Both aiming to keep their top-six ambitions on track, Aberdeen will do battle with Dundee at Pittodrie Stadium on Tuesday night in an intriguing Scottish Premiership clash.
The Dons were defeated 2-0 by Hearts on the road last time out, while a pair of January arrivals helped the Dark Blues to a handsome success at Livingston.
Match preview
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Following their return from the winter break, Aberdeen have endured an inconsistent recommencement of the term, winning one, drawing one and losing one of their last three games, with Tuesday's hosts falling to a 2-0 defeat against Hearts on Saturday afternoon at Tynecastle Park.
A former Dons favourite came back to haunt Barry Robson's charges, with Hearts talisman Lawrence Shankland bagging his 14th Scottish Premiership goal of the campaign, while attacking midfielder Jorge Grant also got onto the scoresheet for Steven Naismith's top-three contenders.
Apart from a historic win the Europa Conference League over German giants Eintracht Frankfurt in December, there has been little to cheer about for the Pittodrie faithful in 2023-24, with Aberdeen currently residing in eighth position in the top-flight standings, three points behind sixth-placed Hibernian.
Carrying on his sensational form from his maiden campaign in Scotland, Macedonian striker Bojan Miovski has made the net ripple on 10 occasions in the Premiership from 20 appearances, and excluding former Wigan Athletic man Jamie McGrath, no other Dons player has scored more than two league goals.
Aberdeen's form at Pittodrie has been particular poor this term, with Robson's side winning just three and collecting 11 points from their nine home contests in the league so far - only David Martindale's basement dwellers (one) have managed fewer maximums in front of their own supporters.
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Making swift amends for a four-game winless run across the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup since the Boxing Day humbling at the hands of league leaders Celtic, Dundee hit relegation-threatened Livingston for four at the Tony Macaroni Area on Saturday afternoon, with a certain January arrival impressing on his debut.
After netting 13 goals in League Two for Morecambe, Michael Mellon was recalled by parent club Burnley and sent on loan to the Dark Blues of Scotland, who benefitted immediately from his services on the weekend, with the highly-rated youngster bagging a debut goal and two assists during a 29-minute cameo.
The move for Mellon - alongside the temporary acquisition of fellow Clarets youngster Owen Dodgson at Dens Park - was made possible by a new strategic partnership between Vincent Kompany's side and Dundee, with the latter already reaping the rewards of their relationship with the Premier League club.
Saturday's success in Livingston allowed Tony Docherty's men to leapfrog Aberdeen into seventh place in the Scottish Premiership table, meaning the Dark Blues will be able to climb into the top six of the division should they secure at least a point on their travels on Tuesday night.
Dundee's recent record at Pittodrie Stadium is nothing short of tragic, with the Dark Blues losing all of their last eight visit to the Dons, and you have to back to January 2015 for the last time The Dee earned a result in this exact fixture, when the likes of Gary Irvine and Greg Stewart bagged goals in a 3-3 draw.
Team News
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Aberdeen were dealt a major injury blow following their match with St Johnstone on Wednesday, with centre-back Slobodan Rubezic picking up a knee injury which is set to keep him sidelined until late February.
The Dons have another defensive option in the medical room, with James McGarry continuing to recover from a hamstring strain sustained earlier this month.
Robson could make a number of changes from the side who disappointed at Hearts on the weekend, meaning Duk, Shayden Morris and Ester Sokler might be promoted to the starting XI.
Receiving a straight red card in the second half of the win over Livingston, Dundee's Luke McCowan is suspended for Tuesday night's trip to Pittodrie.
Mexican defender Juan Portales has been a regular starter for the Dark Blues since his summer arrival from Atlante, but the centre-back is now out until early March with a hamstring issue.
Mellon is set for his full debut after providing three goal contributions off the bench last time out, with Malachi Boateng and Zach Robinson also pushing for starts.
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Roos; Devlin, Gartenmann, Jensen, MacKenzie; Barron, Shinnie, Duk, Morris, McGrath; Miovski
Dundee possible starting lineup:
Sharp; McGhee, Shaughnessey, Ashcroft, Dodgson; Robertson, Sylla, Boateng; Mellon, Tiffoney, Bakayoko
We say: Aberdeen 1-3 Dundee
Aberdeen managed just one shot on target in their loss at Hearts on Saturday, and we can envisage Robson's side having similar struggles on the road once again in this one.
Dundee have been buoyed by their January arrivals from Burnley, with the likes of Mellon possessing the attacking quality to fire the Dark Blues to success at Pittodrie.
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