Aberdeen are going to have to do it the hard way after Dimitar Mitov was ruled out for a month due to injury.
The Dons goalkeeper has suffered a shoulder injury while on international duty with Bulgaria, and reports in his homeland suggest a ligament issue means he will miss his club’s three remaining games before the split.
They are tough ties, too, for Jimmy Thelin’s side – against Motherwell, Ross County and Rangers.
Ross Doohan has been a capable replacement when called upon this season, but Mitov’s return from injury has coincided with an upturn in fortunes for Aberdeen.
Aberdeen are unbeaten in all five games Mitov has played in since being back in the team, and it’s no surprise, as he was an integral part of the club’s excellent start to the season.
I know from the goalkeepers I played with in my career that injuries can happen. It comes with the nature of the job where they have to come for balls and take their bumps now and again.
But the one injury they wanted to avoid was anything to do with their arms and shoulders.
Next three games are crucial for top-six hopefuls
Hopefully Mitov’s injury isn’t anything serious and he can get himself back in time for next month’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Aberdeen.
That game is a huge chance for the Dons to make this season a memorable one and Thelin will want his best side available for it.
Mitov’s absence means Doohan will be back in the fold for Saturday’s home game against Motherwell, which is heading for a Pittodrie sell-out.
The stakes are high and the margin for error is slim for several teams, from Hibernian in third place to Ross County in 10th position.
Any side which can win the last three games before the split is going to be in a very strong position for the five remaining post-split fixtures.
Caley Thistle focus must now be on survival on and off the pitch
Caley Thistle seem to pack more incident into a week than some clubs manage in a season and the last seven days have been no different.
Off the field we’ve gone from the depths of despair and fears for the future to claims of genuine HOPE for the future appearing at last.
Time will tell on that front.
On the pitch, one point from the last two home games against Alloa and Annan has ended any lingering hopes of Scott Kellacher’s side sneaking into the end of season promotion play-offs.
It’s sad to see as I was hoping to see the team make a late push, but the last two results have cost Caley Jags dear.
Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Alloa means they remain in eighth place in League One, still eight points behind their weekend opponents, who are fourth.
With only six games remaining, there are too many results involving the four clubs above them which would have to go Inverness’ way for them to clinch that final play-off position.
The focus must now switch to securing their League One status. Ninth-placed Annan are three points behind Caley Thistle as we enter the final weeks of the campaign and the Highlanders will look to stretch that lead in the weeks ahead.
Despite Saturday’s draw, there is a cause for optimism from what I saw.
There are some terrific young players there and Ben Brannan and Keith Bray were two standout performers for me at the weekend. They combine brilliantly down the right-hand side and look an exciting partnership.
If Scott and his players can remove the threat of relegation to League Two, it will help give those trying to keep the club afloat the opportunity to plan properly for the future.
After everything that’s happened this season, the staff who have put in a power of work deserve some clarity about their future, too.
I hope Steve Clarke is right and Greek loss was just a bump in the road for Scotland
It was a sobering and painful bounce back into reality at Hampden on Sunday for Scotland as they were relegated from Group A of the Nations League.
Scott McTominay’s goal in the first leg in Greece put Steve Clarke’s side firmly in the driving seat of the play-off, but the Greeks, guided by the outstanding Konstantinos Karetsas, really put us to the sword as they ran out 3-0 winners at the National Stadium.
The 17-year-old Karetsas gave captain Andy Robertson a torrid time and looks a tremendous talent.
Seeing someone so young look so comfortable on the world stage at that age really brought home how much we struggle to produce that level of talent.
Ben Doak, who missed the games due to injury, is our best hope – but he’s two years older than Karetsas.
I’d love to know what other countries are doing that we are not when it comes to bringing through top-calibre young talent.
It was a tough night for Scotland and a real dent in the confidence ahead of the World Cup qualifying campaign.
I hope Steve is right and this was just a bump in the road. We’ve made some real progress in his time in charge, and I’d hate to see us regress.
We need to keep pushing forward.
Conversation