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Dons manager remains optimistic ahead of trip to Motherwell

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says his side are focused on St Johnstone.
Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says his side are focused on St Johnstone.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes believes there is too much quality in the Dons squad for his side’s below-par run to continue.

The Dons have suffered an untimely drop in form since last month’s Betfred Cup final defeat by Celtic.

Defeats by Rangers and Ross County and a stalemate with St Johnstone have meant the Dons, who also defeated Kilmarnock 5-1, have taken only four points from 12 this month.

A victory against Motherwell at Fir Park this evening would provide the Red Army with some festive cheer and move the Dons to within four points of second-place Rangers.

Manager McInnes remains relaxed, despite the recent downturn in form.

He said: “We are used to going on unbeaten runs and we wanted to get on a winning run after the cup final.

“Unfortunately that wasn’t the case and we need to try to do that now.

“The team is more than capable of doing that.

“We don’t become a bad team all of a sudden. We have a good team here and good players.

“We have spent just over £200,000 on one player (Kenny McLean) over the last three-and-a-half years and we are judged the majority of time by what we do against teams with bigger resources.

“I get that but we work so hard as a team and so hard at all the other aspects of it.

“I take great pride by the fact that if you come into the club on a Monday morning you wouldn’t know if we had won, lost or drawn the previous Saturday.

“It is all about the next game.

“We never get too giddy or carried away when we win.

“When the results don’t come we just work to get the next result.

“That is where we are and it is about using our maturity and trusting how we work.

“I trust my players totally that we can go on another unbeaten run.”

Midfielder Peter Pawlett is the only doubt for the Dons. The midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of the season, picked up a hamstring injury against Motherwell at Pittodrie earlier this month in a match that was abandoned after seven minutes of action due to floodlight failure.