Interim manager Barry Robson is confident Aberdeen can emerge from their recent crisis to climb back up the Premiership table.
And Robson hopes the Reds can yet salvage the season by securing European qualification.
Robson is in interim charge as the Pittodrie hierarchy search for a new manager to replace sacked Jim Goodwin.
He led the Dons to a 3-1 home defeat of Motherwell to end a five game losing run in all competitions.
Prior to defeating Well struggling Aberdeen had taken just four points from a possible 27 since the winter break.
Aberdeen remain in the bottom half of the table, in seventh, but Robson is looking up.
The Reds are just three points behind fourth placed Livingston who occupy an automatic European spot.
Robson said: “We all know we have to be better in the league, I still think that is doable and achievable.
“There is a group of players in there who I believe can really get going.
“This is three points the club needed as we have not had a good time of it.
“The frustration for me is the other night (3-1 loss to St Mirren) when we went down to 10 men.
“I thought we would have done alright and I would have fancied us to be sitting here with six points.
“But you can’t be greedy.”
European qualification aspirations
Aberdeen saw off struggling Motherwell courtesy of a first half goal from Duk and a second half brace from Bojan Miovski.
North Macedonian international Miovski has now scored 16 times this season with Duk on 12 goals.
On-loan Watford defender Mattie Pollock had a goal chalked off for a foul.
Motherwell hit back with a converted penalty from Kevin van Veen.
The spot kick-was awarded by referee Kevin Clancy for hand-ball by Matty Kennedy following a VAR review.
Asked if Aberdeen can spush for European qualification, Robson said: “I hope so, I really do.
“That’s away in the future though.
“Let’s see where we are and keep cracking on with the way we are doing things at the minute.
“Trying to make players better.
“You saw them run today and that is what I expect every time they play.”
No recent contact with club’s board
Robson and No. 2 Steve Agnew are in interim charge as chairman Dave Cormack and the board search for a new manager.
The Reds board are willing to take their time in the hunt for the right candidate after sacking three managers in two years.
Former Sheffield United and Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder is understood to be interested in the position.
Poland’s 2022 World Cup manager Czeslaw Michniewicz wants the vacant Aberdeen job.
Aberdeen have been inundated with applications to replace Goodwin.
Robson insists he has had no indication from the Pittodrie board on how long he will be in the dugout.
He said: “I have not spoken to any of the board members.
“I came in to win a couple of games and if it wasn’t for the sending off against St Mirren I would have fancied us to have six points.
“But we only have three.
“I am pleased with what we got as I thought the boys were brilliant.
“I also thought the fans were outstanding and applauded the club.”
‘A fast, aggressive Aberdeen team’
Robson handed a starting debut to Ajax keeper Jay Gorter who was signed on loan until the end of the season.
Motherwell travelled to Pittodrie without a win in 10 league matches.
Robson said: “For the first 10 minutes it was probably a bit of two teams low on confidence.
“However I thought you could see the things we had worked on in the training ground.
“As the game went on we started to look like a team and played like a proper fast, aggressive Aberdeen team.
“But that takes time, a lot of time.”
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