The pressure is already on at Dundee after their shocking 6-2 hammering at Hearts on Friday night.
However, I don’t expect the result to define their season – unless they allow it to anyway.
I couldn’t believe the scoreline when I saw it, I must be honest.
I had expected Hearts to be the stronger side going into the game but it surprised me how much of a gulf there was between the sides.
I felt Dundee had done quite well in their build up to the game and they might have a wee chance of picking up a result.
A 6-2 thumping, though, is a real eye opener for them.
And that’s what they have to do now – these kind of knocks can be turned into positives and used as a kick up the backside for the rest of the campaign.
The Dens players will certainly now know what the level is they need to be at to be anywhere near the top of the table.
Hopefully, that spurs them on to do better this weekend at home to Morton.
There is already big pressure on that game after Friday night.
However, I would say Dundee are expected to win every game in this division, outwith Hearts, anyway.
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I certainly expect to see much better from James McPake’s men this weekend.
The performance most certainly could have been better at Tynecastle but it was one of those nights where it seemed like every shot was flying in.
Shots from 20, 30 yards out were hitting the back of the net and that doesn’t happen every week, even for the best teams in the world.
It was clear Hearts were sharper and their longer preparations had made an impact on the game.
And so it should, they were back in for pre-season weeks and weeks before the Dark Blues, something McPake had no choice about I’d expect.
What the Dark Blues can’t afford to do is fail to respond.
Hearts have already shown how strong they can be.
If they maintain that for the next few weeks they’ll be away at the top of the table and any hopes for a title race at Dens Park will be over before they even began.
The next two or three matches will be huge in that regard for Dundee – Ton on Saturday, then Raith Rovers at home and Alloa away.
They need to put some wins on the board fast.
We all know they’ve got the quality to do just that.
Of few positives at Tynecastle were the two goals scored by McPake’s men.
The first a superb strike from Charlie Adam, showing exactly why he’s played at such a high level for so many years.
The two frontmen coming on in the second half were good, too. Jonathan Afolabi was impressive but I like the way Danny Mullen goes about his business. He’s not done himself any harm of getting a start at the weekend.
What is absolutely key, though, is Dundee tighten up and improve defensively or Hearts will be long gone.
Huge credit should go to Dundee United for the way they dug in on Saturday to earn a point against Aberdeen.
Picking up a 0-0 draw at home might not be the best result in the world but it’s one they can certainly build from.
The Dons had more shots, more possession, more pretty much everything but the Tangerines showed grit and earned their clean sheet.
That’s a good sign after recent weeks where slack defending has proved very costly and exactly what Micky Mellon will have wanted to see from his team.
I’m still concerned with the team going forward, however.
It was good to see Lawrence Shankland and Marc McNulty on the pitch at the weekend but they need a bit more service to really hurt teams.
It just doesn’t seem to be clicking in an attacking sense but with those two getting sharper every game it will get better.
And it is heartening to think United have shown in the early parts of the season they can hurt teams.
They just need a bit of confidence built back up after a few tough weeks.
Next up is a tough one, though.
Away to a St Johnstone team fresh from scoring five goals at Hamilton.
They’ll be on a high after that with former United man Craig Conway doing well, too.
Really interested to see how that one goes.
Losing Virgil van Dijk is a sore one for Liverpool after his ACL injury over the weekend.
You don’t have to look too far to see another centre-back with knee problems but the towering Dutchman will be massive hole to fill.
’Pool will be much more vulnerable at the back and I expect the Premier League to be a tight affair.
Everyone seems to be beating everyone else and nobody seems to remember how to defend properly.
Liverpool were fortunate none of their big players were out last season, we’ll soon see how they deal with Van Dijk missing.
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