Goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey is playing for his personal future as Inverness seek to end the Clydesdale Bank Premier League campaign on a high.

The first post-split fixture on Saturday sees 10th-placed Caley Thistle take on eighth-placed Aberdeen, opponents Tuffey faced after receiving a call-up 20 minutes before kick-off on March 24 following Ryan Esson's groin injury in the warm-up.

Esson is now nearing a return and Tuffey, who joined Inverness on a two-year deal in the summer of 2010, knows a strong performance could impress manager Terry Butcher enough for him to retain the starting spot ahead of his team-mate and secure his future.

"I have to show what I can do," said Tuffey, who has kept two clean sheets in the last four matches. "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."

Midfielder Greg Tansey and defenders Graeme Shinnie and Ross Tokely are suspended, while winger Aaron Doran could play after being an unused substitute in the goalless draw with St Johnstone.

Defender Chris Hogg (knee) and midfielder Andrew Shinnie (foot) are long-term absentees, but the latter could feature before the end of the season.

Goalkeeper Jamie Langfield is set to make his Aberdeen return in Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League trip to Inverness 11 months after a brain seizure, manager Craig Brown has said.

Langfield suffered the problem at his home last May and his only competitive action so far this term has been while on loan at Forfar, but he is set to displace Wales international Jason Brown this weekend.

Dons boss Craig Brown said: "Jamie Langfield will play in goal. He has been patiently waiting and he has done well in the practice games we have arranged.

"I would emphasise that even if Jason had have kept a clean sheet last weekend Jamie would still have played."

Left-back Clark Robertson has been ruled out. The full extent of the knee injury Robertson suffered in training on Thursday is still to be determined, while striker Darren Mackie (illness) and midfielder Stephen Hughes (knock) are also out, joining Peter Pawlett, Mo Chalali, Isaac Osbourne, Rob Milsom and Yoann Folly in the treatment room.

Midfielder Gavin Rae is available again after being ineligible for the cup, while Brown has said youth players Cammy Smith and Jamie Masson will be included in the squad.

Inverness CT squad: Tuffey, Golobart, Tansey, Foran, Tudur Jones, Tade, Gnakpa, Sutherland, McKay, Winnall, Ross, Proctor, Morrison, Williams, Mathieson, Meekings, Hayes, Doran, Gillet.

Aberdeen squad: Brown, Considine, Anderson, McArdle, Reynolds, Clark, Rae, Jack, Arnason, Vernon, Fyvie, Langfield, Fallon, Magennis, Megginson, Masson, Smith