Aberdeen manager Craig Brown claims his side's fitness problems ahead of the cup clash with Motherwell equate to the "worst injury crisis" he has faced.
Defender Clark Robertson and midfielders Ryan Fraser, Chris Clark, Jonny Hayes, Isaac Osbourne and Gavin Rae are all doubtful for the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth-round tie at Pittodrie.
Gary Naysmith, Stephen Hughes, Ryan Jack and Rob Milsom remain on the sidelines leaving Brown to look in the youth ranks for potential replacements.
Brown, whose team lost 3-2 to Inverness on Tuesday, said: "It is the worst injury crisis I have had to deal with.
"John Sharp and David Wylie tell me that it is the worst injury situation they have seen at the club.
"There is a queue outside the treatment room. I am jealous when I hear other teams being able to field the same team again.
"We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope the lads we call upon, guys like (Joe) Shaughnessy, (Cammy) Smith, (Jamie) Masson, who I thought all did well the other night, can come in and do a job again.
"These guys have to take the chance when it comes along and I thought Joe was a good example of a player who did that.
"We also have the likes of Jordon Brown and Declan McManus who are bursting at the seams to get their opportunity.
"I think it would be difficult though to put them all on at the same time. As long as they are surrounded by good experienced players then I think we can cope."
Aberdeen knocked Motherwell out at the quarter-final stage last season but have not beaten the Lanarkshire side at Pittodrie for four years.
Brown said: "Against Motherwell we will have to compete in the midfield area. They are very strong in there.
"Their ability to pass the ball is probably the best in the SPL. So I don't underestimate the task ahead but I am still optimistic we can do what we did in the cup last year.
"I am still optimistic we can do that in spite of the depleted resources."
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