Barry Robson is relishing the prospect of welcoming back three key players as Aberdeen bid to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat at Hearts and seal third place in the cinch Premiership.
The Dons saw their five-point advantage over the fourth-placed Jambos chopped to just two with two games remaining after goals from home forwards Josh Ginnelly and Lawrence Shankland overturned Mattie Pollock’s opener for the visitors.
Aberdeen lost 5-0 on their last visit to Tynecastle under previous boss Jim Goodwin in January and Robson took some solace from the fact this defeat – narrower in scoreline – was suffered without captain Graeme Shinnie, talismanic forward Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes and wing-back Ross McCrorie, all of whom are in line to return for Wednesday’s crucial match at home to St Mirren.
“Compared to last time down here, we’re a totally different team now,” said Robson. “The positive for me is we’ve got Shinnie, Duk and McCrorie all to come back.
“It’s not easy to come down here and play without those players. The other boys that came in did well but they’re your experience, your legs and your goals. That’s what we’ve got to look forward to on Wednesday.”
Aberdeen were 10 points behind Hearts in February and despite losing at Tynecastle on Saturday their bid to secure European group-stage football remains in their own hands.
“It’s different questions to what you were asking me three months ago,” said Robson, trying to accentuate the positives. “10 points we were behind. Now two points ahead with two games to go and three top players to come back.
“I’m alright, I’m looking forward to the game on Wednesday.”
Hearts – who have a superior goal difference to Aberdeen – need to pick up two more points than the Dons over the course of the last two games if they are to finish third.
The Jambos visit Rangers on Wednesday before hosting city rivals Hibs on the last day, while the Dons travel to champions Celtic after playing Saints in midweek.
“I think it is an interesting week now,” said Hearts boss Steven Naismith, who took over from the sacked Robbie Neilson last month.
“This win has clawed us back to much closer to Aberdeen than we were before the game.
“We go into the next week with two games again looking to cause more problems than the teams we come up against and give ourselves a chance.
“That is all we can do. From where the team was sitting (when Naismith took charge), the morale, everything, it was really tough to turn around.
“We have done a really good job of doing that, bringing in an attacking style of football which was pleasing for me.”
Hearts have not won away to Rangers for almost nine years but Naismith is confident they can deliver a strong performance at Ibrox on Wednesday.
“We can go and compete for sure, I really believe that,” he said. “Today gives me a lot of confidence in terms of how we were calm, controlled in our possession.”
Fiorentina 2-2 Napoli: Kvaratskhelia keeps visitors' slim European hopes alive
Dethroned Italian champions Napoli's hopes of playing European football next season are hanging by a thread after they played out a 2-2 draw at Fiorentina in Serie A on Friday.
Napoli took the lead in the eighth minute through defender Amir Rrahmani, who nodded home a corner by Matteo Politano.
Cristiano Biraghi levelled for Fiorentina in the 40th minute from a free-kick, before M'Bala Nzola put the hosts in front two minutes later when he fired a shot into the bottom corner of the net.
Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia responded with another stunning free-kick early in the second half to rescue a point for his team.
Eighth-placed Fiorentina, on 54 points and with a game in hand, are five points behind Lazio in seventh.
They can still earn a Europa League spot either by leapfrogging the Rome side or by winning the Europa Conference League final in which they face Greece's Olympiakos on May 29.
Ninth-placed Napoli, on 52 points, still have a slim chance of making the Europa Conference League playoffs.
Data Debrief
Fiorentina left-back Biraghi has now scored six goals from direct free-kicks since the start of 2021-22, which is behind only James Ward-Prowse (seven) - now of West Ham and formerly of Southampton - as the most across Europe's top five leagues in that period.
Kvaratskhelia also levelled via a direct free-kick, making this the first Serie A match in which both teams scored via that route since Fiorentina against Lazio in April 2018 (Jordan Veretout and Luis Alberto in that case).
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
Marc Skinner signs Manchester United Women contract extension
Marc Skinner has signed a one-year contract extension as Manchester United Women head coach with the option of a further 12 months.
The 41-year-old guided United to their first major silverware last weekend with victory over Tottenham in the Women's FA Cup final.
United are fifth in the Women's Super League with one game to go - a massive drop on last term's runners-up finish - but Skinner will stay on.
"It's an honour to extend my stay at Manchester United," Skinner, who was appointed in 2021, told United's official website after the news was confirmed on Friday.
"I've always felt at home here, with our excellent players, staff, and fans.
"Being able to secure the team's first major trophy at Wembley was a real career highlight for me and another sign of our continued growth, on and off the field."
United conclude their campaign on Saturday against Chelsea, who lead Manchester City on goal difference entering the final day.
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