Dundee United boss Jackie McNamara is demanding some home improvement from his players as they chase a top-six spot.
The Tangerines still have it all to do if they are to finish in the upper half of the SPL table when the league splits next month.
The seventh-placed side welcome city rivals Dundee to Tannadice on Sunday knowing that they really need to win to push pressure on the likes of Hibs and St Johnstone above them.
If they are to keep their 100% derby record intact, McNamara feels they must up their game in front of their own fans. They have won only three times in the league at Tannadice this season, as compared to an impressive six on the road.
If they can redress the balance a bit by dumping the Dark Blues for what would be a fifth successive time since they lined up for last summer’s friendly, then McNamara will be a happy man.
“When you look at the goals we have conceded and the points tally we have from matches at Tannadice, we really should be doing better at home,” he said.
“That’s why we are sitting where we are in the league we haven’t won enough games and the goals total is poor.
“You look at the league table and see that we have won six away but only three at our own ground. It is important to win your home games but we seem to be better away from home. I said when we came in that we wanted to make Tannadice a fortress and that’s still the aim.”
The two City of Discovery sides will gather on Sunday with one aiming to finish in the top half and the other desperate to narrow the gap at the bottom of the table.
McNamara acknowledged: “There is a lot at stake on Sunday for both clubs.
“We are chasing different things for Dundee’s it’s survival and we are looking to get into the top six. Even if we weren’t in this situation we would both want to win because it’s a derby.
“Even if it were a pre-season friendly it wouldn’t be a friendly for us or the fans. The last match at Dens in the Scottish Cup was a great occasion. It was a bit of a battle at times a typical derby.
“The atmosphere was good and I was delighted that we won to get into the semi-final. Like everybody here, I would rather have Dundee in the SPL and be playing against them every season it’s great for the city.
“Every derby is a challenge. The previous one saw us facing Dundee after John had just come in. They were up for that and this is another big game for both clubs.”
McNamara was at dens to see Dundee beat St Mirren and has had reports on the Dark Blues’ 1-1 draw with Inverness Caley Thistle on Saturday. So he knows the visitors are up for the fight under interim manager John Brown.
“I watched Dundee’s game against St Mirren,” he said.
“It was quite a unique match in terms of St Mirren being the better team in the first half and going in 1-0 up but Dundee coming back in the second and getting the two goals.
“They also got a good, positive result against Inverness at the weekend so we know it’s going to be hard. John has them fighting for survival.”
United and their rivals for the top six will be taking more of an interest than usual in each others’ results during the run-in to the split.