Dundee boss Paul Hartley has pinpointed Kilmarnock’s version of “Gary Harkins” as the danger man his players will have to watch at Rugby Park tomorrow.
The Dark Blues gaffer admits he has been impressed by the Ayrshire side so far this season and Alexei Eremenko in particular.
Hartley believes the Finnish international is in the same mould as his own playmaker Harkins and they will have to stop the Killie star if Dundee hope to extend their winning run to three matches in the league.
Hartley said: “We had a good game against them on the first day of the season.
“I watched them at Celtic Park last Sunday and they looked comfortable until Manuel Pascali got sent-off.
“They’ve been good at home this season and they have some fine attacking players like Eremenko who I think is in the mould of Harkins.
“He’s that type of player and has all the ability in the world.
“You know something is going to happen when he’s on the ball. He’ll be a threat on Saturday so we’ll have to watch him carefully.
“But we’ll try and add to our own momentum.
“We’re on the back of two good results and we’ll try to make it three.
“We’ve been pretty solid away from home this season and hope to continue that.”
Kilmarnock installed a new artificial pitch at Rugby Park in the summer and Hartley took his players to a similar surface at Forfar’s Station Park yesterday for a training session to ensure they are properly prepared.
He said: “It’s fine. The surface is good. The 3G pitches are much better these days.
“The guys are happy with it.
“We’re looking forward to going down to Kilmarnock now and playing on that kind of surface.”
Hartley will be without three players because of injury for the trip to Killie and he revealed that teenage striker Craig Wighton is also a major doubt.
The manager added: “Luka Tankulic is struggling. He has some bruising but we’re just waiting to see how he is after his X-ray.
“We’re waiting for the result.
“Peter MacDonald is out and so is Kyle Letheren while Craig Wighton is a doubt after picking up a knee injury.
“But most of them are OK.”