Dundee United striker Mario Bilate is hoping he will be available for the Dundee derby on Ne’erday.
The Russian-born Dutch striker has been sidelined by a hamstring injury since November 1 but hopes to be fit for Dundee’s visit to Tannadice on January 1.
Bilate said: “I’m taking it a week at a time just to see how everything goes.
“It will depend on how I train and how I feel but, you never know, I could be back before New Year’s Eve.
“I’m not the best guy to have around when I am injured.
“I don’t mind doing rehab but I would rather kick a ball and I haven’t done that for quite a while now.
“I am just doing exercises and that’s what is frustrating.
“I don’t try and take my frustration out on my teammates as they have been great.
“They keep encouraging me and it’s the little things like that that help when you are on the sidelines.”
Meanwhile, Bilate is backing midfielder Charlie Telfer to justify the £204,000 fee he will cost the club.
The figure the Tangerines will have to pay Rangers by way of compensation for their development of the player was decided by a transfer tribunal last week.
The decision left United furious but the hope is that Telfer will eventually prove to be value for money.
He was an unused substitute against Aberdeen on Saturday but is still being tipped to be a major player for United.
Bilate is certainly a big fan of the 19-year-old, who was named the SPFL’s player of the month for November.
Bilate said: “It was during one of the first training sessions I had after signing for United that I noticed Charlie’s ability right away.
“He had good set-up play and great vision.
“Charlie is the kind of player strikers love to play with.
“I even mentioned him to our coach Darren Jackson, commenting on how Charlie really likes to play the ball about.
“So I’m not surprised to see him doing well.
“It’s great both for him and he really can contribute something special to the team.
“I don’t really know what happened at Rangers but I hope Charlie can stay focused and we can get the best out of himself.
“I think he can because he has all the ability in the world and a great attitude too.”