Dundee derby preview: Can Charlie Adam spark shock win at Tannadice?

Not many will have nodded in agreement when Dundee manager Mark McGhee reacted to last Saturday's draw with Aberdeen by suggesting "it could be a huge point for us".

Six points adrift at the bottom of the table, in miserable form and with McGhee still searching for a first win eight games into his tenure, everything appears to point to an immediate return to the Scottish Championship.

Points, however plucky, are simply not going to make a difference with six games left in the Premiership season.

Wins are required - realistically in three of their six remaining games - and, as a result, the Dundee derby on Saturday has the feel of a last roll of the dice.

It is a bleak picture for McGhee and his players, but they must hope the short trip to their neighbours, with no expectation on them, is the unlikely match that sparks a miracle fightback.

And the way the Dark Blues salvaged that draw against Aberdeen could be a source of optimism they can end a run of five games since a league win against their city rivals.

Charlie Adam was only on the pitch for half an hour against the Dons, but in that time the former Scotland midfielder, back after four games out injured, laid on both his side's equalisers with typically inviting deliveries.

"Charlie hadn't trained until Friday," McGhee said. "I didn't think for a minute he could contribute, but he came to see me and told me he thought he was well enough to give us a little bit. He made a brilliant contribution."

Mark McGhee is waiting for his first win as Dundee manager since succeeding James McPake in mid-February

Every drop of Adam's creativity will surely be required if Dundee are to pull off the surprise victory at fourth-placed United that would put a different complexion on the table - and just as importantly change morale around the club.

With second-bottom St Johnstone at ebullient Celtic, the expectation would be that a Dundee win at Tannadice would cut the gap to three points - and with a game against Saints after the Premiership's split to come.

Callum Davidson's side are their sole target. Such is the tight nature of the league outside the top three that, remarkably, just four points separate United in fourth and third-bottom St Mirren.

The Buddies are in poor form themselves, the Paisley side losing four of their last five games and morphing from top-six hopefuls to relegation candidates.

Livingston have lost three in a row, but they are 13 points clear along with Ross County, while St Mirren and Aberdeen are a point back.

Those teams are out of sight; if Dundee can pick up only 24 points in their first 32 games of the season, they are not going to suddenly collect five wins - their total across the season - from their last six games and threaten 40.

This is a side, after all, that has won once in their last 17 Premiership games.

Avoiding an instant return to the Championship by catching Saints and heading to the play-off final instead is their only realistic goal.

St Johnstone's back-to-back victories - two games ago, just one point separated the sides - shows McGhee's men a turnaround is possible.

And, while Dundee's form does not inspire confidence, with three draws and two defeats in their last five games, the former Scotland assistant manager maintains there is hope.

"We've got the derby and those are never predictable, while St Johnstone have a difficult game against Celtic. We know we need to get something," he said.

"The six points isn't insurmountable even though people are writing us off."

Six points is really seven, because Dundee's goal difference is 12 worse than St Johnstone's, a reflection of the glaring weakness in McGhee's side.

They have the league's worst defensive record, having conceded 55 times in 32 games - a staggering 18 more than Saints.

Yet, on Saturday, they can perhaps take heart from the fact they will face a side in the lofty position of fourth that have scored a paltry 29 times in 32 matches.

If United display that sort of absence of threat in front of goal and Adam can sprinkle some magic in attack, perhaps Dundee can win at Tannadice and spark one of the Premiership's greatest escapes.

The last time they won a league derby, the result relegated United. The Dark Blues must hope their city rivals do not exact revenge for that 2016 defeat and all but send them to the Championship.

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