Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes hopes Craig Bryson can recover in time for the game at Motherwell after the international break to ease the deepening midfield crisis at Pittodrie.
The Dons dug deep to secure a point against Hibernian on Saturday but at a cost with Curtis Main and Lewis Ferguson both receiving red cards as Aberdeen finished the game with nine men.
Both will miss the trip to Fir Park after the break and while McInnes has attacking options to cope with the absence of Main, Ferguson’s dismissal leaves Dean Campbell as the only fit and available central midfielder for the game against the Steelmen on October 19.
McInnes said: “Clearly we have issues for midfield for the Motherwell game coming up.
“I am hoping Craig Bryson might be back.
“All I am thinking about at the moment is how we can line up a team and what type of team we can pick to play against Motherwell with the suspensions on top of the injuries.”
McInnes is frustrated he will be without the services of both Main and Ferguson for the league match after the international break and is disappointed with referee Don Robertson’s decision to show two red cards on Saturday.
He said: “When Curtis was sent off it changed everything.
“The gods are against you. I thought the sending off was harsh to be honest.
“Having seen it again, he has lunged but his lunge is to try and make up yardage.
“When he actually lands I think he wins the ball and it is with one foot.
“The referee I think has guessed for that one because I don’t think he can see it.
“He certainly was not getting told from the fourth official it was a red card.
“I am not convinced it was a red card.
“For the second red card, Lewis has made a genuine attempt to get the ball, I don’t think that it is a lunge when watching it at normal speed but I need to see that one again. My thoughts on it at the time were that it was just mistimed.”
Despite the duo’s dismissals McInnes believes his players can be proud of their efforts in fighting back to earn a point at Pittodrie a week after their 5-0 loss at Rangers.
He said: “It feels like more than just a point that because we were down and out and the players did not give it up.
“It was everything I wanted to see from my team.
“It was everything that we were not last week in terms of being aggressive enough.
“We bordered on maybe being on the edge but I am asking for that and I want to see my team perform in that manner – the way they were in the second half.”
The Dons head into the break fourth in the Premiership table, level on points with Ross County on 12.