Defiant boss Stephen Glass insists the season is not running away from Aberdeen despite dropping into the bottom six.
The Reds have yet to win a league match since the Premiership resumed in January after the winter break and lost 2-1 at Livingston on Saturday.
A return of two points from a possible 12 has left the Dons just three points ahead of 10th-placed Ross County.
However, Glass insists the Reds remain in the hunt for European qualification – as their rivals are also failing to win.
Glass believes Aberdeen still hold their destiny in their own hands and has challenged them to save the season.
In a massive week, the Dons host league leaders Celtic on Wednesday before a Scottish Cup fifth round clash away to Motherwell on Saturday.
Glass said: “I don’t feel as if the season is running away from us, not by any means.
“Our future is in our hands.
“As poor as we’ve been, we’re fortunate that the teams around us are not winning games either.
“A lot of the teams around us are in the same position – they can’t win games.
“But we need to worry ourselves and about how we approach things.
“If we are at the level we should be from minute one in every game, then we’ll be okay.”
No team taking control of Euro race
Fifth-placed Hibs have taken just two points from 15 since the winter break.
Fourth-placed Motherwell have also taken two points from their last five games, and lost 4-0 to Celtic at the weekend.
Aberdeen are just four points behind the fourth-placed Steelmen, and also have a game in hand.
Hearts, currently in third, have taken seven points from 15 since the resumption of action after the Premiership shutdown.
Hearts lost 5-0 to Rangers on Sunday, but are still in command of third spot.
With only two wins in 13 league matches, Aberdeen have the second-worst away form in the Premiership this season.
Only rock-bottom Dundee have a poorer return on the road.
Demand form improves rapidly
Travelling Dons supporters made their frustration at the recent form clear during the loss at Livingston.
Finishing third, at a minimum, will have been the target at the start of the season after investment in a summer squad rebuild.
That is slipping away as Hearts are a huge 14 points ahead of the Dons, who have a game in hand.
Glass said: “As a group of players, we didn’t produce enough on the day against Livingston.
“It’s happened too many times, but we are fortunate that the league is very, very tight.
“Nobody is achieving consistently good results from fourth place down.
“We need to be the team that does that.
“And we need to start pretty rapidly, starting with Celtic on Wednesday night.
“We have a big week ahead, with the cup game next Saturday too.”
Scott Brown expected to face Celtic
Aberdeen skipper Scott Brown was an unused substitute in the loss at Livingston.
Glass confirmed he needed to protect Brown, 36, during the Reds’ congested fixture list.
Midfielder Brown is expected to face his former club Celtic on Wednesday.
Brown rejected the offer of a new contract at Celtic to join Aberdeen last summer in a player-coach role.
Reputations are on the line
Glass accepts the fans were frustrated at another miserable away performance in Livingston.
The under-pressure boss believes his reputation is on the line.
However, he insists, so is the reputation of the players during this slump.
He said: “When the fans see a team as poor as we were in the first half, they make their feelings known, as you would expect.
“This is Aberdeen, a big club.
“There are expectations here and when you play here, your reputation is on the line, as is mine.”
