Boss Stephen Glass has challenged Aberdeen to take advantage of the cut-throat Premiership to continue their climb up the table.
Glass reckons the top flight is so competitive this season teams are struggling to build winning momentum.
He wants the Reds to capitalise by delivering a winning run to rocket up the league.
Back to back wins elevated in form Aberdeen up into the top six.
Now Glass is gunning for the teams above before the Premiership winter break in early January.
Aberdeen are just four points behind fourth placed Dundee United and nine behind Hearts in third.
Glass said: “We have seen any time a team wins some games they jump up the league pretty quickly.
“The nature of the league this season is there are teams losing regularly and a lot of teams drawing.
“If you can get three points on the board week on week you do find yourself quickly climbing up the table.
“That has been the aim throughout this block of fixtures until January 2 (winter break).
“If we can do that we will be happy – but we know the challenge.”
‘Keep the momentum rolling’
Aberdeen travel to St Johnstone on Saturday bidding to secure three successive Premiership wins for the first time since September last year.
The Reds made home advantage count by defeating St Mirren 4-1 and Livingston 2-0.
Now Glass has urged his side to take maximum points from an away double header against Saints and then Hibs on Wednesday December 22.
He said: “We had a couple of home games when we were looking for six points.
“Now we have a couple of away games in a row and there are six points available.
“It will be brilliant to come out of those with that as well.
“We know it will be difficult but if we can keep the momentum rolling we will be in a good position for coming back to Pittodrie.”
Aberdeen’s away form must improve
Aberdeen have won five of nine Premiership games at Pittodrie this season, drawing one and losing three.
A return of 16 points from 27 is the fourth best home record in the Scottish top flight this season.
However on the road the Dons have won just once in eight Premiership fixtures, drawing twice.
📺 All The Angles 📺
⚽ @MarleyWatkins' pinpoint finish from Saturday. pic.twitter.com/32tbzPuDOR
— Aberdeen FC (@AberdeenFC) December 7, 2021
A return of five points from 24 is the third worst in the league, level with bottom club Ross County and one ahead of Dundee.
Glass demands the Reds deliver wins home and away.
He said: “I want both – to be taking care of home games and picking up on the road.
“We have not picked up a huge amount of points away from home.
“The run of games where we weren’t getting anything coincided with a little bit of that.
“However we have performed decent on the road but not got anything for it.
“One that springs to mind is Rangers away (2-2 draw) when we probably should have got three points.
“There was also Hearts away (1-1) where we put in a very good performance but only got one point and not three.
“These are places where not a lot of people have went and picked up points.
“Now we have the opportunity to go pick up three points a couple of times away from home.”
Defensive injury crisis set to ease
Aberdeen are set to welcome back left-back Jack MacKenzie from an ankle injury for the trip to St Johnstone.
MacKenzie, 21, has played just 45 minutes in the last eight games due to injury.
Teenage right-back Calvin Ramsay is ruled out for the game in Perth with a thigh injury.
However Glass confirmed the 18-year-old is ‘getting closer’ to a return.
Scotland international centre-back Declan Gallagher returned from a six game injury lay off when an unused substitute against St Mirren last weekend.
Andy Considine (cructiate ligament), Mikey Devlin (ankle) and Matty Kennedy (back) are all long term injury absentees.
Glass said: “St Johnstone is always a difficult game as we know what Callum (Davidson, manager) is capable of with his group of players.
“We are under no illusions as to how difficult it will be.
“They are a team that has lost amongst the least amount of goals in the league.
“I think they pride themselves on that.
“They are a team that, like St Mirren were when they came up here last week, are going to start winning games again at some point.
“It’s important that doesn’t start against us- that’s the aim.”