Tony Mowbray denies Celtic's Active Nation Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday has taken on added significance in light of the Hoops' seemingly hopeless title challenge.
The Parkhead club have slipped 13 points behind Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders Rangers with only 10 games remaining.
The popular belief is that the Scottish Cup offers the Celtic boss his only hope of glory this season as well as the chance to avert the pressure that would surely come to bear with a trophy-less season.
However, Mowbray tried to play down the trip to Ayrshire, where his side's SPL hopes suffered a debilitating blow last month when they lost 1-0 in loan signing Robbie Keane's debut.
"The club tries to finish every season with a trophy - it's no more important or less important this year," he said.
"Every season we try and win every competition we are in and every year we try and win the Scottish Cup, it is big part of the club's history.
"We strive to win every football match. That's the aim.
"There are 10 games still go in the league and we will keep fighting on that front and try and win them all.
"But this cup game at Kilmarnock is not more or less important than it always has been at this club."
Mowbray insists he is at ease with the "hysteria" he claims is currently surrounding the Parkhead club and himself as the league title appears to be heading over the horizon.
"Pressure on football managers has always been there and the bigger the club, the greater the pressure," the former Hibernian and West Brom boss said.
"It has become more intense as the media has grown.
"That's what football is and you shouldn't complain."
© Press Association