Inverness Caledonian Thistle goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey knows that he is playing for his future when he faces Aberdeen on Saturday.

The Northern Ireland international has been deputising for the injured Ryan Esson since March, and hopes that his performances as deputy can help win him a new deal in the Highlands.

Tuffey said: "I have to show what I can do.

"I've had a chat with the manager. The gaffer knows where I stand, I know where he stands.

"Over the next three or four weeks we'll see what happens and we'll take it from there. Ryan has been the number one here for the past three years.

"It's been the first time he's been injured or missed games through any purpose. He's been absolutely fantastic for three years and rightly the number one.

"Whenever he's fit the choice is the manager's. I have to respect that. But if I'm performing and I'm keeping clean sheets, it's a nice headache for him.

"I'm concerned about my career, my future and this little opportunity I'm getting at the minute has to be taken with both hands."

Tuffey insists that Inverness still have plenty to play for in the final five matches, and hopes they can build momentum after their 0-0 draw with St Johnstone.

He continued: "The focus now is to try to build momentum after the St Johnstone performance.

"We'll try to finish the season on a high. The target has to be to win as many games as you can.

"People switch off a bit, it's easy to think it's done and dusted. Hibs and Dunfermline are still fighting, they won't give up, and we certainly won't either."

Inverness could cut the gap on Aberdeen to one point if they claim victory over Craig Brown's side, but the goalkeeper expects a backlash from their opponents following their loss to Hibernian in last weekend's Scottish Cup semi-final.

"It was a disappointing one for them at Hampden," he added.

"But that's gone now, there's nothing they can do about it.

"I would think Aberdeen will be fired up, all guns blazing. I would expect them to come here and really take the game to us."

While there are a number of players who are still playing for new contracts, manager Terry Butcher has refused to comment on which of his squad will be given new deals.

He said: "We still haven't decided in terms of making announcements. (But) we don't want as many changes as we had last year."