Derek McInnes knows his misfiring Aberdeen side need to produce a Scottish Cup performance to get the frustrated Red Army back on side.
His Dons side were booed off again at home as they lost 1-0 to St Johnstone.
McInnes watched his draw a fourth consecutive blank and knows his players need to show more to see off Kilmarnock at Pittodrie on Saturday.
The Aberdeen boss said: “There are one or two players playing with anxiety at the moment and when you lose the first goal it adds to that.
“We need to deal with the expectation but we didn’t perform tonight. We didn’t do enough to change the direction of the game.
“We haven’t lost ground but any confidence we gained from Saturday has been lost and we have to go again.
"We’ve got to show belief. I know the natural reaction for supporters is to be frustrated. I’m frustrated myself.
“We’ve had two sore ones in a row now at home after having such a strong record and it’s why that frustration has built.
“What we do need to do is stick together. The players have to knuckle down and whatever way, win the game on Saturday.”
McInnes admitted he gambled on his team selection with Saturday in mind.
He added: “I gambled tonight putting Hernandez in and maybe he needs more time to adjust. I gambled with leaving Ojo on the bench as his hamstring was tight and again with McGinn we felt three games in a week we wouldn’t get the best out of him.
“We gave others opportunities and you have to say they didn’t take it.
We need as a team to show more personality and courage but we could do with a nice home result to help us on that way.”
