Aberdeen 0-3 Motherwell: Stephen Robinson says visitors have 'turned a corner'

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson believes his side has "turned a corner" as they produced their best performance of the Scottish Premiership season to hammer in-form Aberdeen.

Goals from Mark O'Hara, Christopher Long and Bevis Mugabi in the opening quarter gave them a comfortable win.

It was a second straight league victory and moves Motherwell up to eighth.

"We took criticism when we weren't winning games and we were still playing well," Robinson said.

"We always believed in what we were doing here. We've shown our quality. I believe we have turned a corner."

"I've got a group of boys who give me absolutely everything. When you have some games that don't go your way people question that. It's never been a question for me."

Shorn of centre-back Scott McKenna, who is close to a move to Nottingham Forest, Aberdeen toiled, with the loss keeping them fourth.

Derek McInnes' side had been flying before this game, and were aiming for a seventh straight win for the first time since 2015. They had been solid defensively, conceding just one goal during their impressive run.

But as news filtered out before kick-off that McKenna was missing amid talks between the club and Forest, there was intrigue about how their back three would cope in his absence, with usual starter Tommie Hoban not ready to play three games in a week.

Nobody had to wait long for an answer. Motherwell flew out of the blocks, showing no signs of the long slog to penalties against Coleraine on Thursday in the Europa League.

They were awarded a penalty after just four minutes when Mugabi's header struck the arm of Marley Watkins, and O'Hara dispatched confidently into Lewis' left-hand corner.

The Aberdeen goalkeeper was then at fault for Motherwell's second four minutes later, when his scuffed kick went straight to Long, who waltzed into the box and finished into the corner.

And the Englishman did not cover himself in glory when he scrambled another backpass behind for a Motherwell corner, from which Mugabi brushed aside Ross McCrorie to bullet a header into the net.

It was a comedy of errors from Aberdeen, who had just a Watkins effort off the bar to show for their meagre efforts, but Motherwell deserved their commanding lead as they set about their opponents at a ferocious tempo.

Derek McInnes made three changes at the break as Hoban, Shay Logan, and Ryan Edmondson replaced Ash Taylor, Niall McGinn and Funso Ojo, but it made little difference.

Motherwell were composed, and coasted through the second half with minimal fuss.

Motherwell's profligacy came to an end in a stunning opening period. Wastefulness in front of goal has cost them so far this season, but they snapped up nearly every opportunity handed to them and played like a team growing in confidence after a slow start to the campaign.

It's hard to draw definitive conclusions about Aberdeen on this performance alone, after a good run. But if McKenna is to depart, a replacement will be needed if McInnes wants to continue with a back three, on the evidence of Taylor's error-strewn 45 minutes. McCrorie's influence in midfield is too important for him to continue at the back. Likewise, if returning to a back four is preferred then new full-backs are a must.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "Motherwell were by far the better side. I thought they looked the hungrier team. I thought they looked like a team ready to win points and we looked like a team just out to play a game of fitba. We were well beaten."

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "The difference today between some of the other games this season was that we were clinical. We've played some really good stuff but we took our chances when they came. We've won four out of five now but we'll just keep quietly going about our business."

Both sides turn their attention to the third qualifying round of the Europa League on Thursday. Aberdeen travel to face Portuguese giants Sporting CP (20:00 BST), while Motherwell are in Israel to play Hapoel Beer Sheva (18:30 BST).