Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes is confident his attacking duo Adam Rooney and David Goodwillie can play together.
The forwards have competed for the lone role throughout their time at Pittodrie but made a rare start together in Saturday’s 2-0 Premiership win against Dundee.
The decision by McInnes paid off as Rooney scored both goals to stretch Aberdeen’s 100% start to the Scottish Premiership season to four games.
Rooney, last season’s leading scorer with 28 goals for the club, has been on the bench in recent weeks behind Goodwillie, but McInnes insists they both have a role to play, possibly together or even with a third man in attack in the shape of new loan signing Josh Parker.
The Aberdeen manager said: “I’ve left more than Adam out and there have been good players who haven’t started. I don’t want players to be overly happy about being left out, but I want them to have an understanding they all have a role to play within the squad.
“We needed a link player in the European games to get the best out of the team, but both Adam and David played their part in the win on Saturday.
“There will be opportunities to play the two of them together and perhaps all three with Josh Parker as well, but all the forwards will have a part to play and they know that.”
Parker showed signs on his debut he can add pace and drive to the forward line and McInnes has been very impressed with the Red Star Belgrade forward, who joined the club on loan until January last week.
He said: “Josh has been encouraged by the level of his team-mates and the standard here. We’ve been encouraged by his performances in training and I’m sure his appetite will be whetted.
“He and the others who didn’t start will all play their part. He was itching to get on and we were itching to get him on.
“I’ve got a feeling he’s going to do extremely well for us.”
Midfielders Peter Pawlett and Willo Flood missed the win against the Dark Blues due to ankle injuries, but McInnes hopes to have them available for Saturday’s trip to Partick Thistle.
He said: “We had hoped one of them would have made the game on Saturday but we’re hopeful at least one will be fit for the game.
“Every game is a challenge. It is important we keep working towards the next one. We’re not wholly better than anyone else, we have to find different ways to win and any victory is hard fought for and earned. Hopefully we can win another at Partick.”