Boss Jim Goodwin expects Aberdeen to be in a three-way fight with Hibs and Hearts to finish third in the Premiership.
And he aims to win that battle to take the Dons back into Europe.
Hibs currently occupy third spot – a point ahead of the Dons, who hold a game in hand.
Hearts, who finished third last season, six sixth in the Premiership.
Aberdeen can move into pole position in the race for third on Friday when hosting Hibs at Pittodrie.
Victory for the Reds would leap-frog Goodwin’s side above Hibs up to third.
Goodwin will demand Aberdeen maintain their impressive home form to deliver an immediate reaction to the recent heavy 4-1 away loss at Rangers.
He said: “I think it will come down to Aberdeen, Hibs and Hearts in who is going to fight it out for third place.
“Hibs are the team we are competing with at the moment for that third spot.
“They are a point ahead of us, although we have a game in hand.
“No doubt Hearts will pick up points as well along the way.
“We have a chance on Friday night in front of our own fans to put it right after Rangers.”
‘Aberdeen home form has been outstanding’
Aberdeen’s troubles on the road in the Premiership continued with the sobering loss at Ibrox.
A 2-1 win at Motherwell was sandwiched between the defeat at Rangers and a 4-0 humbling by Dundee United at Tannadice.
In seven away Premiership games this season, the Dons have won only two, drawn once and lost four.
On the road in the league, they have scored just six times, conceding 15 goals.
In stark contrast, Goodwin’s side have been in superb form at home, racking up four wins from five Premiership games.
At Pittodrie, the free-scoring Reds have netted 17 times, conceding just five.
Only Rangers have scored more at home in the league this season with 21 goals in seven fixtures.
Our away form has been disappointing…”
League leaders Celtic, the defending Premiership champions, have scored just 16 league goals in five games at Parkhead.
When Aberdeen’s Premier Sports Cup campaign is added in, with nine goals at Pittodrie, no Scottish club has scored more goals at home than the Reds this season.
Goodwin has called for the Dons to continue that red-hot home form, to rally from the painful Ibrox set-back.
He said: “I don’t think there is a club in the country that has scored more goals at home than us in domestic cup competitions and the league.
“Our away form has been disappointing as there has been a bit of inconsistency there.
“Yet in the league and cup competitions, our home form has been outstanding.”
Goodwin banned for Hibs match
Goodwin will not be in the dugout for the Hibs clash following the ruling of an Appellate Tribunal on Monday.
The Dons boss had an eight-game ban, two suspended, from the Scottish FA reduced by three games following an appeal.
Goodwin was hit with the punishment for accusing Hibs defender Ryan Porteous of “blatant cheating” following a 3-1 defeat at Easter Road.
The Reds gaffer has already served one game of the ban when watching a 4-0 loss at Dundee United from the stands.
Following the launch of an appeal after that loss at Tannadice, Goodwin was then allowed back into the dugout until the tribunal.
Goodwin will now miss the clash with Hibs and the trip to Livingston next Tuesday.
Aberdeen have three games remaining before the five-week Premiership shut down for the World Cup.
Following the clashes with Hibs and Livingston, the Reds face Dundee United at Pittodrie on Saturday November 12.
Goodwin will return to the dugout for the New Firm derby.
Jet to the United States in third spot
Just two days after the Dundee United clash, the Dons jet out to the United States for a week-long training camp in Atlanta.
Goodwin’s squad will be based at the training base of MLS club Atlanta United – the Dons’ strategic partners.
The Reds boss aims to jet across the Atlantic with the Reds sitting in third position.
He said: “We weren’t too down on our players this week after the Rangers loss.
“As tough as losing in that fashion is to take we were honest with each other and analysed it properly.
“And we will go again for Hibs.”
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