Dons duo back after flu
Rory McArdle and Alexander Diamond look set to have recovered from flu for Aberdeen’s Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Motherwell at Pittodrie on Tuesday night.
Sone Aluko (Achilles) and David McNamee (groin) should be fit but Rob Milsom (foot) is out and Andrew Considine is suspended.
Darren Mackie, Fraser Fyvie and Yoann Folly remain on the long-term absentee list.
Aberdeen boss Craig Brown is wary of a Motherwell backlash.
The Fir Park side travel north on the back of a 6-0 thrashing by Rangers at Ibrox on Saturday.
However, Brown told Red TV that he expects a reaction from his former club now under the stewardship of Stuart McCall.
“It’s probably the worst possible result for us because it will give them added determination to restore their pride,” he said.
“The opposite is also true, the confidence has taken a bit of a battering.
“When we lost 4-1 to Celtic it was a major disappointment, everyone was deflated and we wanted to get another game very quickly so Motherwell have another game quickly and they are a good team.
“I don’t think that represents their normal performance so this will be a difficult fixture.”
It is the first time the two clubs have met since Brown and his assistant, Archie Knox, left the Steelmen for the Dons in December under rather acrimonious circumstances.
However, the former Scotland manager played down any notions of a grudge match as he insisted his conscience was clear.
“I don`t think we have anything to prove,” he said.
“There is no heat as far as Archie and I are concerned. We are working for Aberdeen and looking forward to the game.
“One or two fans at Motherwell were disenchanted that we left but we answered a call at Motherwell.
“I was told we gave them a very good record, the best in the reign of chairman John Boyle so I don`t think we have anything to be embarrassed about with regards the Motherwell situation.”
However, Dons keeper Jamie Langfield expects there still be some residual bad feeling in the Motherwell camp.
He said: “It will add needle.
“Motherwell always give us a hard game but obviously us taking their management team will add a little spice to it.
“They have a bad result at the weekend, we have not played so we should be that bit fresher and hopefully we get the right result.”
Motherwell full-backs Stevie Hammell and Steven Saunders are pushing for a recall.
Saunders has served a one-match suspension and both players are hoping to recover from hamstring problems.
However, manager McCall has revealed that one or two unnamed players could drop out injured following the 6-0 defeat by Rangers, while Bob McHugh (wrist) remains on the sidelines.
Motherwell midfielder Keith Lasley insists the presence of Brown and Knox in the Aberdeen dug-out will provide no added motivation for their Pittodrie visit.
“They are popular characters with the boys, got on well with everybody that was here,” the 31-year-old said.
“In the time they were here, they did well for the club.
“There are not too many people with bad things to say about them, they chose to move on and we’re going up as Motherwell players to do the best for Motherwell.
“Once the whistle goes, it doesn’t really matter who the Aberdeen manager is, we’re up there to try to get three points.”
The Motherwell supporters are likely to have a different opinion of their former management team and striker.
“We’re not daft, we know the fans will give them a nice reception, I’m sure,” Lasley said.
“That’s part of the game but all we can take away from this game is three points and that’s what we will try to do.
“The fact Craig and Archie are there is irrelevant in that sense. We’ve just got to try and focus on the game and forget what’s going on round about.”
Just as they turned around the fortunes of Motherwell when they took over just after Christmas 2009, the former Scotland management team have had a positive impact at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen were 10 points adrift of Motherwell and facing a relegation fight when the pair arrived at Pittodrie but will move two points behind with a game in hand if they boost their top-six hopes with victory.
