Celtic have the highest average attendance in the Scottish Premiership this season so far with 59,022, with Rangers next on 47,878, followed by Heart of Midlothian on 18,527 and Aberdeen on 18,194. (Football Scotland), external
Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSShayden Morris is "proud" of his Aberdeen revival and is targeting a starting spot after his recent exploits off the bench.
Morris, 23, scored no goals last season in a bit-part role, but has impressed this term under manager Jimmy Thelin.
The former Fleetwood Town player has two goals and seven assists, featuring mainly as a substitute in the Dons' excellent start to the Premiership season.
"I'm really proud of myself what I've done to get back playing and contributing to the team," Morris said. "I feel like I'm having a big impact at the moment.
"I'm enjoying the moment, but staying level-headed and taking it game by game. Every game I go into, I'm ready to do what I know I can do whether it's from the beginning or me coming on.
"I know I've been called a super-sub; I kind of just want to be a super player. If it's being a substitute and helping the team, I don't mind it, but of course I want to be a starter."
Image source, SNSMidfielder Calem Nieuwenhof is still missing for Hearts with a hamstring issue.
Meanwhile, striker Pape Habib Gueye (quad) is Aberdeen's only absentee.
George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSAberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin says he is relishing the "challenge" of three successive away games instead of treating it as a "negative".
The Dons travel to Tynecastle on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership, having lost at St Mirren on Saturday and drawn at Hibs on Tuesday.
Thelin also says the testing run of fixtures has allowed him to better understand his squad and which players can cope best with multiple games in a week.
“I try to always stay positive and take it as a challenge," Thelin said.
"How can we best prepare and be ready? Don't think about the negative things. You can't change that it is three away games.
"We always have to think about what we can do. Every week we understand which players have more capacity to play three games in a week, and that can also shift during the season. That's why you need to go day by day and game by game."
Despite Hearts' struggles this season, which continued on Thursday with a Conference League loss against Cercle Brugge, Thelin is not taking anything for granted in the capital.
"They have a good squad, and made early changes in [Thursday's] game so I expect they will be ready," the Swedish manager said.
"They have good players, a new coach with new ideas. I don't think any game in this league is easy. We have to try to keep balance in our games and take the challenge."
Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland
The initial bounce Hearts enjoyed after the appointment of Neil Critchley has somewhat worn off.
Three wins and only one loss in his opening five games in charge have been followed by four straight defeats and only goal difference keeps the Englishman's side above city rivals Hibernian at the bottom of the league.
But Critchley will be pointing out to his players that two of those reverses have come in the Conference League and the others against the Old Firm.
Again, there was some promise in Thursday's performance against Cercle Brugge, with the Belgians capitalising on Lawrence Shankland's sudden loss of confidence by going on to win 2-0 after the Scotland striker fluffed his chance to equalise from the penalty spot.
Hearts and their captain have no time to feel sorry for themselves as second-top Aberdeen arrive intent on inflicting a fourth consecutive home defeat on the Edinburgh side.
The Dons themselves have suffered their first blips since the summer arrival of Jimmy Thelin from Elfsborg.
Having won 12 or their first 13 games under the Swede, they have now only recorded one victory in four - and have gone four trips away from Pittodrie without a win after Hibs' late equaliser in Tuesday's six-goal thriller at Easter Road.
Shankland will be hoping the Dons defence proves similarly porous on Sunday as the 29-year-old, who found the net 33 times last season, looks to end an 11-game barren spell since his only goal this season.
Hearts may need it if they are to inflict Aberdeen's sixth successive defeat at Tynecastle - or at least extend their 12-game unbeaten run there against the Dons since a 2-1 loss in May 2017.
George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSAberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership trip to face Hearts on Sunday.
Here are the best bits from his press conference:
Says the Dons must quickly move on from "emotional rollercoaster" of Tuesday's 3-3 draw against Hibs. He says a draw was probably a fair result, but the fact Aberdeen took the lead so late meant conceding again in injury time was hard to take.
When asked how he will manage his squad amid a packed fixture schedule, Thelin hinted at rotation, saying: "The players who are ready, fresh and can give 100% against Hearts are the players who will play."
Despite Hearts' European loss at Cercle Brugge on Thursday and their domestic struggles, Thelin expects a "challenge" from Neil Critchley's side, stressing they have "good players".
Thelin says he doesn't think about "negative things" before their third away match in the space of eight days, and stressed the need to only concentrate on the next game.
On Aberdeen's poor record at Tynecastle, Thelin says: "I like the challenge. What happened in the past happened in the past."
Pape Gueye remains the only player not available through injury.
Image source, SNSNone of the last 21 Scottish Premiership meetings between Hearts and Aberdeen have been won by the away side (17 home wins, 4 draws), with each of the last 10 in a row being home wins (5 Hearts, 5 Aberdeen).
After their 3-2 win in October, Aberdeen could earn back-to-back league victories over Hearts for the first time since August 2019. However, the Dons are winless in 11 league visits to Hearts (D3 L8) since a 2-1 triumph in May 2017 under Derek McInnes.
Hearts have lost their last two home league games, last losing three in a row on home soil in the Scottish Premiership in December 2019 under Daniel Stendel.
After winning 10 of their first 11 league games this season (D1), Aberdeen have since failed to win their last two (D1 L1). Indeed, the Dons are now without a win in their last three away league outings (D2 L1).
Only Nicolas Kühn (11) has more goal involvements in the Scottish Premiership this season than Jamie McGrath (10 - 4 goals, 6 assists), who has scored in both of Aberdeen’s last two league games.
Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator
It's been a challenging return to domestic duty for Aberdeen with five points dropped in the two games played since and it is about to get tougher.
The Dons' have been left to lament poor first half performances and late drama as St Mirren inflicted a first league defeat on Jimmy Thelin before 2-1 and 3-2 leads were tossed away in stoppage time as Hibernian claimed a point at Easter Road.
Aberdeen's slow starts are not new and neither are late concessions albeit the latter was an issue before Thelin took the reins however if his team is to build on their magnificent start to the league campaign he will have to get to the bottom of it.
The Dons have scored 20 goals in the second half of matches compared to eight in the opening 45 minutes and quite why they are making such sluggish starts is something that will have left Thelin scratching his head with a trip to Tynecastle and a visit from Celtic in their next two games.
The late calamity in Leith also highlighted defensive frailties which they had been getting away with before these two games. They have only kept one Premiership clean sheet since the 1-0 win at Ross County at the end of August with their defensive record now poorer than Rangers and Dundee Utd’s.
The Hibs' goals from Nicky Cadden and Rocky Bushiri reminded Dons' fans of recent season capitulations against County, Rangers and St Mirren and it tainted Ester Sokler's glorious strike which looked to have won the game.
They now have their two least favourite fixtures ahead of them. A return to Edinburgh to face Hearts on Sunday, where they haven’t won in 12 visits since 2017, before the champions go to Pittodrie on Wednesday having not lost to the Dons in the last 27 meetings.
However, 32 points from their first 13 games remains an outstanding return as Thelin tries to get things back on track in Gorgie.
Dons fans, we asked for your views after Tuesday night's 3-3 draw with Hibs.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Eric: We really need to shore up the defence. To score with two minutes to go and then lose a goal is criminal. We need a strong midfield to protect the defence, but the defence have to start to do their job, and that's not happening. Roll on the January transfer window. Super subs can't save us every game.
Mark: It's interesting to see our season develop. The unbeaten run wasn't a true reflection of where we are in the Jimmy Thelin project however it's been good to get so many points on the board and have a little bit of space between us and teams below us. The run of games through December and January and the results we get will decide our season.
Justin: As the manager said there were positives but if we can't hold on for one minute to secure three points instead of one, that will lose us second place. That being said I'd have ripped your arm off if I was offered this points tally at the start of the season. I'd expect more after Thelin has longer in the job.
John: Even though we have hit a slight glitch since the Celtic game the football we are playing is a joy to watch. Once we sort out our problems at the back, which were obvious against Hibs, we will stop dropping silly points and I fully trust Jimmy to sort this out during the transfer window. Great manager and an exceptional group of players.
Eilidh: Defence, particularly Gavin Molloy, have been making mistakes for a while now but the winning run has overshadowed it. Embarrassing from the whole team to switch off after we go 3-2 up. Feel for Ester Sokler as a goal that good deserves three points. The defence needs a serious look at.
Kieran: We should never be conceding two goals in injury time, it's a must to get a defender in January. Getting bored of hearing Thelin not giving much in his interviews, I want to hear his thoughts, even once.
Image source, SNSAberdeen have scored in 13 of their 13 games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.
Hibernian have scored in each of their last 4 games in the Premiership, scoring 6 goals in that run.
Hibernian have scored 3 goals in a game for the first time since 15th May 2024 against Motherwell (W3-0).
Hibernian have lost 16 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.
Hibernian have scored in their last 4 games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 12 games from 7th February 2024 to 4th May 2024.
Hibernian have failed to win in their last 9 games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 11th August 2019 to 30th October 2019, a run of 10 games.
Aberdeen have scored in each of their last 18 games in the Premiership, scoring 41 goals in that run.
Aberdeen have won 5 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Dundee (9) and Kilmarnock (9) have recovered more.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin believes the emotions following Ester Sokler's wonder goal cost the Dons victory at Hibernian. (Press & Journal)
Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.
Rocky Bushiri's first goal for Hibernian rescued a point against Aberdeen in a pulsating Scottish Premiership contest which had three goals scored in second-half added time.
Joe Newell's twice-deflected shot flew past a helpless Dimitar Mitov in the Aberdeen goal to give Hibernian a deserved half-time lead, but for the fifth time this season, they dropped points after going in front.
The visitors drew level through Jamie McGrath's fifth goal of the season before home goalkeeper Jordan Smith failed to deal with an Aberdeen corner and allowed Nicky Devlin to loft home a tidy finish, which looked to be the winning goal until a scarcely believable closing period.
Nicky Cadden whipped a magnificent free-kick into the top corner to draw Hibernian level, but that was only the beginning of the chaos.
Ester Sokler slammed home a brilliant overhead kick to put Jimmy Thelin's side in front again after great work down the right from Shayden Morris - who was superb off the bench - and looked to have taken Aberdeen level with Celtic at the top of the table.
However, Bushiri scrambled home from close range just over a minute later to spark wild scenes and relieve some of the pressure on home head coach David Gray.
Aberdeen fans, were you at Easter Road or following along from home? Either way, we want your thoughts on the game. Have your say., external
Image source, SNSShayden Morris' introduction off the bench sparked Aberdeen into life in the second half.
The winger played a central role in two of the visitors' goals and his pace caused all kinds of problems down the right flank.
George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSAberdeen will leave the capital stunned at how they did not win the game.
They looked slightly lethargic in the first half, off the back of their first league defeat this season against St Mirren.
Kevin Nisbet was off the pace up front and was hooked at half-time for Leighton Clarkson, but it was the introduction of Shayden Morris that sparked the Dons into life.
Jimmy Thelin has a happy knack of impacting games through substitutions, and Jamie McGrath's goal came immediately after the Swede brought Morris off the bench, with the winger central to the goal with good play down the right.
Nicky Devlin then continued his top season, capitalising on Smith's blunder with a calm finish.
The momentum swung back towards Hibs, but when Ester Sokler unleashed one of the goals of the season in the 95th minute - after more great play from Morris - the points looked certain to be heading north.
However, the celebrations in the away end were cut short by one final twist in the tale and Aberdeen will have to pick themselves up for another trip to Edinburgh this Sunday against Hearts.
Image source, SNSAberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin tells BBC Sportsound: "It was a rollercoaster, an emotional game. There were a lot of chances for both teams, not really controlled.
"The good thing was the team spirit and the players bringing quality to the pitch in the second half. They made a huge impact.
"We came back from one down in an away game and even if we struggled at some times we still find a way to almost succeed.
"The feeling we had after the game... We made collective mistakes and we need to mature.
"That's football. We have to learn and move on. We're on a journey."
Image source, SNSHibernian: Smith, Miller, O'Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, Triantis, Newell, N Cadden, Youan, Hoilett, Kuharevich.
Substitutes: Bursik, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Boyle, C Cadden, Kwon, Campbell, Gayle, Molotnikov.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Devlin, Rubezic, Molloy, MacKenzie, Shinnie, Heltne Nilsen, McGrath, Keskinen, Duk, Nisbet.
Substitutes: Doohan, Clarkson, McGarry, Besuijen, Palaversa, Sokler, Morris, Milne, Ambrose.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSAberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin is keen for his side to come tearing out of the blocks at Easter Road tonight after saying the Dons' sluggish start at St Mirren on Saturday was "not the way we want to act".
The second-place Dons found themselves a goal down after 19 minutes in Paisley, eventually losing 2-1 to end their unbeaten league start and leave them three points behind Celtic.
"We had a good chat with the staff and the players, we always do things together when we want to talk about some parts," said manager Thelin.
"For us it was the thing we were not happy with. The result is always the result but it is important to have a good performance and the first 20, 25 minutes of the game we were not happy with that, how we performed, how we acted as a team, the identity we want to show, so that is the thing we put the focus on."
Thelin does not believe the defeat will derail the positive journey his side have been on as they look to bounce back against a Hibs side who are bottom of the table.
"A season is long, you know you are going to win some games and sometimes you are going to lose and draw," he added.
"We are not alone in the league, there are a lot of good teams. So I don't think there is going to be any impact at all from our behaviour or our belief because it is still a long-term process, nothing has changed in that.
"We still have things to do, we have to be more stable in some parts of the game, for example how we start. That is the first part of our journey, to be more consistent and accountable in these situations and then we can add things to our game model and identity."
The money needed for Aberdeen's proposed move to a new ground has risen from £50m to £80m. (Sun), external
Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie believes it's "madness" to "talk about title challenges in October and November". (Record), external
Jimmy Thelin is not allowing himself to be fooled by Hibernian's early season struggles before his Aberdeen side's Tuesday trip to Easter Road. (Press and Journal - subscription), external
Graeme Shinnie insists Aberdeen need to "be wary" of Hibs despite their poor start to the season.
