Start talking about cup records and some Aberdeen supporters will begin to look a little pale.

A place in the League Cup this season has restored at least some of the colour back to the faces of the Red Army, but the country's other cup competition is still capable of causing some at Pittodrie to fall faint and begin muttering the names Raith Rovers, Queen of the South and Dunfermline Athletic darkly. It is akin to how the Oracle of Delphi used to do the pools.

These fans can be restored by one cup statistic, though: the Pittodrie side have not lost away to Celtic in the Scottish Cup since 1951. The obvious addendum would seem to be "until today" given how stingy the Parkhead side have become in domestic competition this season, with Fraser Forster having not let in a goal in the league since Aberdeen were last in town. Yet that is to belittle the sense of momentum which has been gathering at Pittodrie.

That has been fuelled further by cup competition as Aberdeen have yet to concede a goal in ties this term. They have already reached the final of the League Cup following a fairly perfunctory thumping of St Johnstone in the semi-final last weekend and it is now an intriguing challenge to see whether Peter Pawlett, Jonny Hayes or Adam Rooney - who all scored in that 4-0 win - will prove just as threatening in the east end of Glasgow.

"Can we reach a second final? Why not? There is nothing wrong with wanting to do that," said Andrew Considine, the Aberdeen defender. "It will be a very difficult game and Celtic will be the favourites but we can go in with confidence. We have nothing to lose and I don't see why we can't go there and get the result we need."

That is easy enough to say, but there have been clear signs that the message from Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager, is getting through to his players. A reliable defensive record - to which Considine has contributed from the left flank - is one such indication, while the work ethic of the rest of the team is also being exacted from the management team.

"We have defended from the front really well,"Considine added. "Hopefully, we can take that into this game. If we can shut up shop and nick something or take them back to Pittodrie for a replay then we will give it a really good go."

There is restraint to be found amid the positivity, too. Aberdeen had been invited to attack St Johnstone last weekend but their hosts today will not be nearly as accommodating. "We have shown we can play good football this season, even against Celtic down there," said the defender.

"I suppose there is more pressure on them. It is going to be a great occasion but there is no reason why we can't handle it."