Two Scottish Premiership teams seeking to bounce back from opening-day defeats will lock horns on Saturday as Aberdeen play host to St Mirren at Pittodrie.
The Dons were defeated away against reigning champions Celtic, while the Buddies lost on home soil to St Johnstone.
Match preview
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Prior to their Premiership opener with Celtic, Aberdeen cruised through to the knockout rounds of the Scottish League Cup after winning all four of their group matches without conceding a goal.
The Dons beat Peterhead, Dumbarton, Stirling Albion and Raith Rovers, scoring 12 goals in the process, and finished top of their group with maximum points.
However, Jim Goodwin's men were unable to continue their winning streak at Celtic Park as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Hoops last weekend, with goals either side of half time from Stephen Welsh and Jota.
Aberdeen endured a disappointing 2021-22 campaign as they finished 10th in the Premiership, their lowest top-flight position for 18 years.
Goodwin is now tasked with steering the Dons towards a top-three finish this term and he will be hoping to begin the new season with victory on home soil against his former club St Mirren.
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While Aberdeen have been faultless in the League Cup, St Mirren won two and lost two of their four group games and have subsequently failed to progress to the knockout rounds.
The Buddies were then beaten 1-0 at home to Motherwell in their opening Premiership clash last weekend.
Kevin van Veen broke the deadlock from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time, and although Ricki Lamie was sent off in the final 10 minutes, St Mirren were unable to find an equaliser.
Stephen Robinson, who replaced Goodwin in the St Mirren hotseat in February, has only won five of his 18 competitive matches in charge and will be hoping for better success in the coming weeks, which will see them avoid facing either Celtic or Rangers until September.
St Mirren head into Saturday's encounter with a woeful away record against Aberdeen as they have failed to win any of their last 17 visits to Pittodrie across all competitions.
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Team News
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Aberdeen boss Goodwin has overseen a busy transfer window this summer, with 10 new players arriving and 11 players heading for the exit door.
Bojan Miovski, Ylber Ramadani, Hayden Coulson, Anthony Stewart, Jayden Richardson and Kelle Roos all started their first league game for the Dons last weekend and are expected to feature again on Saturday.
Liam Scales, however, was unable to face his parent cub last weekend, but the centre-back could be in line to replace Ross McCrorie, who could move into midfield at the expense of Dante Polvara.
USA international Christian Ramirez – who scored 15 goals last season as well as three in four League Cup games this term – was an unused substitute against Celtic and will now be hoping to force his way back into the first XI.
As for St Mirren, Robinson has added seven fresh faces to his squad so far this summer, including Declan Gallagher from Aberdeen, and the centre-back is in line to play against his former club this weekend.
The 31-year-old is set to start in a back three alongside Joe Shaughnessy and Charles Dunne, while Ryan Strain and Scott Tanser are expected to continue as wing-backs.
Eamonn Brophy and Curtis Main both began on the bench last time out and will be hoping to replace Jonah Ayunga and Alex Greive in attack on Saturday.
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; Richardson, Stewart, Scales, Coulson; McCrorie, Ramadani; Kennedy, Besuijen, Hayes; Miovski
St Mirren possible starting lineup:
Carson; Gallagher, Shaughnessy, Dunne; Strain, Baccus, Erhahon, O'Hara, Tanser; Brophy, Greive
We say: Aberdeen 2-1 St Mirren
Both teams will be looking to return to winning ways on Saturday after suffering defeat last time out, and they will view this fixture as a good opportunity to claim maximum points.
Aberdeen were unable to test Celtic last weekend, but we feel that their new-look side has enough quality to come out on top at Pittodrie, which would see St Mirren's unwanted away run against the Dons continue.
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Top tip
Oliver Thomas
