Winding up for the bunch sprint for the top six, while Jim Goodwin was at pains to send the message that nothing less than nine points from the last three games was the target, he nonetheless acknowledged there was a chance seven would suffice, so tight is the pack.
He now gets the opportunity to test that theory.
Though his side will start the season’s 33rd game in ninth place, the chances they will end it in sixth are not bad.
If Aberdeen can record a home win over Ross County, they are certain to move above both their visitors and whichever of Livingston and Motherwell do not secure the result they need when they meet in West Lothian.
That leaves a Hibs win at Tynecastle as the only remaining variable which would consign the Dons to the bottom half.
They are unquestionably lucky to still have such a realistic shout.
Aberdeen can have no complaints if they miss out
Aberdeen’s form has been so awful at various points they could not claim to be hard done by should they miss the boat.
They would have been long since jettisoned had all around them not experienced similar periods of complete system failure.
The arithmetic of this year’s table is highly unusual: that half the teams in the league are separated by only three points at this late stage, such that Motherwell in fifth and St Mirren in 10th would be the other way round had the Buddies held on to their lead at Fir Park on Saturday, is extraordinary.
The divergence in rewards those half-dozen sides will receive over the last six matches – at least one will qualify for Europe, while one may end up relegated – mean this is where the Premiership’s real competitive focus is at.
We trust everyone will be watching, even if they don’t support any of them.
