Aberdeen captain Russell Anderson believes the chase to finish best of the rest in the Scottish Premiership is wide open, despite both the Dons and Motherwell cantering clear of their rivals.
The Dons can move four points clear of the third-placed Steelmen with a win at Fir Park on Saturday.
Both sides will be looking to get back to winning ways following defeats at the weekend, but the Dons captain knows nothing will be decided this weekend.
He said: “We’re only just into the new year and there’s half the season still to go. I heard Motherwell manager Stuart McCall saying it doesn’t matter where you are now, it’s where you are at the end of the season and he’s right.
“Motherwell have bounced back from a really bad week when they went out the cup to Albion Rovers and were beaten heavily by Celtic and look where they are now.
“It’s all about where you are come May.”
Dundee United and Inverness both lost ground on the Dons and Motherwell during the festive run of fixtures but Anderson believes both sides remain in the hunt.
Caley Jags strengthened their cause by ending the Dons’ four-game winning run with a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie on Saturday to close the gap on Derek McInnes’s side to seven points.
Anderson said: “We beat Dundee United on New Year’s Day but I’ve got no doubt they will bounce back. They are too good a team not to. Inverness will bounce back as well. There are so many tough games to come.”
Dons manager McInnes is still hopeful of bringing back defender Michael Hector on loan from Reading before the window closes after the 21-year-old impressed in his spell at Pittodrie in the first half of the season.
Anderson was sad to see the Englishman go but hopes Reading will allow him to return.
Hector featured as a substitute in the Royals’ 7-1 Championship demolition of Bolton on Saturday.
Anderson said: “It would be nice to have him back and I know he really enjoys it here but it is down to Reading. The team has benefited from him being here but I also think he has benefited greatly from being at Aberdeen because his performances showed how he has come on.”