Aberdeen will look to bounce back from their Europa League exit in midweek when they face Kilmarnock at Pittodrie.

However, they entertain a Killie side keen to end a slump, which has seen them win one of their last nine Scottish Premiership outings, stretching back to April.

Aberdeen

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Aberdeen have enjoyed a comparatively sedate seven days after clocking up thousands of air miles as they travelled to central Asia and back again.

The Dons made a 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan last week, but followed it up with an away win at Tannadice, with Kenny McLean scoring the only goal against Dundee United last Sunday.

Derek McInnes's men failed to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Kairat Almaty on Thursday, crashing out of the Europa League following a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie.

Having finished second in the Scottish Premiership behind Celtic last season, Aberdeen will be hopeful of another high finish.

However, they will want to avoid the slump in form that affected their run-in last term, having won only two of the final six games.

Ryan Jack and Barry Robson have pledged their futures to the club over the summer by signing new contracts.

The Dons have also brought in Danny Ward on loan from Liverpool for this campaign and have been linked with Hibernian's Scott Allan in recent weeks, so McInnes may be active in the transfer market before this month's deadline.

Recent form: WLLDLW
Recent form (all competitions): DWDLWD

Kilmarnock

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Killie are looking to break a poor run of form, which saw them narrowly avoid a relegation playoff at the end of last season and begin this campaign with a thumping defeat.

Gary Locke was rewarded with a three-year contract in April, after initially taking charge of the club following the sacking of Allan Johnston.

However, since the ex-Hearts boss put pen to paper on that deal, Kilmarnock embarked on a rotten run, losing seven of their final eight games last season.

Only a 4-1 victory over Partick Thistle spared them a nail-biting relegation playoff, but a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Dundee last weekend means that Killie are seeking to get this campaign back on the right track.

There has also been change in the boardroom over the summer, with Jim Mann succeeding Michael Johnston as chairman of the Ayrshire outfit, but it is the new recruits on the pitch that Kilmarnock fans hope will see them avoid a fight for survival.

Former Rangers captain Lee McCulloch has moved to Rugby Park and is joined by veteran striker Kris Boyd, who is in his third spell at Killie.

Recent form: LLWLLL

Team News

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McLean is likely to return to the starting lineup for the Dons, having scored three goals this already this term, including a late equaliser against Kairat after coming on as a late replacement.

Peter Pawlett could be the player to make way for McLean, but Adam Rooney, who too came on as a second-half substitute in that game, is also in contention for a place.

Killie may turn to their youth ranks for a substitute goalkeeper after Craig Samson negotiated an early release from his contract.

Locke may turn to McCulloch in attack, having left the Scottish international on the bench against Dundee.

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Ward; Logan, Shinnie, Considine, Taylor, McGinn, Hayes, McLean, Goodwillie, Quinn, Jack

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:
MacDonald, Westlake, Connolly, Findlay, Smith, Johnston, Hamill, Robinson, Higginbotham, Boyd, McCulloch

Head To Head

Both sides have an eerily similar record. Not only has each won 30 of the 76 previous encounters, but the teams have also scored 97 goals apiece in those matches.

However, the Dons' recent record against Killie is much more favourable, having won their last seven outings against the Ayrshire outfit and they have picked up four consecutive victories against them at Pittodrie.

Kilmarnock's last win of any sort against the Dandies was at Pittodrie, when a Liam Kelly brace saw them to a 2-0 triumph in December 2012.

We say: Aberdeen 3-0 Kilmarnock

Regardless of their European exit, Aberdeen will hope to build on their opening-day win at Dundee United by beating a Killie side so roundly thumped last weekend. We've gone a comfortable 3-0 win for the Dons.

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