Aberdeen have been rocked with long-term injuries to centre-back Gavin Molloy and striker Ester Sokler.
The double injury blow is another setback for boss Jimmy Thelin after the Dons’ winless run extended to 10 games with a 2-0 loss at Motherwell.
Aberdeen have now lost five successive Premiership games for the first time since October 2021 and have taken just three points from the last possible 30.
Thelin confirmed Molloy and Sokler will be out “for a long time”.
Sokler was taken off injured in the 2-1 loss to Ross County and defender Molloy was not in the match-day squad at Fir Park.
It is the latest blow with keeper Dimitar Mitov, defender Jack Milne and attacker Pape Gueye also out injured.
Thelin said: “They are going to stay out for a long time, both of them.
“We keep working with trying to improve the team and stabilise the squad.
“I hope we will see them again this season.”
Signings in the January window
Aberdeen’s board have confirmed they will back Thelin’s bid to bring in signings during the January transfer window to stop the slump and build for the future.
The Dons have made a bid to sign Latvian international centre-back Kristers Tobers from Swiss top flight club Grasshoppers.
Latvian international captain Tobers, 24, is out of contract at the end of the season.
Head of recruitment Nuno de Almeida and his team are working on a number of targets for the ongoing winter transfer window.
Asked if the injuries to Molloy and Sokler adds to the need for Aberdeen to bring in reinforcements during the window, Thelin said: “Let’s see.
“I know there is a lot of work ongoing right now.
“We have to give some quality inside and stabilise the squad right now because we have some injuries and a bad one.”
Thelin reacts to Rubezic red card
It is understood Aberdeen assistant first team coach Peter Leven and Motherwell coach Richard Foster were both red carded in the Fir Park tunnel at half-time.
Aberdeen were reduced to 10 men in the 43rd minute when Slobodan Rubezic received a straight red for an off the ball incident with Tony Watt.
Aberdeen were already a goal down before Rubezic was dismissed after Ewan Wilson had fired home in the 34th minute.
Within 60 seconds of Rubezic’s red card ‘Well exploited the extra man by doubling their advantage via a superb Tawanda Maswanhise goal.
In the red card incident Rubezic went down on the touchline near the dugouts following a challenge from Tony Watt.
Watt bent over Rubezic and appeared to say something.
The Dons defender jumped up and the back of Rubezic’s head caught Watt’s chin in an accidental clash of heads.
However defender Rubezic also pushed Watt to the ground.
Thelin said: “It is also important to have emotional control when you play football.
“I haven’t seen the situation, I don’t know exactly, but for me it is always important that we I don’t give the opponent some extra energy.
“Or give them some extra to play 11 versus 10.
“In the second half you can see the character of the players and what is on the pitch.
“We are in a bad run and we were 2-0 down and playing with 10 men.
“However thy were still trying.
“And as long as they have this spirit and they try, then they always find a way out.
“That is the most important thing to see from the game today.”
Aberdeen’s collapse in form
Aberdeen began brightly at Fir Park but were two goals and a man down at half-time.
It left Thelin and his team with a mountain to climb in the bid to end a damaging winless run.
Aberdeen have now failed to register a clean sheet in their last 12 games.
Thelin said: “I think we started the game really well.
“We have a run now on games that we have not performed so well.
“We saw some good performances in the last game at home, but then in a bad moment they scored against us, Ross County.
“This was the same feeling.
“We started the game really well and then we have 10 minutes when Motherwell had momentum.
“The goals are coming in an easy way and we have to find a way to stop that happening.
“We are quite good inside the games but when opponents have momentum, we are not strong enough to resist this.”
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