Tayside and Central

• St Mirren attempted 415 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• But they failed to attempt a shot on target - it's the first time they failed to do so in a league game since facing Rangers on 8 October.

• Dundee have kept a clean sheet in six of their 12 games, only Rangers (7) have more in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Amadou Bakayoko made it three league goals for the season - the most of any Dundee player in the Scottish Premiership this term.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty tells BBC Sportsound: "I thought it was as close to a complete performance as you can get there. It's a good day's work.

"We're in a good place. All we look for is constant improvement. We're getting that. I've got a real competitive squad in there. The performance level today was outstanding. Another clean sheet. It gives you that confidence that one goal can win a game, but today it was four.

"It was a big and important win for us. It's Hibs coming here next. We just take each game as it comes.

"All the strikers got on the scoresheet. It was the endeavour and work rate of the striker that transcended onto the rest of the team.

"We could have scored more goals today, but I'm not going to be greedy. We've got ourselves into a healthy position in the league, but we're only going to strive to get better.

"It feels like there is a synergy with the fans. I thought there was a real work-ethic about the team. The crowd are seeing that."

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If only they were all like that, eh Dundee fans? What impressed you most about that performance?

And are you surprised by how easily Tony Docherty has taken to life as a Scottish Premiership manager?

Let us know your thoughts here.

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Ama-dou-dou-dou Bakayoko. A player few had heard of before he arrived on Tayside, he's becoming a cult hero in these parts. Superb this afternoon.

As well as proving himself to have a clinical edge, he did fantastically to set up the fourth and seems to have built a good partnership with Zak Rudden up top.

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

This afternoon’s win for Dundee, moves them to within two points of a St Mirren side who have rightly been getting plenty of plaudits for the start they have made to the season.

Before the match, Tony Docherty said this game would be a good barometer for where his side are at just now – well it has showed, or confirmed rather, that his team are in a very good place.

Docherty has put together a new look squad – a lot of players left in the summer, a lot arrived - and he deserves huge praise for being able to knit them together so quickly, and get them producing the kind of football which would appear to point to the Dark Blues going on and enjoying a really successful return to the Premiership.

One change for both teams, so we'll start with the hosts.

The change comes in midfield, where Malachi Boateng replaces Mo Sylla in midfield.

Stephen Robinson is forced to replace captain Mark O'Hara, who has picked up a knock between the Hibs game on Wednesday and now.

Aussie international Keanu Baccus comes in.

Dundee XI: Carson, Portales, Shaughnessy, Lamie, McGhee, Camoern, Boateng, McCowan, Bakayoko, Rudden.

Substitutes: Legzdins, Kerr, Pineda, Robinson, Reilly, Robertson, Howley, Donnelly, Sylla.

St Mirren XI: Carson, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor, Strain, Baccus, Boyd-Munce, Tanser, McMenamin, Mandron, Kiltie.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Bolton, Dunne, Small, Flynn, Olusanya, Jamieson, Greive, Nahmani.

Dundee are at full strength with the exception of Josh Mulligan, who is still recovering from a hernia operation.

St Mirren have had a sickness bug among their staff and squad but are hopeful they have it under control. Jonah Ayungah is closing in on a comeback from a long-term knee injury.

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Lyall Cameron believes his Dundee side can compete with the Scottish Premiership's top teams and insists the 5-0 defeat against Rangers will not “define” their season.

The 21-year-old midfielder is hoping they can return to winning ways at Dens Park when they welcome St Mirren on Saturday.

“It’s such a competitive league, everyone’s close except the top two,” said Cameron.

“The fans have been good, hopefully they stay on our side and keep pushing us forward.

“It means a lot when the fans are on your side, it gives you that extra couple of yards.

“Momentum is really important, but a [loss against the] Old Firm isn’t going to define our season, we put it behind us as quick as we could and moved on from it.

“We’re just building our structure and looking at how we can play against them, we know St Mirren are a good side, they’ve been playing some good stuff, we just need to play against them the way we do and hopefully get a result.

“A lot of new boys came into the squad at the start of the season, we didn’t know how it was going to go but we’ve competed really well.

“We just have to keep going, and it’s a really good squad that we’ve got.”

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Dundee assistant manager Stuart Taylor insists Zach Robinson will make his mark in the Premiership sooner rather than later as the striker hunts down his first top flight goal. (Courier), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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