Derek McInnes is hopeful Kilmarnock's defeat to Celtic will serve as a reminder to his players ahead of the Hampden showdown next week.
Kilmarnock will face the Scottish Premiership league leaders again on Saturday - this time in the Viaplay Cup semi-final.
And McInnes is under no illusions as to how great a task he'll face to snatch a spot in the final - especially against one of the best Celtic teams he's come up against.
“I don’t want to be disparaging to that team who proved themselves - they were unbelievably relentless," said the Kilmarnock boss in response to a question comparing the current Celtic side with Brendan Rodgers' team.
“But this Celtic team have a lot of players at the right age with improvement in them. There’s a lot of hunger and intensity about them - they don’t let you breathe.
“They’re two good teams and it would be wrong to say one is better than the other.
“But look at their bench today - Turnbull, Giakoumakis, Forrest, Abada and O’Riley.
“Their age and energy was quite telling in the last 15 minutes when they cranked it up today.
“They’ve got a lot of answers but we need to find an answer next week and we’re determined to do that."
Kilmarnock go in as major underdogs ahead of the cup match, but McInnes wants his players to relish the occasion and provide a serious upset.
He said: “We’ve got bundles of spirit, togetherness and experience in certain areas.
“So we’re going to Hampden to have a go.
“Everyone else will be watching it. As difficult as the challenge is, I’d rather be in amongst it having a go than sitting watching Celtic take on someone else in a semi-final.
“I want my players to try and relish what’s there for them. You just never know.
“In semi-finals, you can upset the odds. That’s what we’re going to have to do.
