Aberdeen welcome Championship outfit Partick Thistle to Pittodrie for their Scottish League Cup encounter on Wednesday night.

The Dons have won six of their last seven games on home soil, while the Jags have lost three of their last five matches on the road.

Match preview

After suffering a heavy 4-0 Premiership defeat away at Dundee United, Aberdeen bounced back with a 2-0 home victory against Hearts last weekend.

The game was goalless until the 74th minute when Luis Lopes broke the deadlock, before substitute Vicente Besuijen sealed all three points for the Dons five minutes later.

Jim Goodwin's men, who have climbed up to fourth in the Premiership table, now turn their attention to the League Cup, a competition that they have not won since the 2013-14 campaign.

Aberdeen enjoyed a perfect group-stage campaign at the beginning of this season, winning their four Group A fixtures by an aggregate score of 12-0, before avoiding a cup upset in the second round against League Two side Annan Athletic with a 4-1 extra-time win at the end of August.

Goodwin and co will be favourites to progress to the semi-finals on Wednesday, but they cannot take Championship leaders Partick Thistle lightly, as the Dons were eliminated at this stage of last season's competition to second-tier side Annan Athletic, losing 2-1 away from home.

Indeed, Partick have made a strong start to the season, winning 11 and drawing two of their 15 games across all competitions.

The Jags bounced back from a narrow 1-0 away loss to Inverness Caledonian Thistle with a 2-1 victory on the road against Hamilton Academical last weekend, with substitute Scott Tiffoney netting the decisive goal in the 65th minute.

Like Aberdeen, Ian McCall's side won all four of their League Cup group-stage fixtures, before scraping past Arbroath in the second round courtesy of a 1-0 home win at the end of August.

Partick's only triumph in the League Cup came back in 1971-72 when they beat Scottish giants Celtic 4-1 in the final, but they have failed to reach the showpiece event since.

The Jags head into Wednesday's contest having failed to win any of their last 14 meetings with Aberdeen, while their last victory at Pittodrie was back in February 2003 when they won 1-0 in the Premiership.

Team News

Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes sustained a minor calf strain last weekend and he is set to miss Wednesday's cup tie, while left-back Hayden Coulson is expected to return to first-team action next week.

Goodwin could stick with the 3-5-2 formation which was used against Hearts, with Jayden Richardson and Jack McKenzie operating as wing-backs.

The likes of Joe Lewis, Marley Watkins and Christian Ramirez will all be pushing to start after beginning on the bench last weekend.

As for Partick Thistle, goalkeeper David Mitchell missed the win at Hamilton through illness but he could return for the trip to Pittodrie.

Aaron Muirhead and Kevin Holt are set to continue at centre-back, while Brian Graham – who has scored seven goals in 15 games so far this season – is expected to lead the line in attack.

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; McCrorie, Stewart, Scales; Richardson, Barron, Ramadani, Clarkson, McKenzie; Watkins, Ramirez

Partick Thistle possible starting lineup:
Mitchell; McMillan, Muirhead, Holt, Milne; Docherty, Bannigan; Lawless, Fitzpatrick, McKinnon; Graham

We say: Aberdeen 2-0 Partick Thistle

Partick Thistle will fancy their chances of causing an upset against Premiership opposition, but Aberdeen should have enough quality in their side to come out on top and progress to the semi-finals, even if Goodwin decides to rotate his side.

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