Ross County will be without striker Liam Boyce for the visit of Aberdeen to Dingwall on Sunday, which can be seen live on Sky Sports after the pitch passed an inspection at 8.30am.

The Northern Irishman, who was named Premiership Player of the Month for December, remains on the sidelines as he continues his recovery from a broken hand.

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He has been out of action since suffering the injury against Kilmarnock earlier this month but has set his sights on a return ahead of the Scottish League Cup final against holders Celtic at Hampden on January 31.

And County boss Jim McIntyre must face second-placed Aberdeen without midfielder Martin Woods, who has a back injury, and forward Craig Curran, who misses out through concussion.

McIntyre said: "Most of their goals come from Adam Rooney, Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn, backed up by whoever is playing in the hole, whether that by Kenny McLean, Peter Pawlett or someone else.

"These guys are all capable of chipping in with goals and we have to try and stop it at source. It's about making sure you are very compact in defence in order to cut off the space that these guys thrive on."

Rotherham goalkeeper Adam Collin has joined Aberdeen on loan until the end of the season and goes straight into the squad for the trip to Victoria Park.

His arrival was necessitated by Danny Ward's recall to parent club Liverpool earlier this week and he will vie with Scott Brown for the No 1 jersey.

Willo Flood tore a hamstring in the Scottish Cup defeat at Hearts that could keep him out for a month while skipper Ryan Jack remains sidelined by a similar injury.

Without a win in their last three games, manager Derek McInnes is determined the Dons get back on a winning track in Easter Ross.

He told the Evening Express: "It is important we come out fighting and strive to be our best. We are a club who want to compete for trophies and get to finals, so are hugely disappointed we no longer have that chance.

"It is important not to dwell on that, so we pick ourselves up, move on and deal with what is ahead of us. Hopefully we can do that over the remaining weeks and months of the season.

"Ross County is a tough game. We didn't play well up there earlier in the season when they beat us. A positive result is important for a lot of reasons but we want to keep our unbeaten run in the league going by picking up all three points.

"We have to push to do as well as we can in the league as that is the only competition we are in."