DEREK McINNES will ‘earn his corn’ as his Aberdeen team enter a pivotal and unforgiving two weeks of their season, according to club legend Willie Miller.

The Pittodrie club have seen much, if not all, of their early season momentum evaporate over a disastrous winless run that has caused many to seriously doubt their credibility as title challengers to Celtic. Riding high on the back of eight consecutive wins, Aberdeen were six points clear at the top of the table at this stage last month before four defeats across league and League Cup saw the wheels come off the bus.

It is a faltering period that has surprised Miller, who has watched McInnes flourish during his two-and-a-half-year spell at the club. However, he is in little doubt that the 44-year-old is entering his most trying period as Aberdeen manager, with a tricky visit of Motherwell on Saturday – along with ex-boss Mark McGhee – before a trip to Parkhead looming the following week offering sizeable obstacles to navigate his way by.

“I think Derek will be concerned but he has to make sure that he keeps faith in the players he has put trust in. He must also point out that he is not happy, so it’s a fine balance,” said Miller, who was on hand on Sunday night to welcome Maurice Malpas into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame at Hampden.

“This is a situation where a manager earns his corn. It is probably the first time Derek has been in that position because he got the cup early, that put him weigh up there in terms of the Aberdeen fans. He has a lot of support but now he is being tested. He has taken a team to second top, he must now show his managerial capabilities and sort the issues out that he has at the moment. If he does, which I’m sure he can, he then regains the trust and enthusiasm of the supporters.”

Analysing what must be done in the double header with Motherwell and Celtic, Miller stated: “It’s almost a resurrection they need from the next two games to take full points. It’s a huge test form them at Celtic Park and it will be another one when Motherwell come up. These games are always close and it will have an edge to it now Mark is in charge.

“I always thought it was going to be critical, but more of a statement of intent from Aberdeen rather than trying to prove the wheels haven’t come off completely. I thought it was a game that Aberdeen could go down there, top of the league, and show with confidence that they are capable of taking the title challenge forward.”

He added: “The question is can he repair it quickly and do it within the next two games because he has an ex-Aberdeen manager coming to Pittodrie looking to prove a point then he has the champions after that. He has somehow got to solve the problem and get results out of these two games otherwise people will be saying ‘this was just a false dawn’.”

A false dawn, or a new Don. Time will tell.