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6mins

Aberdeen 0-0 Hamilton Academical

It's Aberdeen's turn to take control and, after a couple of shots are blocked on the edge of the penalty box, Lee Hodson and home winger Jonny Hayes are left sporting head knocks as the left-back heads clear at the back post.

Both look a bit groggy but manage to play on following the application of a cold sponge or whatever they use these days.

Willie Miller
Former Scotland defender on BBC Sportsound

It's been a good start from Hamilton and the visitors, who have monopolised possession, have the first effort on goal.

However, David Mayo's drive is well wide. A bit ambitious with that one!

We're off. Are Aberdeen heading for third place or will Hamilton lift themselves off the bottom of the table?

On the return of striker Sam Cosgrove, Derek McInnes says: "We've got an understanding that he's still a good bit short. Having Sam there, even if it's just for the later stages in the game, is a huge lift for him and us."

"We've got a high regard for Hamilton. Everything they are they epitomise hard work. They are always capable of a result. We've just got to make sure it's not against us."

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has been explaining that midfielder Ross McCrorie has dropped to the bench after taking a couple of knocks and "playing a lot of football recently."

Image source, SNS

Head coach Brian Rice reveals that influential winger David Templeton, who went off injured on Saturday, will be missing for a couple of month.

Rice also reveals that Brian Easton "is miles away" from being fit despite being on the bench for the first time this season. He says the captain, who is battling back from injury, is there for morale purposes only.

Hamilton head coach Brian Rice tells Sportsound: "We just need to try and shore things up and keep a clean sheet.

"We got out of it the last sevens seasons, it's nothing new to us. I know I'll get effort, commitment and the boys will give everything they got. We always have our backs against the wall. Look at the stadium, look at their squad.

"No excuses, let's get on the game."

A sight for any sore Aberdeen eyes.

Striker Sam Cosgrove is on the bench and could make his first appearance since February following injury.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen commercial director Rob Wicks tells Sportsound: "I understand Arsene Wenger had a large group of people he was talking to at the London Palladium just a couple of days ago, you can go and watch a Premier League match at the cinema, perhaps it's the popcorn that keep the virus at bay? To me, there are too many discrepancies We are talking about a highly regulated highly controlled environment. We've got enormous amounts of real estate.

“As soon as we start getting fans back in, we're not expecting any additional income this is simply delivering on ticketing that we've already sold to date.

"This goes well beyond Aberdeen. This is about mental wellbeing of fans, our community trust that take load off of government. It's much more than just getting season ticket holders back into the ground.”

We'll give you the thoughts of Aberdeen commercial director Rob Wicks in a moment.

He is arguing that a limited number of football fans should be allowed back in stadiums considering he has arrived back in Scotland on a packed aircraft - and shopping centres are busy again.

The Scottish government has replied that it is mindful of the difficulties presented to football finances but that fans would be allowed back when it was considered safe to do so.

What do you think? Thumbs up if you think fans should be back, thumbs down if you think it is too soon.

Hamilton captain Brian Easton has not played yet this season but makes the bench tonight.

Scott McMann skippers Brian Rice's side in Easton's absence.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen have won three games in a row against Hamilton since a 2-0 defeat at Pittodrie in February 2019.

Indeed, that was Accies' only win in their last 10 head-to-head meetings, losing eight of them.

Image source, SNS

While Aberdeen have gone three games without defeat, Accies have suffered a trio of defeats. The visitors have only won one in their last six outings, losing four of them.

One chink of light for Accies is the fact that Aberdeen have only kept one clean sheet in their last 11 home league matches.

Image source, SNS

If Accies are going to win, they will have to breach a defence that features Scotland's new defensive hero, at the age of 33, Andrew Considine.

A one-club man who has often lived in the shadow of more heralded team mates, most recently Nottingham Forest summer signing Scott McKenna, was a surprise call-up by national head coach Steve Clarke after a series of call-offs.

After becoming Scotland's oldest debutant in 53 years in a win over Slovakia, then Czech Republic, he has now been part of three consecutive clean sheets for club and country.

Image source, SNS

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Pittodrie Stadium

Aberdeen and Hamilton have experienced hugely contrasting fortunes so far this season, but this Pittodrie encounter affords each side an opportunity to make some upward Premiership progress.

If the Dons win, they leapfrog Hibs into third spot and their bid to do so up backed up by some decent form – they have lost just one of their last eight league games and did everything but find the net in Saturday's goalless draw away to Dundee United.

Accies head north propping up the table and looking to halt a worrying run of results. They have managed just one win from their last six Premiership games and, in their last four matches in all competitions, they have shipped an alarming 12 goals.

But, if Brian Rice’s side can rip up the form book and get at least a draw in the Granite City, it would lift them above St Mirren at the foot of the table.

A major boost for Aberdeen is the return Sam Cosgrove, the striker who has been sidelined by injury since February, starting on the bench along with left-back Greg Leigh, who is making his first appearance after making his first appearance since making his loan spell from Breda permanent, and winger Matty Kennedy.

As for the starting line-up midfielder Dylan McGeouch and forward Ryan Edmondson come in for Connor McLennan and Ross McCrorie, the latter perhaps the bigger surprise to be dropped to the bench given the form that led to a Scotland call-up.

Image source, SNS

James McFadden
Former Scotland forward on BBC Radio Scotland

Hamilton are forced to reorganise again after the shock of a 5-3 defeat at home to St Johnstone and Will Collar and Ronan Hughes, who scored twice as a substitute on Saturday, come into midfield.

That's after influential winger David Templeton went off with a groin injury in that game and Kyle Munro suffered a suspected broken wrist.

One boost for Accies head coach Brian Rice is return of Brian Easton from injury and the experienced full-back is on the bench.

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen: Lewis, Hoban, Taylor, Considine, Hedges, Ferguson, McGeouch, Hayes, Wright, Edmondson, Watkins.

Substitutes: Woods, Logan, Ojo, McGinn, McLennan, Cosgrove, Leigh, McCrorie, Kennedy.

Hamilton Academical: Fulton, Hodson, Odoffin, Want, McMann, Martin, Collar, Hughes, Callachan, Moyo, Ogkmpoe.

Substitutes: Gourlay, Stirling, Easton, Trafford, Stanger, Mimnaugh, C Smith, Owolabi, Johnson.