JIMMY THELIN has ordered Aberdeen’s players to IGNORE going top of the table.
And focus only on doing battle with Rangers on Wednesday.
The Dons gaffer watched sub Peter Ambrose shoot the Dons to the Premiership summit with an 84th-minute winner against Dundee United.
But while he knows the Pittodrie fans are getting pumped-up by his near-perfect start as Dons boss, nobody within the building is.
Asked about leapfrogging Celtic, he said: “I don’t think anything about that at all, actually, because it’s still early.
“For us we want to enjoy today and then focus on the next game tomorrow.
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“Today it’s just about enjoying the three points.
“You can ask me the same question after the last part of May maybe but not now.
“We try to work as usual, how we prepare ourselves.
“Rangers are a very strong team, they are good so we have to reload and prepare for that game.
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“I am excited about every game, we prepare ourselves as normal.
“We know it’s a big game but we have to focus on the right things.
“I hope Pittodrie is a full house again.
“I am just thinking about what we get out of it, not so much about the opponent.
“It’s about how we can use the support we have to get extra metres in our legs because of the atmosphere.”
Thelin revealed Kevin Nisbet missed out with a calf injury but could return to face the Gers.
He said: “Kevin has a small issue so we will have to see how he is for the next game.”
Goal hero Ambrose admits he was blown away by the wild scenes of celebration at the end – but admits he feared he’d strayed offside for the late penalty which VAR overturned.
He said: “The goal feeling was amazing.
Man Bys
ABERDEEN
- Dimitar Mitov – 6
- Nicky Devlin – 6
- Slobodan Rubezic – 6
- Gavin Molloy – 7
- Jack MacKenzie – 7
- Silvert Nilsen – 7
- Ante Palaversa – 6
- Jamie McGrath – 7
- Topi Keskinen – 5
- Duk – 6
- Ester Sokler – 6
- SUBSTITUTES
- Shayden Morris (Keskinen 46) – 7
- Graeme Shinnie (Palaversa 65) – 4
- Leighton Clarkson (Sokler 74) – 3
- Peter Ambrose (Duk 82) – 5
- Vicente Besuijen (McGrath 82) – 3
DUNDEE UNITED
- Jack Walton – 7
- Emmanuel Adeboyega – 7
- Declan Gallagher – 7
- Luca Stephenson – 6
- Will Ferry – 6
- Kevin Holt – 7
- Vicko Sevelj – 7
- David Babunski – 6
- Kristijan Trapanovski – 5
- Glenn Middleton – 6
- Sam Dalby – 6
- SUBSTITUTES
- Miller Thomson (Trapanovski 53) – 5
- Richard O’Dada (Adeboyega 62) – 4
- Jort van der Sande (Dalby 75) – 4
- Ryan Strain (Babunski 75) – 4
“You see the fans singing and happy. We’re here to make them happy.
“I knew it was a penalty but I was thinking about the offside, too.
“I didn’t know if I was onside or offside.”
Gutted United gaffer Goodwin hailed his defenders for the way they shut Aberdeen out for long spells but admitted the Dons were better.
He said: “I can’t fault the players for their effort and commitment, it was almost a brilliant defensive performance.
“Our concentration levels were great the whole game but we got done with the ball to the back post and it fell kindly for Ambrose.
“I can’t have many complaints with the result, Aberdeen were better than us on the day.
“Credit to Jimmy Thelin, he made changes in the second half and it was obvious they were overloading us in the wide areas.
“They are well organised, they have a lot of speed and can mix it up.
“It’s a disappointing result but it’s our first defeat on the road.
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“I said to the players sometimes you have to hold your hands up and admit the opposition were the better team.
“I’m not going to be too hard on the players, we won’t let this affect us too much.”
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