Dundee United defender Mark Reynolds believes managerless Aberdeen will be something of an unknown quantity on Saturday.
The Dons will travel to Tannadice for the last pre-split Scottish Premiership fixture with an interim management team of Paul Sheerin, Barry Robson and Neil Simpson, following the departure of boss Derek McInnes and assistant Tony Docherty over a week ago.
Former Aberdeen defender Reynolds believes the change in leadership will have a “huge influence” on the game.
He said: “Obviously there is always a lift when a manager leaves and a new manager comes in.
“I know they have not replaced him (McInnes) but they will want to do well and prove their credentials as managers leading an Aberdeen first team which is a huge opportunity for them as individuals.
“They are going to be dangerous and for us, it is more about the unknown.
“We don’t know how they are going to react or what the new regime are going to implement, we don’t know the style of play they will be after or what the principles of play are, do they sit off or come after it, what shape they are going to play.
“It will have a huge influence on the game.
“But for us, all we can focus on and control is what we do on the pitch and we feel we are finding a way of play that suits us and gets us success and if we concentrate on that and bring it to the game we feel we can get a result.”
In their first season back in the top flight, Micky Mellon’s United sit in eighth place and, due to an inferior goal difference to fellow top-six challengers St Mirren and St Johnstone, are highly unlikely to make the top half of the table.
However, with only one defeat in the last five, Reynolds is looking to finish the league campaign on a high.
He said: “We have spoken all season about being a team in transition and being the new boys in the league.
“The new manager came in and wanted to make changes and had a different ethos about how football should be played and it takes time to get used to that.
“It has been a process that has constantly evolved and we are getting to the stage where we are all on the same page.
“We will make tweaks during the week with what we are going to do but we have all the principles and the structure is there.
“I think you are seeing it in our performances and the last three or four games we have put in some real strong performances.”
