The Derek McInnes demolition at Aberdeen FC that 'didn't feel right' for insider as Neil Warnock surprise pinpointed

It is no coincidence that Derek McInnes has Kilmarnock pushing for Europe - while Aberdeen have failed to hit those same dizzy heights consistently since he departed.

That is the view of former Killie and Dons star Ash Taylor. The defender played under McInnes at Rugby Park and at Pittodrie on two separate occasions. McInnes takes his Kilmarnock team north to the Granite City on Saturday looking to try and get the win that would take his team into the Scottish Cup semi-finals. The Ayrshire side sit comfortably fifth in the table but super-ambitious McInnes is pushing for fourth and cup success. It is in sharp contrast to an Aberdeen team that sits third bottom and long for consistency since McInnes left back in 2021.

The Dons got into the group stages of European football for the first time in over a decade, under Barry Robson, earlier in the season but that has been their only visit since McInnes led them to eight, consecutive European qualifications. Taylor claimed: “⁠I don’t think it is a coincidence at all. It seems like the (Aberdeen) blueprint Derek built was ripped apart. I could feel the change happening and didn’t feel right.”

Aberdeen’s slim European hopes now rest on them going all the way in the Scottish Cup. Killie can do it via the same route or in the league and Taylor expects the Killie faithful to have their passports out next season.

He predicted: “⁠I think Killie will achieve European football this year. We are going into the business-end of the season. I know Derek will have full focus on each game and the players won’t, for one minute, take their eyes off it. It’s what Derek does best - getting teams into Europe.”

Kilmarnock have won both previous encounters this season and Taylor thinks they can