Hearts Scottish Premiership rival believes they can still catch Jambos in race for third place

Aberdeen star Kelle Roos believes that the Dons are still in with a chance of catching up with Hearts and ultimately beating them to third place to secure the European Conference League spot.

Barry Robson's side currently sit eighth in the league with six wins from their opening 18 games and have three fixtures in hand over the Jambos. They will certainly head into the second half of the season playing catch up on their Euro-chasing rivals and it will undoubtedly be a tall order to make up the current 14 point gap.

However, the Dons goalkeeper Roos has suggested that it is far from out of the question and has warned that his teammates will need to pull their weights together if they are to come anywhere close to knocking on Europe's door.

Speaking ahead of their Premiership clash against St Johnstone tomorrow (24 January), the 24-year-old Dutch star said: "I get that belief from looking around me in the changing room knowing I have the quality all around me to get to third. To win every single game in this league, that gives me the belief we can go for third place.

"If we get some details right we can beat any team. And if we do that then we can go to push for third. But if we don’t do it we might run out of time so we need to do it fast. The games are going to come thick and fast again now. We just need to go game by game."

The ex-Derby County and Plymouth Argyle gloves-man also noted the importance of quick and successive wins as a key element to potential European success. Hearts have benefited from their own streak which has included eight wins and one drew in their last eleven Premiership fixtures.

"If we start winning a couple then you can start looking at streaks", Roos added. "With the games in hand it makes the table a little bit in between. If you win them it looks alright. If you don’t win them, it doesn’t look so good. You can’t speculate about it too much as we just have to go game by game and start getting points on the board. Then find ourselves in a position where we can get what we need. Like ultimately what we did last season."

Hearts, on the other hand, sit five points clear in third place with a game in hand over fourth-placed Kilmarnock and take on Dundee FC this evening (23 January) in their return to Premiership action. Hearts and Aberdeen will then meet on Saturday at Tynecastle with the Jambos hopeful of taking revenge after their 2-1 defeat to the Dons at Pittodrie in early December.