Aberdeen defender Nicky Devlin knows improving their defensive record is the key to the Dons moving up the Premiership table.
The Dons have kept three clean sheets in their opening 13 games in the league and just four in all competitions this season.
Devlin knows that statistic must improve drastically if his side is to move up the division.
He said: “Towards the end of last season, when Aberdeen went on that run it was built on not conceding goals.
“Just now, we are having to score two or three goals to win a game of football, which over the season you can’t keep doing that.
“It is not sustainable.
“You can’t score two or three times every time we want to win. We have to cut out the mistakes.
“If we can cut that out we know we can score goals because we have top class players at the top end of the pitch.
“If we can rectify the goals we are conceding then we will be in a good place.”
‘It’s only us who can put it right’
Sunday’s 2-0 defeat by Hibernian at Easter Road was the latest setback for Barry Robson’s side.
Aberdeen dominated in the capital but were punished for two lapses in concentration by the Hibees.
Devlin said: “On Sunday, we made a few mistakes but as a whole we felt we restricted them to very little.
“Ultimately, you come away with no points because you are making mistakes.
“They are easy to cut out compared to a whole team having a problem.
“We aren’t being cut open, we seem to be making errors and teams are punishing us.
“It is only us who can put the right.”
A welcome return to Pittodrie
The Dons will be hoping for the comforts of home after returning to Pittodrie for the start of a run of home matches.
Five of the next six league games will be held at Pittodrie and Devlin hopes his side can use their advantage to put a winning run together before the winter break.
He said: “We played Rangers (on November 26) but before that it seemed like ages since we had been back at Pittodrie.
“We have a good run at it and hopefully can see us starting to put points on the board and see us moving up the table.
“Look at the league table just now and it doesn’t look good. There is no point in denying it.
“We feel we have games coming up which we will be looking to try and take maximum points.”
Former Dons boss Derek McInnes brings his Kilmarnock side to Pittodrie tonight.
McInnes guided Killie to a comfortable 2-0 win at Rugby Park earlier in the season and Devlin knows a return to winning ways for his side is crucial.
He said: “It is good having games at home but you need to take advantage of that.
“There is no point if you don’t win the games, starting against Kilmarnock.
“All the games will be difficult for different reasons.
“We know Kilmarnock will be difficult but we are looking to start this run with three points.”
Momentum is key for Aberdeen
Aberdeen have games in hand on the other teams in the division as they begin another busy run of matches before the break on January 2.
Right back Devlin is pleased to have the chance to move up the division but knows his side need to put a run together.
He said: “It is good to have games in hand but you need to go and win them.
“There are two sides of it. There will be teams sitting happily with the points.
“We need to make sure it will work in our favour.
“If we win the games then we know we will jump up a couple of places but we know we need to win them.
“This season we haven’t been able to put on performances back-to-back.
“We have been good for one game and then been really poor.
“Anyone watching the game on Sunday, they would say on the whole it was good, we created a lot of chances and restricted them not too many.
“I would like to think if we perform the same way against Hibs as against Kilmarnock we will win the game.
“The issue for us has been going back-to-back.”
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