Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

A comfortable home victory against a League 2 side is not the most impressive of Jimmy Thelin’s 11 wins in a row.

However, there is enough evidence from recent struggles against lower-league opponents to illustrate Aberdeen’s immense improvement under the Swede.

Non-league Darvel defeated Jim Goodwin’s Aberdeen in January 2023 and last season Neil Warnock’s Dons struggled past League 2 Bonnyrigg Rose.

But here there was not a moment when the result was in question such was Aberdeen’s slickness with the ball and intensity without it.

That is exactly what Thelin has brought to Pittodrie, as well as vast improvement in individual players like Pape Habib Gueye, who has been transformed after a poor first season at the club.

Of course there are much tougher tests to come, but Aberdeen have the look of a team who mean business this season.

Beaten finalists in this competition last term, they will be a dangerous side to face in the last four.