Aberdeen team news as FIVE ruled out of Friday night clash with Hibs

Aberdeen will be without the services of five players for the visit of Hibs, manager Derek McInnes has confirmed.

Derek McInnes will be without five players for the visit of Hibs

Marley Watkins has been ruled out of the league clash after suffering an injury last weekend in the Dons’ Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic, and joins Jonny Hayes, Tomas Cerny, Dean Campbell, and former Hibee Dylan McGeouch on the sidelines.

Watkins faces up to ten weeks out after tearing his hamstring but Hayes is expected to return to action shortly after the international break.

The on-loan Bristol City forward has two goals and two assists from nine games for the Pittodrie side while Hayes has chipped in with two assists from 11 outings.

Dons boss McInnes confirmed the setback in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.

McInnes said: “Unfortunately, the result of Marley Watkins’ scan showed a problem with the tendon in the hamstring and the likelihood is that he will be out for eight to ten weeks.

“Fortunately, with Jonny, it is not going to be as bad as first feared. There were similarities to what happened with Dylan’s injury when it first happened and Dylan is going to be out a while.

"Jonny’s is not nearly as bad thankfully. He will probably be out for the next two to three weeks which means he will miss Hibs and a couple of games after the international break. But as I say it could have been worse.”

Squad from: Lewis, Woods, Considine, Taylor, Hoban, Logan, Hernandez, Leigh, Devlin, McCrorie, Ojo, Ferguson, Kennedy, N McGinn, Hedges, McLennan, Edmondson, Cosgrove, Wright, Main