Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes says his main focus isn't Rangers

Aberdeen will not be spending the next five weeks looking over their shoulders, according to boss Derek McInnes.

The Dons could have all but wrapped up second place last Sunday when Rangers visited Pittodrie.

But their 3-0 defeat to Pedro Caixinha's Gers means the Ibrox side have cut the gap to nine points with six games to play.

The teams learned they will meet again at Ibrox on May 17 after Scottish Professional Football League chiefs released their Premiership post-split fixtures.

However, Reds boss McInnes stressed the he will only worry about what the Light Blues are up to until once his side have completed their fixtures in the meantime.

Asked if he hoped to have second place wrapped up by the time they visit Glasgow next month, he said: “My focus is on St Johnstone on Saturday and after that it will be the next game.

“It's not on Rangers. Just because they managed to beat us on Sunday - or certainly we managed to beat ourselves - it doesn't mean to say that all of a sudden they are the main focus.

“We're not getting caught up in any of that.”

McInnes blamed “four minutes of madness” for last weekend's defeat.

Gers struck three quick-fire goals late as the Dons defence handed the visitors three easy strikes.

But McInnes has refused to come down to hard on his team despite their frustrating collapse.

“We've been on a brilliant run,” he said. “We undid ourselves at the weekend. The first goal was bad enough. It was so preventable - and the second goal, well...

“But over the last three months the form has been so good and that's what we'll concentrate on, rather than the disappointment of Sunday.

“However, we recognise there is work to be done right to the end of the season. But I don't think there's anything wrong with having that focus.

“In previous seasons we have cemented second spot pretty early on and the season has kind of petered out, probably because we haven't had the Scottish Cup final or anything like that to look forward to.

“But we're hopeful the focus we have got on the fact there is work to be done to cement second spot and that we can at the very least get to the cup final - and maybe even win the thing - will help us this season.”