Aberdeen

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen goalkeeper Dimitir Mitov, 27, is an injury concern before Wednesday's home Scottish Premiership meeting with leaders Celtic after coming off at half-time against Hearts on Sunday. (Sun), external

Kevin Bain has left Aberdeen to become Rangers' new head physio. (Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

Hearts ended their run of four defeats with a hard-fought draw against Aberdeen at Tynecastle, but it was not enough to lift them off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Aberdeen's title bid continues to falter as a third match without victory leaves them four points behind Celtic having a played a game more.

What did you think of that one, Aberdeen fans? What went right and what went wrong?

Let us know your thoughts., external

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin told BBC Scotland: "You can see the players have the fight for each other. They're really trying. I liked their approach, that they run so much. They keep running.

"Ross did really well when he came on, it was Angus [MacDonald]'s first start, etc. There were loads of good things there.

"We also need to find the rhythm again, the dynamic of the team. We have the quality, we just need to find the rhythm of the game again.

"Sometimes when the dynamic is there, you lose the ball and the opponents get the momentum too easily. That's the part we have to improve, because we have done it.

"We've taken points away from Hibernian and Hearts this week, that's a tough week. We want to get to Pittodrie and try again.

"We'll see tomorrow. He couldn't keep playing. Ross did well, he was confident like he'd been playing all season. I'm happy he was so ready."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

The two meetings of these sides this season have been real battles and for much of this game, it looked like Aberdeen would again come out on top.

However, for all of Shayden Morris' running, they didn't cause too many problems in the second half when they should have had Hearts on the ropes.

Perhaps that was due to the six changes to the side, a result of Jimmy Thelin trying to keep the team fresh during this busy period.

The back four had never played together before and might never again, but at least Thelin learned more about his under-utilised players.

Aberdeen's nascent title tilt takes another hit and their eyes will be more fixed on the teams below them, rather than leaders Celtic.

And still no win at Tynecastle since 2017. The hoodoo continues.

Image source, SNS

Nicky Devlin. A real captain's performance from the stand-in skipper.

Unlucky for the Hearts goal, he then saved one with a point-winning block to deny Jorge Grant - similar to the way he denied Cristiano Ronaldo on his Scotland debut.

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, SNS

Shayden 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, SNS

Midfielder 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, SNS

Aberdeen 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.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen 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, SNS

• None 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.