How Graeme Shinnie could help Aberdeen dump Rangers as returning star carries key to midfield battle
dailyrecord.co.ukAberdeen will head to Hampden on Sunday as big underdogs for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers, but the signing of one man has given the Red Army some hope.Graeme Shinnie's arrival at Pittodrie was greeted with the same verve as the second comings of Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn combined.
Dons manager Jim Goodwin has been crying out for a player with Shinnie's attributes and he could be key come Sunday. Since the World Cup, Aberdeen have only managed to pick up four points from a possible 18 on offer, leaving many fans irate at Goodwin on a number of fronts.
The signing of Shinnie from Wigan Athletic on loan until the end of the season took the pressure off the manager as he attempted to alleviate some of the pressure on him - and it paid off.
Saturday's 2-0 win against St Johnstone was just what Goodwin needed ahead of the trip to Glasgow.Aberdeen will need to be on top of their game to replicate the 1-0 semi-final win they had against Rangers back in 2018 when Lewis Ferguson nodded home from a corner.Record Sport looks at how Shinnie's influence in the team can help them upset the odds and topple Michael Beale's side on Sunday.Connor Barron was one of the casualties after the defeat at Kilmarnock last month and has started on the bench in the two games (Ross County and St Johnstone) since.
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