Alan Stubbs has vowed Hibs will go all out to end Aberdeen's winning start to the domestic season. The Dons have won all eight Premiership games and scored three in Edinburgh on Sunday against third-placed Hearts. They head across the capital to Leith in the third round of the League Cup tonight and Stubbs is eager for his Championship side to show they are Premiership class.
The Hibs manager said: "It's got the makings of a really good game. Aberdeen have started the season in fantastic form so we know we will have to be on the top of our game to get a result. But it's not going to be easy for Aberdeen. We are not a bad team ourselves. We can certainly take the game to them. We are not going to lie back and wait for Aberdeen to come on to us. We're going to have a go. If you're going to go through, go through in the right way, if you are going to go out, then go out in the right way." Stubbs, whose side beat Ross County and took Dundee United to penalties in last season's competition, went on: "I honestly believe that the squad of players I have got could compete in the Premiership. They are really excited about the game. When you have the chance to pit yourself against the league leaders, it doesn't get any better than that. Probably the only team better coming to Easter Road would be Celtic."
Hibs lost three games in August, two against Rangers and one against Dumbarton, but have bounced back with four consecutive wins and clean sheets, the latest a 1-0 win at Livingston. Stubbs, who was at Tynecastle on Sunday, added: "Aberdeen have good individuals, but the biggest attribute is they are a very good team. They look like a team when they are on the pitch. I don't think we have actually clicked into full steam, but we are definitely going along the right lines. Keeping clean sheets gives the players in front the perfect platform to express themselves. On Saturday we weren't great, but when the lads at the back are keeping clean sheets, the players in front of them grow in confidence. We should have been 2-0 up at half-time but we weren't. When I first came in, I think we would have conceded. But there's a steeliness about them and a desire not to concede goals now. That's throughout the team."
Meanwhile, Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes expects to see top-flight sides crash out of the League Cup - and just hopes it is not his Ladbrokes Premiership leaders. McInnes wants to see his side make progress in a competition they won two seasons ago but he is wary of taking Hibs lightly. Speaking ahead of the game, McInnes said: "There will be shocks. The team that's deemed to be the favourite doesn't always get through. That happened in the last round and I think you'll see it in this round. We just need to do all we can to make sure it's not us who crashes out. We've started the season strongly and we are playing with a lot of confidence. There's a feel-good factor about the club but that doesn't earn you the right just to turn up and think you'll win. We've got work to do to win each game we play and Wednesday will be no different. The approach will be the same as every league game we play. No more, no less."
McInnes made four changes to his side on Sunday but that did not stop the Reds stunning Hearts with three first-half goals at Tynecastle as they claimed a 3-1 win. As Aberdeen return to the capital again for their tie with Hibs the manager admitted he is pleased with his squad's look. McInnes - who is only missing defender Mark Reynolds for tonight's game in Edinburgh - said: "The strength of the squad is exactly what you want when the games are coming thick and fast. We have a run of five games in two weeks and this is the fourth match. We've managed to get the results we've been looking for and the players' approach has been spot on."