Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie is impatient to get victories and haul the club up the table but he is not focusing on the points gap ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Hearts.

St Johnstone’s late equaliser against the Dons on Wednesday ensures Aberdeen are 16 points adrift of third-placed Hearts in the cinch Premiership ahead of the Tynecastle clash.

Barry Robson’s men have three games in hand but Saturday could be crucial to Aberdeen’s hopes of repeating last season’s top-three finish and securing guaranteed European group stage football.

Shinnie said: “We are just trying to win each game as they come now. We are not looking anywhere but the next game.

“I know that is a cliché in football but that is where we are at just now, trying to take each game as it comes. We are trying to put points on the board as quickly as we can.

“It would have been good to get the win on Wednesday. We were desperate for another clean sheet because another three points would be massive and we need to take the point and move on to Saturday.

“It is a tough place to go but it is one we know if we play to our capabilities we have got the team to go and win the game.”

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Meanwhile, St Johnstone are set to write to the SFA to seek answers after their Scottish Premiership match with Aberdeen was marred by VAR controversy.

Saints thought they had opened the scoring through Graham Carey on 49 minutes when he steered a volley past Kelle Roos in the Aberdeen net, but after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ultimately ruled out with referee John Beaton adjudging Liam Gordon to have fouled Jamie McGrath in the build-up.

Beaton had a clear view of the incident and judged there to be no foul at the time, but VAR official Steven Kirkland reviewed the footage and asked Beaton to take a second look on his monitor.

Herald Sport understands that St Johnstone will write to Hampden chiefs to seek clarity over the incident. The Perth club feel there was no 'clear and obvious' error by referee Beaton at the time and would like to question why VAR intervened.