Aberdeen

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Midfielder Adil Aouchiche is "100%" confident Aberdeen can progress to the Conference League knockout stages and prolong a European campaign that has seen them "learn a lot".

The Dons, who host Armenian league and cup winners FC Noah on Thursday, have just one point from three games and need wins to have any chance of extending their continental involvement beyond Christmas.

"It is a really important game," Aouchiche, 23, said.

"It is definitely really important for us to win this game to give us a chance to go through in this competition. We have to win also for the fans, for all the people here.

"I am still confident. Of course we have only got one point so this is not the best position, but if we win this game we give a lot of chance and a lot of dreams to go through and go as high as possible."

Aberdeen are taking decent form into the game, having lost just one of their past six league matches.

They have also shown the ability to bounce back in Europe, responding to a 6-0 drubbing at AEK Athens by securing an impressive 0-0 draw against AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

Aouchiche, who is on a season-long loan from Sunderland, said: "We had a good game in Larnaca, it was a good compact block, so we feel as a player in this system more secure.

"Now it is just a question of scoring goals and maybe creating more chances.

"We learn a lot. Including myself, I think we have had some good experiences in this cup so far.

"It wasn't easy to lose against AEK Athens but it is good to learn about the bad things you did, so straight after against Larnaca we had a good game and the team spirit was good."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been speaking to the media before Thursday night's Conference game with Noah at Pittodrie.

Here are the key lines:

• With just one point from three games, he admits "we have to win to give us an opportunity to go through".

• While Armenian league and cup winners Noah may not be a household name, Thelin warns: "The football world is big, there are a lot of good teams out there."

• He predicts a "tight game" against a side that have talented players and a good "rhythm".

• After a poor start to the season, the Dons are mounting a Premiership recovery with four wins in six and Thelin says "the team is growing".

• He added the squad "has been so stable in a difficult time" and are "also getting some results because of the hard work we are doing and not losing sight of our goals for this club and the team".

• Sweden winger Jesper Karlsson returns to the squad after missing the weekend win over Hearts because of a family matter. Defender Kristers Tobers remains sidelined long term with a knee injury.

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Aberdeen ground out an excellent victory over Hearts on Sunday to continue their ascent up the Premiership.

It still feels like small steps but Jimmy Thelin has now moved beyond base camp as they climb the mountain they gave themselves with their worst start to a Premiership season since the dark days of Mark McGhee's final months.

Hearts hadn't lost a league game since being beaten at home by Dundee in April, a match that cost Neil Critchley the manager's job.

Alongside that the Dons' victory perpetuated this incredible away record in the fixture that stretches back to 2016 for the Edinburgh side at Pittodrie and 2017 for Aberdeen at Tynecastle.

The performances of Jack Milne, Mats Knoester and Nicky Devlin were crucial to the outcome and the Aberdeen fans saw what Topi Keskinen can offer after a tepid start to the season for him personally.

Momentum is king in football and Thelin will be desperate that his men continue their recent run that has moved them level with Dundee United on the 14-point mark and third in the six-game form table.

Before a trip to Livingston there is the small matter of trying to breathe more life into their Conference League season. A win over Armenian champions Noah is a must or it could be curtains for their hopes of making it through the league phase.

Noah arrive at Pittodrie having only won one of their past seven matches since a statement victory over Rijeka earlier in their European campaign.

It is now or never for the Dons on the continental front with Strasbourg and Sparta Prague still to play.

Aberdeen are adapting to Conference League football, believes manager Jimmy Thelin. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Ex-Aberdeen defender Stefan Gartenmann backs the Dons to get the better of Thursday's Conference League opponents Noah. (Record), external

Kyle Macaulay, formerly of Aberdeen, is to become Manchester United's head of senior scouting. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

As Joy Division blared out at full-time, it was unbridled elation for Jimmy Thelin and his players after the hard-fought victory over league leaders Hearts.

In a game played in testing conditions, the Aberdeen backline stood up to all Hearts threw at them.

Jack Milne in particular shone. He'll have woke up with a sore head on Monday because he got his napper on everything, and hopefully he took Claudio Braga out his back pocket too.

Milne's goalline block to deny Braga was also outstanding, and if he can keep these level of displays up, is there a seat on Scotland's World Cup plane next summer?

In the absence of Jesper Karlsson, Topi Keskinen grabbed his opportunity of a starting berth with both hands and the Finn's excellent finish was matched by an equally impressive knee slide.

We definitely need to improve in the final third, and score more goals, but right now 1-0 wins will do.

Winning breeds confidence and that brings mentality and belief. Small steps but it's a favourable run domestically coming up, although we can't get carried away.

Next is a huge European tie at home to Armenians Noah. Can we keep qualification hopes alive? I believe we can!

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Aberdeen picked up a hugely important victory against Hearts that ended the Edinburgh club's unbeaten run, and they've got two players in my team of the week.

Even at the age or just 22, Jack Milne is starting to look like an emerging leader at the back for the Dons.

Remarkable that Topi Keskinen's winner versus Hearts was the Finn's first goal of the season. With Jesper Karlsson missing Keskinen rose to the challenge to seal what was a big win for the Dons against the league leaders.

Watch all the highlights as Aberdeen ended Hearts' unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie.

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Aberdeen fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's 1-0 win against league leaders Hearts.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Andrew: The sort of performance that has been lacking in many ways for a long time - disciplined, defensive and while it was a tough watch at times, especially in the second half, there is now something to build on for what is looking like a really packed schedule before the end of the year.

David: Obviously this was a welcome victory but the only favour we handed out was to Celtic! Our defence has definitely improved but we offer nothing in the way of creativity and our negativity, particularly in the second half, does not instil any optimism going forward. The "three-year project" is in reverse!

Graeme: It's a welcome result but they don't half make hard work of things. Hopefully it can inspire a win on Thursday, and three points against Livingston next Sunday.

Niall: The first half performance was much more like it. Creative and working hard for each other, Stuart Armstrong was fantastic and everywhere during this spell. Topi Keskinen's goal will hopefully give him more confidence as the Dons perform when he is driving forward and creating chances. The second half was backs to the wall with Jack Milne outstanding. Another clean sheet against the league leaders with a result to give the squad a massive confidence lift.

Mark: The structure is so much better now, both in and out of possession, and there seems to be a much better understanding throughout the team. Despite creating little in the second half, and Hearts lacking composure with their efforts, I am pleased that the team stood strong and were clinical when the chance was there. For me that was Topi's best game and hopefully things start to gel with the front players as confidence grows. More momentum for the team going into Thursday against Noah.

Evan: After the results in the rest of the fixtures on Saturday, a gap was starting to appear between us and the top six and a big performance was needed. Well, we got it! Had to battle really hard for that win against a slick Hearts side but we were aggressive in the challenge, sprinting in the press and played the ball around quickly to create chances. It just makes the weak, pedestrian football we've seen from the Dons so far this season even more maddening!

"It was a tough game, the team worked really hard. It was a great atmosphere and the energy from the crowd pushed us on.

"We have been stable in defence, and we are trying to grow in attack, and the pressing part, we still have work to do.

"We need to go game by game and keep growing."

Image source, SNS

Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts' stuttering form continued as they suffered their first league defeat of the season, Topi Keskinen's goal giving Aberdeen a surprise victory at Pittodrie.

Read the full match report here.

Have your say here.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie wants to put a stop to Hearts' "brilliant" start to the Premiership season.

Derek McInnes' side sit top of the table and are undefeated in the league with nine wins and three draws from their opening 12 games.

But the Dons are hoping to become the first team to register a league win against them when the sides meet at Pittodrie on Sunday.

"I wouldn't say overly surprised," Shinnie said when asked about Hearts sitting top of the table.

"They have a good squad, a good manager, they have had a brilliant start to the season. They are in a very strong position so they have done really well but we try and focus on ourselves.

"We are at home and are looking to try and get the win that we need to try and start climbing the table. Yes they have had a good start to the season, but we want to put a change to that."

Aberdeen are eighth in table but their recent form has improved with 10 points taken from the last 15 on offer.

Sunday's visit of Hearts represents the start of a busy schedule of domestic and European fixtures.

"It is always an important part of the season," Shinnie added.

"I think we have got about nine games in December with the mix of European games in with the league as well.

"It is important in every period like this for points, there is so much at stake so you want to put as many points on the board as you can.

"We want to start climbing up the league and I always think after this busy period the league starts to take a bit more shape.

"You can't get too far ahead of yourself, the sole focus is on Sunday and trying to win that and then we move on to Thursday after that."

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen hope to have Alfie Dorrington, Ante Palaversa and Sivert Heltne Nilsen in contention, but Kristers Tobers (knee) is out long term.

Hearts are without the suspended Craig Halkett as well as injured trio Beni Baningime, Calem Nieuwenhof and Finlay Pollock (all hamstring).

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Jimmy Thelin has urged his Aberdeen side to grasp the "big opportunity" to show they are heading in the right direction by inflicting table-topping Hearts' first defeat of the season.

The Dons are eighth in the table - a massive 19 points behind the Tynecastle side - but there have been signs their form is turning.

"In the beginning of the season we had almost zero points from some games, now we have taken 10 points from the last five," said manager Thelin.

"Now we want to grow as a team by developing some parts of our game and try to be more what we see ourselves in the future. Still it is going to take some time, step by step to arrive at that level, but the points are coming and the performances have been stabilised.

"We are a little bit more consistent in some parts of the game and then we have to improve other parts of the game."

The narrative that the red tanker is turning would certainly be enhanced by a positive result against high-flying Hearts.

"We want to have our home form, we have to show more there," added Thelin.

"The players are looking forward to the game. It is a big game, it is a big opportunity for us to show that we are on the right track and progressing.

"We have had a strong belief in the whole season, even in the really tough times. Still we are in a difficult situation, but we have to feel like we can take step by step now. It is still early days so we are trying to find a way to push and take more points."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Scottish Premiership visit from leaders Hearts.

Here are the main points:

• Thelin feels Sunday's game is "a big opportunity to show we are on the right track and progressing" and wants his team to "show more" when they're playing at home.

• On the great start to the season Hearts have made, Thelin says "they have done really well" but stresses Aberdeen are focusing on themselves.

• The Dons boss insists his side "have a strong belief" they can finish the season well and stresses it is "still early days" in the league but feels the performances "have been stabilised" and the team are "more consistent".

• On reports midfielder Leighton Clarkson could leave in the January window, Thelin stresses he is "not going to speculate about players".

• Some players are "showing much more after the break" and Thelin adds that during the season some players "will develop and evolve and adapt to a new system, a new way of playing".

• Team news: Kristers Tobers is the only player who remains out. Alexander Jensen, Sivert Heltne Nilsen, Ante Palaversa and Alfie Dorrington could come back into contention.

Former Aberdeen skipper Andrew Considine backs "wonderful manager" Jimmy Thelin amid the club's difficult start to the season.

The Dons, who host Hearts on Sunday, occupy eighth spot in the Premiership after losing six of their opening 11 fixtures.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Hearts' lead at the top of the table was cut to seven points after being held to a draw at home to Dundee United last time out, leading some to doubt their ability to maintain a long-term title challenge.

A trip to Pittodrie will be a major test of that and there will be additional pressure on former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes' side if reigning champions Celtic have already reduced the arrears further in their trip to face St Mirren on Saturday.

Especially so given the Edinburgh side have failed to win in 13 visits to Aberdeen since an Abiola Dauda goal separated the sides in May 2016.

Indeed, their 0-0 draw on their last meeting at Pittodrie this May ended a run of nine straight defeats.

The current Hearts side are a different beast, though, and remain unbeaten in 10 games overall, including their latest four away from home.

Lawrence Shankland - the Premiership's top scorer on seven goals - heads to the north east on a high after his goal helped beat Denmark 4-2 at Hampden to secure World Cup qualification for Scotland.

The Dons have, though, managed to lift themselves off the bottom of the table in recent weeks and are unbeaten in three outings as they look to reverse the 2-0 defeat they suffered at Tynecastle in their season opener.

However, Jimmy Thelin's eighth-top side have still only managed one victory in their latest five.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

Former head of recruitment Darren Mowbray is back at Aberdeen on a full-time basis, having been working on a consultancy basis since leaving Southampton in March. (Daily Record), external

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin is sticking to the club's three-year plan to build a team that can compete in Europe despite his side sitting in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership after a summer of heavy investment in his squad. (Press & Journal), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, SNS

• Aberdeen are unbeaten in 13 home league meetings with Hearts (W10 D3) since a 1-0 defeat in May 2016 under current Tynecastle boss Derek McInnes.

• Hearts are unbeaten in three league meetings with Aberdeen (W1 D2), last going four without losing to the Dons in April 2014.

• After a run of 10 Premiership matches without victory between May and September (D1 L9), failing to score in six consecutive matches, Aberdeen have since lost just one of their past five in the competition (W3 D1) while netting in all five matches.

• After winning six consecutive league matches from August to October, Hearts have drawn two of their past three (W1), as many draws as they recorded in their previous 24 in the competition.

• Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland, the top scorer in the Premiership with seven goals, has managed just one fewer goal this term in the competition than opponents Aberdeen have scored as a team (eight).

New Aberdeen sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel will hold contract talks with captain Graeme Shinnie and fellow midfielder Dante Polvara over the coming weeks. (Daily Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

New sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel says if he didn't want to win silverware with Aberdeen he "would be at home playing golf".

The 52-year-old German took up his new job earlier this month and is already aiming high.

"If I didn't want to win titles I wouldn't be here, I would be at home playing golf. So I think it is very important to aim for the highest possible," said Pfannenstiel.

"I strongly believe if you aim for the smaller thing it is easy to reach and you can clap yourself on the shoulder. But I don't think that is what I am made of, I want to aim for the highest possible and if you overachieve then it is something you can be proud of.

"Aberdeen is one of the biggest clubs, one of the clubs with the biggest traditions in European football, because when I was a boy it was one of the clubs everybody looked at and I think not many teams in the world actually have that."

Pfannenstiel has made the move to Aberdeen after leaving the role of sporting director at MLS club St Louis City in the summer.

Turning Pittodrie into an intimidating fortress is among the many things he hopes to help achieve.

He said: "I think very clearly put the work in, challenge everything you can, try to create your own identity and I want Aberdeen again to be one of those places if you come here you should be worried and scared."

Recruitment is one of the areas Pfannenstiel will be heavily involved in.

Given that, and Aberdeen's sluggish start to the campaign, is it likely to be a busy January transfer window for the Dons?

He said: "Not that busy. I think if you are too busy in the winter you can do more damage than positives because there are games going, you have no pre-season and you are basically jumping from one game to the next so I think you need to be careful to change too much.

"There can be adjustments made if that is what you believe needs to be fixed but just to change players left, right and centre now because there is a new sporting director here, that won't happen.

"If you want to have bigger moves, or bigger changes, that is something usually always for the summer window."