Aberdeen

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• Aberdeen's Kevin Nisbet scored and assisted in their 2-1 comeback win over Hearts on matchday one. Away from home, Nisbet's past three league goals have all been scored at Dens Park against Dundee: one each in September 2024, February 2025 and December 2025.

• Dundee have won their past two league meetings with Aberdeen, as many as their previous 33 beforehand (W2 D8 L23).

• Aberdeen have scored at least twice in seven consecutive league games against Dundee, their joint-longest run against any opponent in the 21st century, also scoring 2+ seven times in a row versus Kilmarnock from April 2015 to February 2017.

• Dundee have won their last three home games in the Scottish Premiership, their joint-longest home winning run in the 21st century.

• Aberdeen have won four of their past seven Premiership matches (D1 L2), more than they managed in their previous 19 games (W3 D4 L12). Since the start of this run on 11 April, only Celtic (21) have won more points than Aberdeen (13).

Earning a Republic of Ireland recall is in the back of Aberdeen midfielder Connor Ronan's mind. (Press and Journal - subscription required, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

Liam McLeod
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

If you asked any football supporter if they'd rather play well and lose or play poorly and win they would take the latter every single time.

Aberdeen struggled at times in their league opener against Hearts on Saturday evening and looked to be heading for defeat before a spectacular turnaround as the walls began closing in on them.

Given there were 40 points between the two clubs last season, bridging that gap just two months later was going to be a challenge for Stephen Robinson but it was one he overcame thanks to those late salvos from Lewis Mayo and Kevin Nisbet.

The Dons looked a more organised outfit throughout the match when compared to the flimsy mess of last term and their new signings appear to have, in the main, settled quickly.

The decision to hand the captaincy to Nisbet could be an inspired choice and may bring the best out of the Scotland international, who has hit seven goals in his first five games this season.

Robinson takes his team south to Dundee for their next game on Saturday as he hopes to maintain his 100% start to the campaign with league matches at Motherwell - the Steelmen's European schedule dependant - at home to Rangers and away to Celtic, so beating last season's runners-up was massive.

It would be a surprise if Aberdeen have as bad a season as they did last time around and while it is only one game, the Dons supporters will be optimistic that better times lie ahead as they somehow ground out three unlikely points.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jack Walton - Dundee United

Made several important stops as Dundee United matched Rangers at Tannadice.

Lewis Mayo - Aberdeen

Bundled a vital equaliser home as Aberdeen snatched three points at the death against Hearts.

Martin Moormann - Motherwell

An impressive defensive performance from the Austrian as Motherwell repelled Hibernian's second-half pressure.

Cheick Diabate - St Johnstone

A goal and another big showing from the St Johnstone centre-back as Simo Valakari's side edged a seven-goal thriller against Kilmarnock.

Henry Fieldson - St Mirren

The versatile signing from Queen's Park had a superb St Mirren league debut.

Kieran Tierney - Celtic

Felt like the Kieran Tierney of old. He swung in a sublime assist for Benjamin Nygren's winning goal.

Thelo Aasgaard - Rangers

A moment of real quality to equalise and repay the faith shown in him by manager Derek McInnes.

Killian Phillips - St Mirren

Energy personified. The Irish midfielder made all the difference, scoring twice, as St Mirren beat Falkirk on Saturday.

Jamie Gullan - St Johnstone

Full of guile in their Championship-winning season and normal service resumed in the swashbuckling win over Kilmarnock. Five key passes and two assists for the tricky wide man.

Ibrahim Said - Motherwell

His delight was clear to see as he finished off a fine Motherwell passing move to put Hibs to the sword at Easter Road.

Kevin Nisbet - Aberdeen

The Aberdeen captain thoroughly enjoyed his celebration as he handled the pressure of winning the match for Aberdeen from the penalty spot deep in added time.

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson believes goalkeeper Marius Muller will become a club cult hero. (Record - subscription required, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

I said last week I was hoping for things to be a bit smoother. Well, Saturday may not have been smooth but you can't deny the end was exhilarating.

A last minute, come-from-behind victory against last season's nearly men sparked wild scenes at Pittodrie.

While the performance was far from perfect, its points that ultimately win you prizes and the Dons' opening-day win carried importance for Stephen Robinson's side.

Carrying on the momentum of the League Cup group stages, and starting the season with a statement victory like that, cannot be understated.

Can we continue the feelgood factor this weekend? There is no reason why not as we travel to Dens full of confidence and belief we can make it two out of two in the league.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external

Watch the best of the action from a dramatic Scottish Premiership season opener at Pittodrie as Aberdeen hit back to beat Hearts. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views after Aberdeen staged a late comeback to beat Hearts 2-1 in their Premiership opener.

Here are some of your comments:

Struan: All the good work put in over the transfer window and in the League Cup games looked totally wasted for the majority of the game. However, they stuck at it and got a very messy equaliser which deserves praise. Kevin Nisbet to be Premiership top scorer this season, he looks incredibly sharp and motivated and never looked like missing the winner when handed the pen. Great result, poor performance and a lot of work required to get these lads to gel into an effective outfit.

Andrew: There's not a better way to win a game than that. Nisbet's penalty was clinical. The Aberdeen team of last season would've lost that game. Some green shoots of recovery - need to kick on from here now.

Fred: Much more fight and determination but still gave away a soft goal and we need another quality striker. A challenging start but we came through.

Derek: We may have won the game but the overall standard was poor against a side who may have been challenging for the title last season but are a different team this year.

Stuart: Well done for not accepting defeat. Last season I don't think that result would have been possible due to a lack of confidence. Keep it up.

Scott: I'm far from convinced by what I've seen in preseason (including League Cup), and then again on Saturday. We look weak at the back and in midfield, and our best striker is consigned to the bench in favour of a slow Nisbet and a useless Toyosi Olusanya. We can only hope things improve rapidly or we're in for yet another long, fruitless season.

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Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson: "If you're going to win a game, it's a good way to do it.

"I didn't think there was a lot between the two sides, which is a compliment to our boys because Hearts are a very good side.

"The final third, I thought we could've been better with our decision making and our final choices. As the game went on, I thought we improved.

"We certainly showed the character and the fight that I didn't believe was here last year and certainly that was a real plus for me."

Aberdeen salvaged a dramatic Scottish Premiership victory against last season's title contenders Hearts with two late goals at a raucous Pittodrie.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Aberdeen could hand a debut to Chris Cadden while Kusini Yengi is several weeks away from fitness.

Recent signings Beau Reus and Laurent Mendy could make their Hearts debuts but vice-captain Stephen Kingsley is facing a lay-off with a hamstring injury.

Christian Borchgrevink (muscle) is set to miss out again while Ageu is still working his way back to fitness, and Craig Halkett (Achilles) is out long term.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson wants teams to fear playing at Pittodrie and says Aberdeen must become a consistent top-six club again.

The Dons kick off their Premiership campaign on Saturday night at home to last year's runners-up Hearts.

The Dons finished a hugely disappointing ninth last term and are hoping to do a lot better this time round.

"We have to make Pittodrie a place to be feared, a place that people don't enjoy coming to again, and it hasn't been often enough in the last five years," said head coach Robinson.

"A club the size that we are, we have to be a top-six football club, that is easier said than done.

"Over the last five years we haven't been in there often enough, so we have to change that."

"I have spoken about bringing stability to the club and bringing a direction that everyone is going in to the club, and I believe we are doing that.

"That starts with becoming a regular top-six club again. From there, then you can look at Europe, you can look at cups, but ultimately you need to be in the top six before you can even consider European football."

Aberdeen have brought in 12 new faces so far this summer and started the season well, emerging from the group stage of the Premier Sports Cup with four consecutive wins and only two goals conceded.

Hearts head north still looking to find their feet under new head coach Wouter Vrancken and hoping to bounce back after a chastening 6-0 aggregate defeat in their Champions League qualifier against Sturm Graz.

"I think Sturm Graz are a very good side so you have to put in to context, the result," Robinson continued.

"They have a huge squad, a lot of players to pick from so that is probably my biggest problem is picking their team.

"But every manager has got different styles, different ideas, but every time you play Hearts it is a tough game, we don't expect anything different."

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Head coach Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before Aberdeen's Scottish Premiership opener at home to Hearts on Saturday evening.

Here are the main lines:

• On Kevin Nisbet being named captain: "Kevin knows the football club, knows the standards of this football club which I thought was very important with so many new players coming in."

• He adds: "With him and [vice-captain] Brad [Lyons] obviously knowing the league, I thought it was important we had that. Their leadership and the leadership group we have put together is the one that is driving the football club forward."

• But the Dons boss insists "it won't be just one person doing everything".

• New signing Chris Cadden brings a "vast amount of experience in the league", with Robinson adding: "Everybody we bring in now I believe is strengthening the squad."

• On the potential of adding to his 12 signings so far: "We have to have people go out first of all, I think that is very clear."

• Robinson confirmed striker Peter Ambrose "won't be part of what we are doing going forward".

• The Pittodrie boss says every meeting with Hearts is a "tough game", noting they have a big squad and that can make it difficult to predict how they will line up.

• He wants to make Pittodrie "a place to be feared" and on what would constitute success this season, says "top six first and foremost".

• After 15-year-old striker Andrew Fasanya became the club's youngest player, Robinson said it is important "they manage expectation" surrounding "an immense talent".

• Team news: Mats Knoester, Emmanuel Gyamfi and Kristers Tobers all miss out.

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Striker Kevin Nisbet is the new Aberdeen captain, with summer recruit Brad Lyons named vice-captain.

Scotland international Nisbet, who has netted 31 goals in 86 games for the Dons, takes the armband from long-serving skipper Graeme Shinnie, who left this summer to rejoin Inverness CT.

Nisbet, 29, has made a strong start to the new campaign, scoring six in four League Cup outings.

Midfielder Lyons is set to make his Premiership debut for Stephen Robinson's side in Saturday's opener at home to Hearts.

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• This will be Wouter Vrancken's first league game as Hearts manager. Both of Hearts' last two managers have won their first Premiership game, Neil Critchley beating St Mirren 4-0 in October 2024 and Derek McInnes beating Aberdeen 2-0 on August 2025.

• Hearts have won their opening game in four of the past five Premiership seasons (D1), last losing on matchday one in the division in 2019-20 – which was away to Aberdeen (3-2).

• This is the second successive league season Aberdeen and Hearts have met on the opening day, after the Jambos won 2-0 in 2025-26. Hearts last visited Aberdeen on matchday one in 2019-20, losing 3-2.

• Aberdeen could lose on the opening day in back-to-back league campaigns for the first time since a run of three from 2007-08 to 2009-10.

• Aberdeen have won 10 of their past 11 home league games against Hearts, with the exception a goalless draw in January 2025.

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Connor Ronan is confident his previous experience in the Scottish Premiership will help him be successful at Aberdeen.

The midfielder reunited with Stephen Robinson at the Dons this summer with a move from MLS outfit Colorado Rapids after previously spending a season on loan at St Mirren from Wolves.

And the 28-year-old thinks his experience in Scotland's top flight a few years ago will help him settle in faster at Pittodrie.

"It's massive," Ronan told Sky Sports.

"When I came up the first time, I hit the ground running a little bit and started off really well.

"Just knowing the league, knowing different stadiums, knowing what games need what, whether it's going to be a nice game of football or a game you need to grind out a little bit, having that prior experience always helps."

Robinson, who was appointed in March, has overhauled the Pittodrie squad and Ronan is upbeat for the new league campaign which kicks off with the visit of Hearts on Saturday.

"It's obviously never easy with a lot of new players coming in," he added.

"Around the changing room, everyone's been good. I think the lads who are already here have made it easy for the new players coming in, in terms of that transition.

"The manager's been really good with trying to get people minutes in different positions and look at what he wants to look at, obviously.

"Again, the transition's been pretty smooth and the cup games help a lot with that. It's a lot of players coming in, obviously, and it's very different from last year, but we're ready to get going."

Glen Schreuder
Fan writer

Where will you finish in the league and why?

As fans we are looking for a much improved league finish. Top six has to be the bare minimum, if we can achieve that along with a trophy it would mark a good season for me after what we endured last season.

Who is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?

I think Brad Lyons will be an underrated signing. Dan Happe also looks a solid addition to the back line both offensively and defensively. However, out of who we have signed so far, Connor Ronan could yet prove to be the best.

What do you want from your manager this season?

Stephen Robinson said when appointed he'd make Aberdeen a difficult team to beat and I want him to stay true to his words. Points could mean prizes, we don't always have to play the prettiest football if it isn't going to churn out results. Sometimes we'll have to win ugly and, after last season, I'm okay with that.

Who will be the breakout star in your squad?

I think the breakout star could be new signing Alex Briedl, if he stays fit. Although, after the weekend, the one to watch could well be 15-year-old Andrew Fasanya, who looked very composed on his debut and was unlucky not to score.

What is your one major concern?

If I'm being picky my one concern for us remains in the forward areas. Despite the improvements to his service I feel there remains a heavy reliance on Kevin Nisbet to be the goalscorer. The search for a goal goes on for new signing Ayoub Mouloua and our other two strikers have had no pre-season action.

Glen Schreuder can be found at Red Tinted Glasses, external