Boss Stephen Glass is ‘hopeful, but not confident’ Aberdeen’s defensive injury crisis will ease for their next game.
Five defenders are currently out injured – Calvin Ramsay, Jack MacKenzie, Declan Gallagher, Andy Considine and Mikey Devlin.
Glass was left frustrated at the costly defensive mistakes in the 2-0 loss to Motherwell.
Aberdeen are next in action when facing Dundee United away on Saturday November 22 after the international break.
Scotland internationals Considine and Devlin are both long-term injury absentees and their return to action is not imminent.
However, Glass hopes to receive positive news on the availability of Ramsay, MacKenzie and Scotland international Gallagher for the New Firm derby.
Glass said: “There’s a few of them will be fairly close (for Dundee United)
“I’m hopeful, but not confident.
“It would be good if we can (get them back).
“We’ll see where we are in two weeks.”
Scotland U21 international Ramsay is sidelined with a thigh problem suffered in the first half of the 1-0 defeat of Hibs.
Ramsay, 18, who is being tracked by a number of English top-flight clubs including Manchester United and Everton, has missed the games against Motherwell (2-0 loss), Hearts (2-1 win) and Rangers (2-2).
Scotland international centre-back Gallagher, 30, has also been ruled out of those three games, having limped off with a hamstring injury against Hibs.
Left-back MacKenzie, 21, suffered an ankle injury during training in the build-up to the Hibs game and has missed the last four matches.
Considine is out until the new year following surgery in August on cruciate ligament damage and Devlin has not featured this season due to an ankle problem.
Devlin recently resumed training on grass, but is not expected to return to action in the near future.
Glass was frustrated his defence switched off for both goals n the loss to Motherwell as Dutch striker Kevin van Veen netted twice in a damaging 10-minute spell early in the second half.
Frustration at lack of cutting edge in attack
The Dons boss also accepts the attackers were equally culpable for a defeat which dented the recent positive momentum built up by taking seven points from the triple-header against Hearts, Rangers and Hibs.
Aberdeen had 18 shots at goal against Motherwell – eight on target, four off target and six blocked.
Motherwell had two attempts and netted with both.
Glass said: “We had a lot of opportunities that we should have done better with.
“We expect to be a lot more clinical at the top end when you get those chances.”
The polar opposite of defeat of Hearts
Aberdeen had launched a second half comeback in the previous game when rallying from the loss of a penalty late in the first half against Hearts.
Trailing 1-0 at the break, Aberdeen bounced back to win 2-1 and end Hearts’ unbeaten start to the Premiership campaign.
Glass was frustrated the Dons produced a second half display against Motherwell which was the polar opposite.
He said: “Everything the second half performance was against Hearts, we got the exact opposite against Motherwell.
“We grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half against Hearts.
“This time it looked like we allowed Motherwell to do that.
“We got what we deserved for that second half performance.”
Time to regroup ahead of New Firm derby
Glass has almost two weeks to work with his squad during the international break to get them ready to bounce back in the New Firm derby at Tannadice.
He said: “It’s important we get back on track against Dundee United in a couple of weeks.
“We are building into some big games again and have Dundee United who are sitting above us in the table.
“It’s something to aim at.”