Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes hopes for a respite from his injury crisis after tiredness contributed to his side’s 2-0 defeat to St Johnstone.
With a run of nine games in December, McInnes has been forced to name the same back four in the three games so far this month, as Tommie Hoban, Mark Reynolds and Mikey Devlin have all been out injured.
McInnes also has worries in more attacking arrears and after goals from Joe Shaughnessy and Blair Alston sank the Dons, McInnes said: “We were mindful of the third game in six days hence we freshened the team up.
“Sam Cosgrove was suspended and we rested Niall McGinn, but we’ve no options at the back.
“The players will have a day off now, they’ll be rested down and we’ll look after them again on Monday. It’s clear that some need it. They’re normally far better than what they showed today and they’ve got to be fresh as possible.
“Hopefully we’ll have one or two back, certainly we’ll have Cosgrove back and maybe one or two others for Tuesday night.”
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright, meanwhile, is looking for his side to maintain their excellent run of form as they push for what he sees as the only slot in the top six up for grabs.
“For once I agree with the pundits,” he said. “The teams above us keep winning as well and in another year we’d be higher.
“It’s nice to be on the coat-tails, with a game in hand on Hearts. Twenty-eight points is an excellent return from the games we’ve had and 20 from the last 24 is an incredible return.
“The players have been magnificent and they deserve to be where they are in the league. They’re still growing as a group but they have that togetherness in the group, in the squad.
“If we could get top six this year it would be an incredible achievement.”
