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic v Stenhousemuir Elgin City v Aberdeen Falkirk v Raith Rovers Hamilton Academical v Musselburgh Athletic Hibernian v Clydebank Queen of the South v St Mirren Queen’s Park v Montrose Rangers v Fraserburgh Ross County v Livingston St Johnstone v Motherwell