Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes is hoping the return of Scott Wright from a hernia injury can help his shot-shy side after a frustrating goalless draw with Dundee United.

The Dons looked dangerous in a strong first-half performance but struggled to work Benjamin Siegrist in the visitors’ goal, while former Aberdeen striker Lawrence Shankland had the best of the chances to break the deadlock.

The spark Wright can provide has been missed in recent weeks and McInnes was pleased to see him return as a second-half substitute, commenting: “He was outstanding in training to the point where we considered putting him in.

“It was good to get him back on the pitch. He’ll have to have a really good week to get him as right as he can be for the Rangers game next Sunday, but hopefully he takes confidence from getting on the pitch.

“Hopefully he can pick up where he left off and be an important player for us, and him being back is a big boost for us.”

United manager Micky Mellon, meanwhile, had praise for the club’s youth system after a knock picked up by Ryan Edwards in the warmup at Pittodrie saw 17-year-old defender Lewis Neilson step into the side at short notice and play his part in a deserved clean sheet.

He said “A big part of the recruitment for the first team is our academy. We have to stay strong and true to that, and when we get opportunities to put them in, we do that.

“We try to prepare them physically, mentally and technically in the best way we can so that they can come in and do what he did today. He was fantastic today and so was Louis Appere, who’s only a young lad as well and he led the line along with Lawrence Shankland.

“These are the kind of things that we have to have happening in order to keep the club moving forward into the Dundee United that we all want to see.”