Shinnie: It's hotting up in race for Euro spots

GRAEME SHINNIE knows it will be dog eat dog in the fight for European football as the Premiership enters the business end of the season.

- By Scott Burns

The Dons are just one point behind third-placed Hibs, but Dundee United are just two points adrift in fifth with the likes of Hearts, St Mirren and Motherwell slugging it out for the last top-six place.

Shinnie knows the Holy Grail for everyone at Pittodrie would be guaranteed group stage football, and that would come via lifting the Scottish Cup or finishing third in the league as long as Celtic lift the cup.

Aberdeen got back to winning ways with a convincing win over Motherwell last weekend and will look to back that up with a win at Ross County at the weekend as they go into the second last game before the split.

The Aberdeen captain said: “That’s [European football] always important for me and the club but we know how tough that’s going to be in the league.