Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is confident his team can start making the most of matches against the bottom six sides in the Premiership.
The Dons have excelled against their nearest rivals in the race to finish best of the rest behind Celtic this season, having already defeated Caley Thistle, Dundee United, Motherwell and St Johnstone. Aside from being beaten home and away by leaders Celtic, the Dons’ only defeats this season have come against Hearts and Ross County, the league’s bottom two sides.
The Reds face bottom-six opposition this weekend when St Mirren visit Pittodrie, with Aberdeen having already drawn 1-1 against the Buddies at Paisley in September.
McInnes said: “There are no hang-ups about playing teams in the bottom end of the table and the mindset isn’t different in those games at all.
“When we have played the likes of Motherwell, Inverness and Dundee United we have won those games.
“Drawing away to St Mirren was hardly a disaster as we weren’t at our best there but came away with a point. That’s a good sign because you aren’t always going to be at the top of your game but we have only lost five games this season. Two of those were against Celtic and twice Hearts have beaten us but there were circumstances that played a big part in how those results transpired.
“I thought there was a lot for us to pleased about in both those games against Hearts despite the results.
“The other one was at Dingwall and, while we were never outworked or outfought, we never played to the level we were capable of. That was probably the one game of them all that the result was self-inflicted more than anything.
“Obviously, we don’t want to have defeats but from my point of view as manager there was a lot right about the performances in those games.”
The Dons manager hopes to get Michael Hector’s future resolved in the next fortnight.
The Reading defender’s loan deal at Pittodrie expires next month but McInnes is keen to extend his stay until the end of the season. He added: “Hopefully, we will know one way or the other in the next week or two.”
Defender Clark Robertson (knee) is Aberdeen’s only absentee for tomorrow’s match at Pittodrie. Ryan Jack (calf) and Hector (stomach) have both recovered from injury to face the Buddies.