Manager Derek McInnes has challenged Aberdeen to finish 2020 with a bang by rediscovering their away form.
Having gone into November unbeaten away domestically in 2020, the Dons have subsequently failed to win in their last four games on the road.
During their slump, the Reds crashed out of the Betfred Cup 2-1 at St Mirren and were defeated in the delayed 2019-20 Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden by Celtic.
However, Aberdeen remain third in the Premiership table and can move level on points with crisis-hit Celtic , who are not in action until tomorrow, if they defeat St Mirren away today.
Today’s clash against the Buddies is the first of four away games in six December fixtures.
Aberdeen boss McInnes said: “The aim is to have a convincing and strong end to this calendar year.
“We are now in December and have shown a level of performance that has got us to third in the league.
“We now have a chance to go level with Celtic today .
“We have been a consistently good team on the road in the past and have got off to a strong start in the league this season.
“We want that to continue, but will have to show far more of ourselves than we did in the first half against St Mirren last week.
“Of late we have played some difficult games, one was a semi-final and another couple of games against Rangers (4-0 loss Ibrox) and Celtic (3-3 draw, Pittodrie).
“We also had a really difficult situation with three players missing through Covid and we also had a number of injuries.
“Despite the problems we had we wanted to get through the last three games better than we did.
“We didn’t deserve to go through the tie (at St Mirren).”
Aberdeen welcome back Lewis Ferguson and Connor McLennan for today’s return to St Mirren.
Both missed the last three games having had to self-isolate due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the Scotland U21 camp.
Ferguson and Mclennan both tested negative.
Midfielder Ross McCrorie, however, tested positive having contracted the virus during international duty with the Scotland U21 squad.
McCrorie will return for next Saturday’s home match with Ross County.
Aberdeen gaffer McInnes said: “They’ve had to sit and kick their heels really.
“Lewis and Connor had that added frustration of the negative tests and not being able to train and play.
“They’ve made do of a bad situation, a tough situation, by getting the treadmills in and doing their work.
“The sports scientists kept in touch with them throughout that.
“They’re training to play and getting in amongst their team-mates again.
“It’s good that they’re out of that and can concentrate on what they’re good at.”
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Having crashed out of the Betfred Cup at St Mirren last Saturday, the Dons make a rapid return to Paisley.
Following a post-mortem of that cup defeat McInnes is confident there will be no repeat of the poor performance, particularly during a dismal first half in the cup exit.
He said: “We have had a full week’s training and also have some players back.
“That is the personnel and physical part.
“But the mentality side of it, the players have to recognise and know why we lost the game at St Mirren.
“That is the most important part and having spoken about the game they do recognise that.
“There has to be an honesty and a recognition of why we lost the game.
“No-one at this club has felt good about ourselves since last Saturday’s cup defeat, it was a disappointing result.
“We were not right against St Mirren in the first half.
“It is about addressing that, giving a reminder of what needs to happen from our point of view and moving forward.
“It can be a tough watch going through certain parts of the game again and analysing it.
“We all have to recognise what we need to do better.
“However, there also needs to be a reminder that we have had a strong start to the season and a win at St Mirren takes us joint with Celtic.”
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