Paul McGowan could be back in the starting line-up for the first time since Dundee last faced Hibs, when the teams square up at Easter Road today.
The influential midfielder has been a big miss for the Dark Blues since being sidelined with groin problems after the Dark Blues went down 3-0 to the Hibees at Dens Park two months ago.
The 31-year-old has been back training since late last month and managed brief appearances from the bench against Motherwell and St Mirren.
Since that draw with the Buddies a fortnight ago, he’s been busting a gut to get his fitness levels up to scratch and that’s put him in manager Jim McIntyre’s mind as a possible starter.
“Paul is getting up to speed and I’ve got to say he’s worked his backside off over the last couple of weeks to get there,” said Jim.
Also back in the reckoning is on-loan central defender Andy Boyle. He missed the St Mirren draw because of a gashed knee suffered at Motherwell a week earlier, but that’s healed.
Definitely out will be long-term absentees Josh Meekings and Benjamin Kallman, as well as winger Roarie Deacon whose troubled 2018 continues.
“Boyle has been back in full training so he’s fine. Benji was in for his operation yesterday and Deacon is still struggling with his thigh,” Jim added.
“He came back and trained a couple of days but he’s still not right. We are going to get that investigated more, get another scan and see where it’s at because it’s not good that it keeps breaking down.”
Fellow-midfielder Glen Kamara returned unscathed from his latest international stint with Finland.
And Jim still believes their is more to come from the former Arsenal kid in an attacking sense.
“I want to see him getting up into the opposition box more,” he added.
“That’s what I want because I think he can contribute at that end as well.
“I think he has been used to playing a sitting role and there’s nothing wrong with that if that’s how it was seen.
“He has fantastic ability and is an athlete but that’s just wasted for me if you are sitting in the same position.
“I don’t want to play that way.”
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