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Aberdeen are hopeful that Mark Reynolds will recover from injury to face Motherwell on Boxing Day despite being stretchered off in Inverness.

He suffered a bad facial cut in a challenge with Caledonian Thistle full-back David Raven during the 4-3 win.

Reynolds was taken to hospital to have the gash to his top lip stitched, but the 26-year-old has not been ruled out of Thursday's match at Pittodrie.

Fellow defender Andrew Considine is also on the road to fitness.

He missed the match in the Highlands with a calf injury that was detected on Friday.

Considine will have a scan on the injury this week, but the Dons do not believe it is too serious and hope to have the 26-year-old back within a couple of weeks.

Without Reynolds and Considine, Aberdeen would be left short of defensive cover going into the crucial turn-of-the-year period.

Another centre-half, Michael Hector, will return to parent club Reading after Aberdeen's match at Kilmarnock on 5 January.

Full-back Clark Robertson is already out of action long-term.

Dons manager Derek McInnes said after the win at Caledonian Stadium: "Mark had to go to hospital for stitches.

"It was a blow to lose him against Inverness because he's such a big player for us.

"He's got a nasty gash in the roof of his mouth and also on his face.

"Andrew Considine picked up a knock against St Mirren and even though he managed a bit of training during the week, he wasn't fit enough to play at Inverness.

"We'll see how he is this week, but it looks as though he's got a tear in his calf."

Reynolds posted photographs of his injury, before and after his stitches, on social network site Twitter.

"Can't believe I got subbed off for this wee cut!" he joked.

"Think my modelling days could be over before they have even started."