McInnes calls on Dons to improve on home patch

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has challenged his players to reproduce their away form at home as they bid to close the gap on Rangers in the Premiership.

The Dons matched their club record of seven consecutive away wins with a 2-0 victory at St Johnstone on Saturday. The club has managed the feat twice previously, in season 1970-71 and across two campaigns in 1936.

While delighted with his team’s consistency on the road McInnes is looking for an improvement at Pittodrie following a winless home run so far in the league in 2019.

Aberdeen have failed to win any of their three home games so far following draws with Kilmarnock and St Mirren and a loss to Rangers, and with Hamilton making the trip north tomorrow the Dons boss knows the run of league results at Pittodrie must improve.

He said: “We’ve always been a decent away team but it has not been as free-flowing or straight forward as we would like since the turn of the year at home.

“But we are a good team and what we now have to do is generate the same speed and intensity against Hamilton that we produced against St Johnstone.

“Once we scored on Saturday St Johnstone had to switch to 4-4-2 and we utilised the space well. When we don’t have that space we have to find it ourselves and that’s what we’ll be looking to do on Wednesday.

“There are 11 games to go and the importance of every win is greater now. We all recognise that.”

Scott McKenna returns to bolster the Dons depleted defence after completing his three-match ban but with Shay Logan joining Tommie Hoban on the long-term injury list the Dons have been left short on defensive cover and the Aberdeen manager will assess the free-agent market in the hope of strengthening the squad.

Derek McInnes.