Aberdeen will welcome Motherwell to Pittodrie for their Scottish Premiership encounter on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides have claimed three points from their opening two league matches but they experienced contrasting results last weekend, with the Dons beating St Mirren and the Steelmen losing out to St Johnstone.

Match preview

Aberdeen bounced back from their opening-weekend defeat at Celtic with an impressive 4-1 victory at home against St Mirren last Saturday.

Jim Goodwin got the better of his former side although their task was made easier when former Dons defender Declan Gallagher was shown two yellow cards within the first 22 minutes, reducing St Mirren to 10 men.

Aberdeen went on to dominate proceedings at Pittodrie, with a brace from summer signing Bojan Miovski followed by strikes from fellow new recruits Leighton Clarkson and Luis Lopes.

The Dons are now preparing for this weekend's encounter with Motherwell, who they have beaten only once in their last seven meetings, a 2-0 home win under former boss Derek McInnes in January last year.

Motherwell are another side who have beaten St Mirren this term, winning 1-0 away from home on the opening weekend, but they have since suffered a 2-1 defeat against St Johnstone.

The Steelmen initially thought that they had rescued a point when the ball ricocheted off the back of Graham Carey and into his own net in the 91st minute, but a dramatic 94th-minute winner from Stevie May condemned them to their first league defeat of the new campaign.

Steven Hammell – who has been confirmed as the club's new permanent manager after Graham Alexander was sacked on the eve of the new season – admits that the Motherwell squad lacks depth and 'needs surgery' before the transfer window closes.

Motherwell head into Saturday's clash at Aberdeen having won three of their last four Premiership matches at Pittodrie, keeping a clean sheet in all three victories.

Last season's joint-top scorer Kevin van Veen enjoyed his last trip to Pittodrie as he netted a brace in the Steelmen's 2-0 win over Aberdeen last season. The Dutch striker has scored a total of three league goals against the Dons, more than against any other top-flight opponent.

Team News

Aberdeen left-back Hayden Coulson, who has joined on loan from Middlesbrough this summer, was forced off in just the 12th minute last weekend following a heavy collision, and the Dons are now waiting to discover the severity of his injury.

Callum Roberts will also be assessed after Goodwin revealed that the winger has tweaked his hamstring, although he affirmed that it is not a serious issue.

After netting three goals in as many appearances since joining the club this summer, Miovski is expected to lead the line again, with support set to be provided in attack by Matty Kennedy, Vicente Besuijen and Jonny Hayes.

As for Motherwell, left-backs Nathan McGinley and Jake Carroll are both ruled out with injuries, with the latter set for several months on the sidelines.

Right-back Stephen O'Donnell is therefore set to continue on the opposite side, while Ricki Lamie could join him in the back four after serving a one-match suspension.

Josh Morris and Blair Spittal are set to continue on the flanks with Van Veen and Connor Shields expected to start together up front.

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; McCrorie, Stewart, Scales, Richardson; Clarkson, Ramadani; Kennedy, Besuijen, Hayes; Miovski

Motherwell possible starting lineup:
Kelly; McGinn, Solholm Johansen, Lamie, O'Donnell; Spittal, Maguire, Goss, Morris; Shields, Van Veen

We say: Aberdeen 2-1 Motherwell

While Aberdeen have struggled in recent encounters against Motherwell, they head into Saturday's contest off the back of a comfortable win last weekend and will be hoping to claim another three points on home soil.

Motherwell will fancy their chances of success at Pittodrie, but we can see Goodwin's new-look side edging out the Steelmen on this occasion.

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