Dundee head to Motherwell with one job in mind – stop their damaging run of defeats.
The Dark Blues head to Fir Park on the back of four straight defeats and just one win in seven Premiership matches this season.
The Steelmen, meanwhile, are flying in fourth and have won four of their last five matches in all competitions.
They also boast an enviable record against the Dee in recent times.
Dundee have won just one of the last 14 against the ‘Well and haven’t won at Fir Park since 2017.
They were denied an end to that run last season after conceding a 98th-minute equaliser.
Can they upset the in-form Steelmen this time around?
Team news
Dundee will certainly be without Mo Sylla as he endures his suspension for the red card against Kilmarnock while Joe Shaughnessy remains out.
Jordan McGhee has a slight chance of returning after a calf injury while decisions on the fitness of Lyall Cameron and Josh Mulligan will be taken closer to kick-off.
They had a long trip back from U/21 duty in Kazakhstan this week and weren’t due to train until Friday.
Motherwell, meanwhile, will be without club captain and former Dee Paul McGinn.
He’s damaged a thigh muscle and will miss the Steelmen’s League Cup semi-final next month.
Callum Slattery, Harry Paton, Jack Vale, Sam Nicholson and Ross Callachan remain out but Dan Casey returns from suspension.
Selection dilemmas
Tony Docherty’s biggest headache is how to replace the suspended Mo Sylla without a ready-made replacement.
However, Scott Fraser played 90 minutes in a bounce game last week against Rangers and could well take the deeper midfield slot.
Courier Sport analysed what Sylla brings to the side and how Dundee might replace him this weekend. Head HERE for the full article.
A decision over his goalkeeper may also be a big one after Jon McCracken’s error proved costly against Kilmarnock.
Very experienced Trevor Carson is waiting in the wings and could be called upon.
After the Kilmarnock collapse, there could be a number of changes from the Dark Blues for this big clash.
Managers
Dundee boss Tony Docherty said: “Motherwell have been doing really well and have been picking up good results.
“I have watched their last couple of games against St Mirren and Hibs.
“They have been picking up points and their performance levels have been good.
“I have been looking back at our own performances and I have been really, really happy with the performances of the team.
“I just think if we continue that level then by the law of averages things will start to fall for us.
“We will start to pick up the points we deserve.”
Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell said: “We have a really, really tough opponent and a team that haven’t got as many points as they possibly could have with some of their displays.
“It’s going to be a real tough game for us.
“They are a very good side. They’ve lost one or two key contributors from last season but Tony has done really well in his recruitment.
“They are a team that come right after you, they don’t wait to see what’s going to happen.”
Recent clashes
December 2 2023: Motherwell 3-3 Dundee (Biereth 6, Mugabi 68, Wilkinson 90+7; Cameron 30, Beck 34, Robinson 88)
March 5 2022: Motherwell 1-1 Dundee (Efford18; McMullan 6)
August 28 2021: Motherwell 1-0 Dundee (Watt 34)
April 27 2019: Motherwell 4-3 Dundee (Turnbull 12&90, Scott 24, Ariyibi 50; Woods (p) 11, Robson 22, Ralph 52)
November 3 2018: Motherwell 1-0 Dundee (Turnbull 69)
Referee
Euan Anderson is the man in the middle for this one, taking charge of just his second Premiership match of the season.
That was Aberdeen’s 1-0 win at Ross County in August, where he dished out five yellows.
He has taken a Dundee game already this term, a 6-1 thrashing of Airdrieonians in the League Cup.
That saw Antonio Portales and Ethan Ingram booked while Dylan MacDonald saw red for the diamonds after taking down Simon Murray as he ran through on goal.
That’s the only red he’s shown in his past 38 matches, going all the way back to the start of last season.
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