Skipper Graeme Shinnie has warned no player’s starting spot is safe within Jimmy Thelin’s red hot Aberdeen side –Â including his own.
Under the Swede the Reds have raced to a perfect start of 12 wins from 12 in all competitions.
Aberdeen are the only team Uefa’s top 50 leagues to still boast a 100% record.
Shinnie says competition is so fierce in every position to get into the starting XI of Europe’s hottest team any player could be dropped.
The Dons will bid to maintain their sensational winning run when hosting Hearts at a sold-out Pittodrie on Sunday.
Shinnie said: “It pushes everyone here to know their positions are not safe and that’s very healthy for the squad.
“That’s the way it’s got to be at a club like this and that’s testament to the management and staff for the work they’ve done.
“Players have already proved they can take their chance and that’s crucial for us.
“Obviously we lost Bojan (Miovski, transferred to Spanish La Liga Girona) who was key for us last season, but that has been sorted out.
“I was out for the game against Motherwell and Ante (Palaversa) stepped in and we won.
“Pape (Gueye, leading scorer) was injured for the Dundee game but we won that.
“That’s down to everybody knowing the jobs they’ve got to do and being focused when called upon.
“It’s a long season and everybody will needed to do their bit.”
Red Army give Aberdeen ‘an edge’
The Red Army have responded to the winning form by turning out in force to support Aberdeen.
A 4,091 strong travelling support cheered on the Reds in the recent 2-1 win against Dundee at Dens Park.
Pittodrie has sold out for the visit of Hearts on Sunday.
Shinnie says walking out of the tunnel and seeing that huge support gives Aberdeen an edge before the ball is even kicked.
He said: “The atmosphere is the top at Pittodrie and we need to match that with our performance.
“It gives us a lot, not just in terms of motivation, but that we have to live-up to that on the pitch.
“It’s up to us to give them something to cheer for and get behind us to use them as that 12th man.
“Stepping out and seeing so many fans behind us it does give you an extra edge.
“But we have to make sure that we go out and use that in the right way.”
‘Football’s mad, isn’t it’
The turnaround in fortunes this season of Aberdeen and Hearts has been stark.
Last season the Tynecastle club finished third in the Premiership to secure European qualification.
In contrast the Dons were in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle before rallying to finish seventh, in the bottom six.
This season under Thelin in-form Aberdeen have already opened up a massive 16 point advantage on bottom club Hearts, after just six games.
Victory on Sunday will extend that gap to 19 points, with the Dons also holding a game in hand on the Tynecastle outfit.
Shinnie said: “Football’s mad isn’t it? Different seasons different things happen as the year before last we finished third.
“It can change all the time which is why all we can do is concentrate on what we’ve been doing well and keep getting better.
“Anything can happen as there’s still 32 games to go and at this stage it’s about trying to get better.”
‘Hearts are in a false position’
Hearts secured a first win of the season on Thursday when overcoming Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) 2-1 in the UEFA Conference League at a neutral venue in Azerbaijan.
Former Aberdeen coach Liam Fox, who was at Pittodrie from 2022 to 2023, is in interim charge of the Edinburgh club following the sacking of Steven Naismith.
Scotland international Shinnie, 33, said: “Hearts are a good team coming off the back of a very good result in Europe.
“We all know what standard of player they’ve got and the talent in that squad is very good.
“It’s going to be a tough game as it always is between Aberdeen and Hearts.
“We are well aware of the threats they pose and they will be coming here with confidence after beating Dinamo Minsk.
“That means we need to be at the top of our game to make sure we keep our winning run going.
“Hearts are in a false position, let’s be honest.
“Steven Naismith did so well last season he has maybe just not got them going this season which happens.
“It is a fresh face with Foxy taking over, the squad they have got is good, and they will start winning games.
“Although we have had good results recently we are still trying to grow.”
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