It has taken some time for the dust to settle on Aberdeen’s controversial 3-1 loss to Inverness CT.

Rage was directed at Ross Draper while Willie Collum, not for the first time, was the centre of attention and the focus of fans' ire. Underpinning both, though, was a sense of frustration that the opportunity to go level on points with Celtic has been blown.

However it was the injury to Jonny Hayes that could have the greatest long-term impact on Aberdeen’s season as they face a month without the winger’s services after he limped off in the 28th minute. From the moment he hobbled off the field in the Highlands, Derek McInnes’ men lost their edge and allowed the hosts to impose their game plan on proceedings.

Barcelona have their much lauded MSN attack of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar while Real Madrid boast the BBC of Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo. While there’s no comparison in terms of quality, Aberdeen’s attack is built along similar lines with Adam Rooney, Niall McGinn and Hayes forming a potent attacking trident which has been at the forefront of McInnes’ Pittodrie revival.

With Hayes and McGinn in wider positions, Aberdeen are able to defend deep and spring a swift and effective counter attack. Both players regularly feature highly in the Scottish Premiership’s assist tables (McGinn sits on 10 while Hayes has 8), providing the service to make Rooney the top scorer in the Premiership era with a remarkable 44 league goals since signing in January 2014.

While former Inverness attacker Hayes showed his quality with a wonderful strike against Celtic, the 28-year-old doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities and his relationship with Shay Logan plays a key part in keeping McInnes’ men a well-drilled and compact unit. Aberdeen’s defensive record of conceding 18 goals in 26 games is not to be sniffed at but it is worth considering the general physical demands required to implement this style on such a lean squad over the course of a season.

Aberdeen’s recent success has been built around finding balance throughout the side, through Hayes and McGinn in attack and Logan and Shinnie at full-back. A key factor in the team’s October horror show was the absence of key personnel with fringe players struggling to fill the void left by the Dons’ reliable performers.

In order to avoid a switch in formation then Peter Pawlett could fill in for Hayes on the flank but the 25-year-old has regressed since earning a Scotland call in May 2014. A return for Ryan Jack, Willo Flood or Barry Robson could signal a move away from their recent 4-4-2 formation while Cammy Smith is capable of playing centrally or in a wider position.

"I think it's important that it's somebody else's opportunity," McInnes said when asked about Hayes' absence.

"It's always been the way when you lose important players.

"We have lost important players at different stages of the season and we have to cope with that. There is no point getting too down about it.

"We know the importance of Jonny, but it's important that it's someone else's opportunity. Maybe one or two who haven't had a run of games might get a chance to do that now in his absence."

Already out of both cup competitions this feels like a critical moment for the manager and his players as they aim to keep hopes of a title race alive and avoid the kind of slump recorded earlier in the campaign.

Defeat in Glasgow’s east end on Halloween led to an eight-match unbeaten run and they may need to produce the same response in order to push Celtic even closer this time around. Having failed to breakdown a stubborn Partick Thistle at Pittodrie in January, any dropped points at Firhill on Friday could signal the end of Aberdeen’s title dreams.

Without one of their main men in Hayes, the Dons must prove they are able to clear their heads and take the fight back to the champions.