Aberdeen defender Mark Reynolds is confident the Dons can handle the pressure in the final 10 games of the season.
The Dons are closing in on a best finish in the Scottish Premiership for more than 20 years – as they look to emulate the runners-up finish achieved by Willie Miller’s Dons in 1994.
The dream of a first league title for 30 years remains but Derek McInnes’ Reds know they will have little room for error over the closing stretch of games if they are to make in-roads on Celtic’s six-point gap at the top.
Reynolds believes the close bond between the Aberdeen players has played a pivotal part in this season’s hitherto successful league campaign.
He said: “I’ve been in a few changing rooms where pressure is handled differently by different personalities but the difference now is we feel confident in each other’s abilities.
“We have quality players all over the park – people only need to look at the strength of our bench in the last few weeks.
“We get that confidence from knowing we have players capable of producing performances and getting results.
“There’s a quiet confidence there and we don’t fear anyone. As long as we have players giving 100% and producing a high level of performance then we have reason to believe going into games.”
Reynolds, who has captained the Dons this season in the absence of the injured Russell Anderson, says Aberdeen are determined to put on a show on Friday against his former side Motherwell.
The Dons, beaten by Celtic 4-0 in their previous outing, will be looking to return to winning ways against a Motherwell side scrapping against the threat of relegation.
Ian Baraclough’s team followed up a morale-boosting 2-1 victory against Caley Thistle with a 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock – a result that moved them off the foot of the Scottish Premiership.
Reynolds knows the Fir Park men will come to Pittodrie desperate to take something from the match to aid their efforts to beat the drop to the Championship.
He said: “After bad results we’ve managed to rally round and we’ve got the quality there to pick it up and get going again. But we know to expect a difficult match.
“Games are running out at this stage of the season and it becomes a mini-league at both ends of the table.
“I know from my time at Motherwell it is not nice when you are down at the bottom. You want to get points on the board as quickly. Motherwell will be fighting for their lives which makes them a bit more dangerous as opponents.”