Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has warned his players they cannot afford to lose any more ground on second-placed Rangers.
The Dons are entering a crucial run of games in the bid to finish best of the rest in the Scottish Premiership with four matches to go before the three-week January shutdown.
McInnes’ men could have reduced the Ibrox side’s lead to a point with a victory against Motherwell on Tuesday night only for the match to be abandoned following floodlight failure at Pittodrie.
The Dons have a tricky end to 2016 coming up with three of their next four games away from home, starting at Ross County tomorrow before a trip to Motherwell a week today.
A home match against Hamilton, who defeated the Dons 1-0 in October, takes place on December 27 before the Dons end the year with a match against Hearts at Tynecastle on December 30.
The Aberdeen manager, pictured below, who will take his side to Dubai for warm weather training during the winter break, wants to end 2016 with four successive wins to keep hopes of a third successive top two finish on course. McInnes said: “The games are coming around so quickly and we just have to focus on the next one.
“We want to gather as many points as we can during December. Every win takes us a step closer to where we want to go.
“December is challenging for most teams, but especially for us as we were scheduled to play eight games.
“After the new year we will have an idea of how pleased we can be with our work for the first half of the season.
“I am confident we can put ourselves in a position to compete for second spot but there is so much football left to play.
“It is still early in the season and there are some good teams around about us who will want to have their say, teams that are all capable of going on winning and unbeaten runs.
“We want to get a winning sequence going as that would certainly help.”
Aberdeen midfielder Craig Storie could be set to leave the club on loan during the January transfer window. A number of Championship and League 1 clubs are interested in the 20-year-old, who has made only two substitute appearances this season.
