Ross County: Laidlaw, Brown, Nightingale, Baldwin, Leak, Purrington, Allardice, Randall, Dhanda, Murray, White.
Substitutes: Munro, Turner, Sims, Sheaf, Loturi, Harmon, Henderson, Samuel, Brophy.
Dundee: Carson, McGhee, Shaughnessy, Lamie, Donnelly, Cameron, Boateng, McCowan, Beck, Bakayoko, Robinson.
Substitutes: Legzdins, Kerr, Tiffoney, Mulligan, Reilly, Robertson, Rudden, Howley, Sylla.
Ross County have full-back Will Nightingale back from suspension while striker Eamonn Brophy and midfielder Jay Henderson have trained all week following injuries.
But defender Dylan Smith is out after suffering an ankle injury against St Mirren last weekend, while Ross Callachan and Ben Paton are long-term absentees.
Dundee face being without Antonio Portales for around three months after the defender picked up a hamstring injury, while winger Marcel Lewis is also out for the trip to Dingwall.
Owen Beck is doubtful with the groin injury that kept the on-loan Liverpool left-back out of last weekend's defeat by Rangers, while Diego Pineda remains sidelined.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSAfter making a sooner-than-expected recovery from injury, Aaron Donnelly is hoping to make his mark for Dundee.
The 20-year-old went back to parent club Nottingham Forest for treatment before making his return for the Dark Blues at the end of last month.
After losing at Ibrox last time out, the defender is eyeing a response as they head to Ross County on Saturday.
"It's going to be very much like the last game. They're a big physical team. They've got a lift since the new manager game in.
"Everybody has been on it in training last week. We know we need to bounce back like last week.
"I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I got injured on the second day which wasn't ideal but I'm back now and ready to play. Hopefully, I get as many minutes as possible.
"I was due to be out for 12-14 weeks but the rehab team in Nottingham were brilliant and got me back in 8-10 weeks."
Image source, SNSAfter making a sooner-than-expected recovery from injury, Aaron Donnelly is hoping to make his mark for Dundee.
The 20-year-old went back to parent club Nottingham Forest before making his return to the side at the start of the month.
After losing at Ibrox last time out, the defender is eyeing a response as they head to Ross County on Saturday.
"It's going to be very much like last game. They're a big physical team. They've got a lift since the new manager game in.
"Everybody has been on it in training last week. We know we need to bounce back like last week.
"I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I got injured on the second day which wasn't ideal but I'm back now and ready to play. Hopefully, I get as many minutes as possible.
"I was due to be out for 12-14 weeks but the rehab team in Nottingham were brilliant and got me back in 8-10 weeks."
Image source, SNSWhile January can leave some managers scrambling around to bolster their squad, Tony Docherty seems fairly content with the bodies he has in the building.
The Dundee boss had plenty of praise for his current squad, who he says are pushing each other to create healthy competition.
"I was really happy with the squad I assembled in the summer," Tony Docherty.
"For the group behind them [the starting XI], there was another reserve game where they ran out 7-2 winners. The ones who have been picked on a consistent basis, they know they're under pressure to perform.
"There's a healthy level of competition. As a manager, that's what I want. I have to praise squad for being like that.
"I think what happens in January a knock on from your summer transfer window. The effects of that can be less if you recruit well in the summer, and I feel we did recruit well in the summer.
"Give or take maybe a couple of tweaks we've got, I think we're in as strong position in terms of the squad that we can maintain the levels we've got without wholesale changes."
Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media ahead of his side's trip to Ross County.
Here are the key points...
Expects a difficult game against Ross County, saying Dundee need to "at their best" to avoid being leapfrogged by their opposition.
Stresses that he wanted Dundee to be competitive in every game and thinks they've achieved that with "consistency" and "maintaining levels of performance".
"Really happy" with the squad he's assembled, adding that the players being left out are showing "outstanding professionalism" to create competition.
Doesn't expect to make "wholesale changes" in January window, adding that there may be a few "tweaks".
Antonio Portalles damaged his hamstring at Ibrox and will be out for "10-12 weeks". Diego Pineda remains out, Marcel Lewis has picked up a knock and Owen Beck is a doubt for the weekend.
Image source, SNS
Dundee will not make "knee-jerk" moves in the January transfer window, says manager Tony Docherty. (Courier - subscription required), external
Former Dundee assistant Simon Rusk has joined the coaching staff at Nottingham Forest. (Courier - subscription required), external
Dundee travel to Dingwall to face Ross County on Saturday and will be looking for a win.
What changes would you make from the team who played in the Rangers defeat?
Put yourself in the manager's shoes and tell us your starting XI here.
Dundee are in talks with Liverpool about the future of Owen Beck, the 21-year-old full-back who is on loan with the Scottish Premiership club. (The Courier), external
Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, BBC SportTyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland
There is a real yo-yo nature to this season’s Scottish Premiership – Dundee are a case in point.
With the teams below Glasgow’s big two very tightly bunched up, a couple of wins can send you hurtling up the table, but a few defeats and you can go tumbling down very rapidly.
Seventh-placed Dundee travel to Ross County in eighth on Saturday, two teams separated by just one point, though they have taken very different routes to get to where they are just now.
While County have hauled themselves away from the drop zone in recent games, the Dark Blues have slipped out of the top six.
It's three matches without a win for Tony Docherty’s team. No-one should be panicking about the recent slump if form however, they are continuing to play some really nice stuff, and have still been performing very well in that run of fixtures.
But a defeat in Dingwall would see them drop down another place in the table.
Given that, it has the feel of a big game this weekend, and if they can navigate it successfully, it would certainly set them up nicely with three of their four games after that all on home soil.
St Johnstone and Dundee top the Premiership's nutmeg charts, with Owen Beck and Matt Smith top of the individual standings.
StatsBomb analyst Jaymes Monte, external shared the results of the nutmeg league table for the Scottish top flight, weighing up nutmegs for and nutmegs against teams to come up with a club's 'nutmeg difference'.
Saints have a "nutmeg difference" of seven so far this season, with Dundee just behind them on six.
The next nearest team in the table are Aberdeen with four, and Celtic behind them on two. The only other teams in positive figures are Rangers and Hearts, both on one.
The remaining teams have been the on the losing end of more nutmegs than they have carried out.
Smith and Beck are joint top of the individual table with five nutmegs each.
Image source, SNS
Daniel Smith, Up Wi' The Bonnets podcast, external
I'm not going to dwell on Saturday's defeat at Ibrox.
I could go on about the penalty they were given to go 2-1 ahead, despite both players pulling at each other’s tops, but that would just come off as sour grapes.
To be honest, Rangers had the vast majority of the better chances and deserved their victory, but it still doesn't mean we can't feel aggrieved.
The big topic we need to be talking about is our up and coming match up in Dingwall against Ross County.
Results haven't gone our way recently and we have had to watch on nervously as clubs who had been struggling below us in the league have started to pick up a few wins here and a couple of draws there.
County have definitely picked up since Derek Adams made the trip back up north, having seen them draw once and win two on their own patch without conceding a single goal.
Dundee have generally failed to consistently pick up positive results in the Highlands, but on this occasion, we really do need to be looking at a victory here. It's what you'd call an old fashioned six-pointer.
If we can tighten up at the back, I'm positive a result will come our way. After so many clean sheets and solid displays at the back, we have conceded eight goals in three matches.
Plug the leaky defence, and we could very well be seeing the points traveling back down to the Dee.
Dundee are "in the middle of discussions" with Liverpool over ensuring loanee Owen Beck sees out his season-long loan at Dens Park. (The Courier)
Click here to read Tuesday's Scottish football gossip in full.
