Break comes at right time for injury-hit Aberdeen

Aberdeen boss Derek Mcinnesexpectstohavehis bruisedandbatteredsquad boosted by the return of several players by the time they face Hearts after the international break.

Mcinnes was missing eight players through injury in Saturday’s 4-1 win over St Mirren, with Scott Mckenna also unavailable after starting a two-match suspension.

They shrugged off that handicap with goals by Sam Cosgrove (2), Connor Mclennan and Max Lowe helping them to a comfortable win. Simeon Jackson grabbed a consolation goal for St Mirren.

Mcinnes, pictured, believes at least three of those players will be fit for the trip to Tynecastle in a fortnight’s time.

He said: “At this moment in time it’s Aberdeen’s turn to deal with a lot of injuries, and we’ve certainly not had decisions going for us in terms of suspensions.”

Of the missing players, he said: “James Wilson will be fine, he was touch and go today. Stevie May will be fine. We’ve pulled Niall Mcginn out of the Northern Ireland squad and he’ll be a doubt for Hearts, but Scott Wright will be back.”

Mclennan scored on his first home start but was added to the injury list after dislocating a shoulder, and Mcinnes added: “We need to get his shoulder X-rayed.”

St Mirren debutant Adam Hammill also went off with a dislocated shoulder, and Buddies boss Oran Kearney fears the worst for the player signed in midweek on a short-term deal.

“He’s not good at this point in time,” he said. “We’ll be sending him for an X-ray on his shoulder but it’s not looking too hot.

“We’ve signed him until Christmas. He was straight in and maybe getting to the point in the game where you hope someone like him could get on the ball and do a bit of damage.”