Attackers Pape Gueye and Duk should both start against St Mirren as Aberdeen bid to end a 12-game winless run in the Premiership.
After four months out with a thigh muscle injury Gueye returned to action when coming off the bench in the 3-0 Scottish Cup win at Elgin City.
Gueye may have been out for a long time but he looked sharp enough to warrant a start against St Mirren.
Duk also ended a near year-long scoring drought when netting a double against Elgin.
It was the first time he had scored since a 3-3 draw with Motherwell in February last year.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin has played a 4-2-3-1 formation this season.
However, I would like to see him switch to a 4-4-2 on Saturday with Duk and Gueye the two strikers up top.
A lack of killer touch in front of goal has been one of the problems in the long winless Premiership run.
With Gueye back from injury and Duk back in the goals they should lead the attack.
Hopefully Gueye will quickly rediscover the red-hot form he hit before suffering the injury that wiped out four months of his season.
He was terrorising defences and his sensational solo goal in the 2-1 win against Motherwell underlined what he is capable of.
Gueye is also very impressive in the air and the Dons have struggled to score from set-piece deliveries in his absence.
Duk finally ends long scoring drought
The fact Gueye remains Aberdeen’s top scorer in the Premiership with five goals despite being out for so long is ridiculous.
It was also great to see Duk back in amongst the goals when netting a brace at Borough Briggs.
However what I really liked in that cup game was Duk’s battling qualities and drive.
At one point he had the ball in the box and was surrounded by four or five Elgin players but still fought to successfully retain possession.
Duk enjoyed an impressive debut season at Aberdeen when finishing the 2023-24 campaign as joint top goal-scorer with Bojan Miovski on 18 goals.
He also scooped the player of the year award that season.
However he has struggled to reproduce the levels of that debut campaign.
Duk scored seven goals last season and had hit a scoring blank this term before Elgin.
Hopefully Duk, who is out of contract in the summer, can rediscover the form of his debut season.
Aberdeen still need to sign a striker
The return of Gueye from injury and Duk’s double against Elgin should not reduce the need for Aberdeen to sign a goalscorer in January.
It is difficult to secure a proven striker in the winter window.
However, I’m sure Thelin and his recruitment team are working hard to secure one this month.
Failing to convert scoring chances and a vulnerability in defence were the two main contributing factors in the winless league slump.
Thelin has moved to fix the frailty at the back by signing three defenders.
Tobers and Jensen have impressed
Centre-back Kristers Tobers and versatile full-back Alexander Jensen were both signed on long-term permanent contracts.
Aberdeen splashed out more than £1million to land Tobers and Jensen.
It looks like money well spent as they have both impressed.
Teenage centre-back Alfie Dorrington was also taken on loan from Tottenham and is very highly rated by the Premier League club.
Winger Jeppe Okkels was also secured on loan until the end of the season from Preston North End.
The defensive einforcements have arrived but the Dons still need to sign a striker.
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