Aberdeen v Motherwell: Carswell aims for second

Motherwell midfielder Stuart Carswell. Picture: SNS

Motherwell have only taken one point against their fellow top-six teams this season but they sit one point off second, and the Dons, thanks to 10 victories against sides in the bottom half of the Scottish Premiership.

Stuart McCall’s side are fresh from a 3-0 victory over St Mirren that saw them play their most fluent football of the season and Carswell is determined to build on the display.

The 20-year-old said: “Obviously they are on form just now and they and Dundee United are being talked about for second place, but I don’t think we will be far away at the end of the season.

“So if we can go up there and put a marker down by beating them, we can kick on from there.

“They have been playing well. I watched the Inverness game and you can’t ask for much better than four goals in the first half against a team that’s second in the league.

“I think with the squad they have got, as well as Dundee United, they should be up there in the league. Our squad is not as big but I’m sure the quality we have got in the dressing room is there so I don’t see why we shouldn’t kick on.”

Motherwell have not lost at Pittodrie for more than five years but they have suffered two defeats against the Dons this season, and one of them was particularly painful for Carswell and his team-mates.

Aberdeen had Joe Shaughnessy sent off in the early stages of their League Cup quarter-final but held firm and scored two goals in the closing moments.

Carswell said: “It wasn’t just the defeat, it was so hard to take after they got a man sent off as well. A few of us are hurting from that and we have a point to prove.

“A victory up there would be massive for us, especially the way we are playing now. At the weekend, that was one of the best performances of the season so the boys will be up for it and raring to go.”