Aberdeen’s title challenge suffered a crushing blow when they lost 2-1 today at Motherwell.
The defeat leaves Derek McInnes side four points behind Celtic with a game more played with just seven matches left to play.
Aberdeen took the lead just before half time thanks to a penalty from Kenny McLean but in the 73rd and 75th minutes the home side hit back with goals from Scott McDonald and Louis Moult.
In a bid to salvage something from the match McInnes sent on Barry Robson to replace Andrew Considine but was sent off within a minute of coming on after elbowing McDonald.
Speaking before the match McInnes said: “As long as there is enough time left on the clock, I always feel like we can come back from difficult situations.
“Whether it is from drawing games and getting ourselves into a winning situation or coming from behind and getting something from the game.
“The players over the last three years have done that time and time again, that isn’t in question.
“It is important for us to show our quality at times, to hammer home our advantage, get the second goal when we are on top of teams, and try to make the game that bit more comfortable.”
McInnes added: “Motherwell are in good form. They went through a stage of losing late goals but now they have managed to get some good form going and I am not surprised by that.
“Motherwell have every chance of getting themselves into the top six but we are also on a good run.
“We have suffered injuries to key players but we have still managed to win games.Now it is about replicating performances and getting results, more than anything. The result is the most important thing at this stage of the season.”
Elsewhere in the Premiership Darnell Fisher was on the scoresheet as St Johnstone won 3-0 away to Hearts.
