Aberdeen will look to end their miserable 12-game winless run when they travel to Borough Briggs to face Elgin City in the fourth round of the Scottish FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.
The Dons are set to play in this competition for the first time this campaign, while the hosts have already defeated Clyde FC and Kelty Hearts to reach the fourth round.
Match preview
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Aberdeen's season can be divided into two extremely contrasting halves, having enjoyed a remarkable start to the campaign but now suffering a dismal run of results.
The Dons, under the guidance of new boss Jimmy Thelin, started the term without defeat in their first 16 matches across all competitions, with 15 wins and one draw, leaving them joint top of the Scottish Premiership alongside Celtic and in the Scottish League Cup semi-final.
However, Aberdeen suffered their first defeat of the campaign in that semi-final, a humiliating 6-0 loss to Celtic, marking the beginning of a major downturn in form.
Despite initially bouncing back with a 4-1 win in the league, the Dons have since failed to win in their subsequent 12 outings, losing eight and drawing four in that time.
Thelin will be desperate to end that dreadful run and stop Aberdeen's current slide down the table, as they now hold just an eight-point lead over seventh-placed Dundee, and this matchup against lower-league opposition could prove the perfect chance to regain their momentum.
Elgin City currently compete in Scottish League Two, where they find themselves battling for a place in the playoff positions in order to challenge for promotion to League One.
The Black and Whites are third in the table with 33 points after 19 matches played, leaving them just six points behind league leaders East Fife while boasting a game in hand on those around them.
Similarly to Aberdeen, though not quite as harsh, Elgin City's form has also taken a turn for the worse in recent outings, heading into this one having recorded three defeats, one draw and two wins from their last six.
Allan Hale will be hoping his side can secure a shock upset in this match and progress into the next round, helping to boost their momentum and return to the form that saw them remain undefeated in their opening 11 league games.
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Team News
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The hosts are likely to name a strong 11 in hopes of recording a major cup upset against the Dons, meaning Hale could opt to name a similar side to their last outing.
Russell Dingwall, who scored the only goal in their 1-1 draw with Forfar Athletic last time out, is Elgin's top scorer with six goals in 18 appearances, and he is expected to start in midfield here.
As for the visitors, Dimitar Mitov, Ester Sokler, Gavin Molloy, Jack Milne, Pape Habib Gueye and Vicente Besuijen are all ruled out due to ongoing injury issues.
Due to Aberdeen's dismal recent run of results, Thelin may opt to name a full strength team with hopes of securing a much-needed victory and ending their lengthy winless streak.
Elgin City possible starting lineup:
Glavin; Girvan, Gallagher, Hyde, Booth; Cameron, Dingwall, Sargent; Golding, Gavin, Leslie
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Doohan; Devlin, Tobers, Nilsen, McGarry; Shinnie, Palaversa; Keskinen, Clarkson, Polvara; Nisbet
We say: Elgin City 0-2 Aberdeen
The Dons may be enduring a challenging period, but they are undoubtedly the favourites to secure the victory given they compete several tiers higher than Elgin City, and for that reason, we believe the visitors will win here.
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Ellis Stevens
