Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hopes to send Motherwell into next week’s Betfred Cup final on a low note by beating them at Pittodrie this weekend.
The Dons reached both cup finals last season but their hopes of a quick-fire Hampden return ended with a surprise 3-0 defeat by the Steelmen at Fir Park in the quarter-finals of the competition in September.
Stephen Robinson’s side earned a place in their first League Cup final since 2005 by defeating Rangers 2-0 in last month’s semis. Motherwell take on cup favourites Celtic at Hampden a week on Sunday.
However the Fir Park’s side’s early season momentum has stalled in recent weeks and they head to Pittodrie on the back of defeats by Hibernian and Ross County.
But Dons manager McInnes has been impressed by the Fir Park side, who are fifth in the Scottish Premiership with a game in hand.
He said: “Motherwell have been doing remarkably well this season.
“They gave us a belt in the mouth in the League Cup and then when we managed to win the league game there wasn’t much in it.
“They make the game a certain way, they make it about individual battles and that’s what suits them.
“They have been getting some fantastic results and deserve all the credit they’re getting.
“Having watched them play several times I’m not surprised at all they are where they are in the league.”
The Dons are also looking for a positive result this weekend after dropping points on their last outing before the international break.
McInnes’ side were held to a 2-2 draw by Hamilton Accies to fall three points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic.
But with 10 matches between now and the end of the year – including an eagerly anticipated double-header against Rangers – the Dons are now entering a period that could define their season.
McInnes added: “We have eight games between November 29 and December 30.
“We are playing a game every three and a half days.
“With that in mind, it was important to get the players rested during the break as there won’t be much time for that when we roll into December.
“We were disappointed with the way the Hamilton game panned out.
“We went there with high hopes because we had been on a good run.
“When you don’t win and the players put so much effort into the game then you are always disappointed.”
