Aberdeen will be aiming to continue their perfect start to the 2024-25 Scottish Premiership season when they travel to the Global Energy Stadium on Saturday to take on Ross County, who are yet to win in the league.
The hosts currently sit ninth in the league with two points from three games, while the visitors are in second having taken maximum points from the first three matchdays.
Match preview
Other than an anomalous sixth-placed finish in 2021-222, Ross County have consistently battled against relegation from the Scottish Premiership since being promoted into the division as champions of the Scottish Championship in 2018-19.
They placed 10th in 2019-20 and 2020-21 and 11th in 2022-23, narrowly beating Partick Thistle 5-4 on penalties after a 3-3 draw in the relegation-promotion playoff final, before placing 11th again in 2023-24, comfortably defeating Raith Rovers 6-1 on aggregate in the playoff final to save their place in the top flight.
Don Cowie, who took the managerial job on an interim basis in February 2024 before being appointed permanently in May 2024, will be aiming to avoid competing in the relegation playoff for the third consecutive time this season, but his team have had a far from ideal start to the campaign.
They did manage to win all four of their Scottish League Cup matches, but have failed to be victorious in any of the following four matches across all competitions, recording two draws and two losses.
Ross County's most recent outing was a dismal 6-0 defeat to Rangers, leaving them low on confidence heading into a game against an Aberdeen side that have won all three league games this term.
The Dons had an underwhelming 2023-24, dropping from a third-placed finish in 2022-23 to placing ninth in the pre-split table and sixth in the post-split standings.
Following a disappointing pre-split campaign, Aberdeen rebounded in their post-split fixtures, winning four and drawing one, and have carried that improved form into the new season.
Jimmy Thelin took over as manager ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, and he has had the perfect start to life in Scotland, winning all of his first eight competitive matches in charge.
Aberdeen remain as one of only two teams to have won all three of their Scottish Premiership fixtures, alongside Celtic, and they will be hopeful of extending that streak with another victory on Saturday.
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Team News
Max Sheaf and Ricki Lamie are anticipated to be the only two absentees for the hosts from Saturday's outing as the pair continue their recovery from their respective injuries.
Following a dreadful performance in their 6-0 loss to Rangers last time out, Cowie is likely to make a number of changes to the starting lineup to face Aberdeen.
Jordan White has scored four times for the hosts this season, all in the Scottish League Cup, and he could partner Ronan Hale, who also has four across all competitions, in attack.
The visitors are expected to be without Dante Polvara until November due to a hamstring injury, while Leighton Clarkson is also unavailable due to a dislocated shoulder.
Despite losing last season's top scorer, Bojan Miovski, Aberdeen have been excellent in front of goal this season, with Pape Habib Gueye scoring three league goals in three games, and he is likely to start in attack behind Peter Ambrose here.
Ross County possible starting lineup:
Laidlaw; Efete, Nightingale, Leak, Reid; Brown, Randall, Loturi, Denholm; White, Hale
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Mitov; Devlin, Rubezic, Molloy, Mackenzie; Shinnie, Nilsen; Keskinen, Gueye, McGrath; Ambrose
We say: Ross County 0-3 Aberdeen
Ross County have lost each of their last two matches and have scored just once in the last four, while Aberdeen are yet to drop points in the league and have won all of their last eight across all competitions, suggesting a comfortable win for the visitors.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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