Scott Wright also left for Rangers while his main partner in the attacking midfield department, Ryan Hedges, was ruled out for several months.

McInnes now has to get loan signings Fraser Hornby, Florian Kamberi and Callum Hendry up to speed quickly.

McInnes tried five players in the two spaces alongside new loan signing Hornby, who headed against the crossbar late on, but the visitors largely struggled to provide a goal threat.

Joe Lewis made three last-ditch saves at the other end to keep the score down as Martin Boyle's double earned Hibs their third consecutive win.

McInnes said: "I do think trying to reinvent our front line at the end of January has been difficult.

"You get these boys for a reason, because they are not playing. Unless you are spending money, you very rarely get boys who are up to speed. The fact that Kamberi isn't even in the country yet, you understand the difficulties.

"I do think these boys in time – Hornby, Hendry and Kamberi – will help our front line. Last time we were here we won with Hedges and Scotty Wright tucked in behind Marley Watkins and were really fluid with a lot of speed about us.

"So we are working hard to address that forward line. It's important we try and work on it and get more of a goal threat and try and get back to winning ways because it's a bad run we are on.

"But having been through these types of spells as manager previously, it's only by sticking together and working hard and working with your boys closely that you can turn things round.

"I think I've got the players. I think Hornby will be an improvement for us, once he gets up to speed. Kamberi has been a good performer in the Scottish league before. And young Callum, we are giving him an opportunity."

Hibs enjoyed a far more stable transfer window and head coach Jack Ross was delighted to translate that into what was only Hibernian's third win in their last 21 league meetings with the Dons.

Ross, who saw central midfielders Alex Gogic and Jackson Irvine go off with shoulder knocks, said: "It's not season-defining but we understand the importance of it because we coughed up six points to Aberdeen previously and that impacts where the two teams are. So to win the game and add to our points total was important.

"Having won four out of five, you can feel it sometimes within a group, and I feel that energy is back amongst them, that drive to make sure they finish in the position they are in."