The defender spoke to the Sunday papers and RedTV:

“With the height advantage going into the game, it was something we looked to target going forward. So defensively to concede from a set play is very disappointing. Especially when it had been talked about before the game and they hit the bar just before. That should have been a warning to us. And it should not have happened.

“Conceding the second goal was very disappointing, at that stage in the game, but I thought as a team we done really well to try and narrow up and not allow them to play through the middle of us. I think any shots they had were pretty comfortable for Joe. There was nothing too strenuous.

“There were maybe a couple of cutbacks we could have got tighter to. Other than that, I thought we defended far better than we did last time against them.

“I was quite a bit away from the red card incident, but I thought Sam took plenty of the ball.

“As a defender, strikers are going to press you and not let you out to easily.

“ It is hard for me to say if there was any contact with Ajer. We are disappointed to lose Sam and it put us in a difficult position when we were down to ten men.

“Sam has gone in with a bit of pace and I am not sure if the referee was influenced by the sending off last night and he has felt that he needs to send Sam off.

“Personally I think it is harsh, that is without seeing it back.

“We will wait and see if the club appeal it.

“Sam has been absolutely brilliant for us. You fully expect the attention to be there. Hopefully the club stands strong and we can keep him. He has been such a pivotal player. The goal he scored today was different class, look at how far up he got off the ground and above the opponent to head it home.

He has done that a good few times already this season now. From our set play we managed to keep possession. It was second phase, a great cross from Niall and Sam did brilliantly to get up and power it home.

“My own future, that is not for me to decide. That is for the club to decide and I will just continue to play football for Aberdeen and try and play well.

“I feel I could have been better at times this season, and it has been a bit of a disappointing season for me personally but I am just working hard and hopefully the performances will come. There were a couple of challenges today that were last ditch, maybe it should not have come to that. I am always working hard to try and get back to my best.”

“I feel I could have been better at times this season, and it has been a bit of a disappointing season for me personally but I am just working hard and hopefully the performances will come. There were a couple of challenges today that were last ditch, maybe it should not have come to that. I am always working hard to try and get back to my best.”