Dundee

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Simon Murray says he has "loved" being back at Dundee this season, but appreciates the magnitude of their last two league matches.

The Dens Park side are two points above Ross County in the relegation play-off spot and five above bottom club St Johnstone, who they face on the final day.

A win over Ross County on Wednesday would guarantee their top-flight status for another season and Murray - who has 22 goals in all competitions - is determined to finish on a high.

"Obviously it's not ideal where we are in the league, but I've absolutely loved it," Murray said.

"Obviously coming back, we all want to be as high up as the table as we can, but sometimes football's not like that for one thing or another.

"The most important thing is that you don't give up. You just keep fighting until the end.

"Obviously the stability for us is making sure we're in the top flight consistently. Obviously last season was great, but on a personal level, I love being back home. I feel like I've had a good season.

"But the job's not done. I'm just looking forward to making sure the job is done and enjoying a little break."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

We hear the managerial trope week in week out that every game is a big one.

But it isn't a stretch to suggest this evening's encounter with Ross County is by some stretch the biggest of Dundee's season so far.

The stakes couldn't be higher. At its simplest, if Dundee win, their Premiership status is secure.

So their destiny is very much in their own hands, a time for the big characters in the team to step forward and grasp the chance.

If the don't take it, their fate will be decided at the weekend, with a trip to play current bottom club St Johnstone.

After winning their opening post-split game at Hearts, the Dark Blues have suffered back-to-back defeats.

That trio of fixtures kind of sums up their campaign, one that certainly promised more than it has delivered.

However, Tony Docherty will be confident his side can get the job done tonight at home to second-bottom County, who are on a miserable run of seven straight defeats.

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• Dundee have lost all three of their Scottish Premiership games against Ross County this season, but have never lost four in a row against the Staggies in the top flight before.

• Ross County have never beaten a single opponent four times within the same Scottish top-flight campaign before, something they will achieve over Dundee should they win here.

• Dundee have only won their final home game in one of their past nine top-flight campaigns (D4 L4), a 3-1 victory over Hibernian in 2021-22.

• Ross County have only won their final away game in one of their past six Scottish Premiership seasons (D2 L3 – including curtailed 2019-20 season), a 2-1 victory at Motherwell in 2020-21.

• Since Christmas Day, Dundee have won just one of their 10 home league games (D3 L6), and have the fewest home points in the Scottish Premiership in this time (six).

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

A week today, the dust will have settled and we'll know the fate of each team in the Premiership for next season.

On paper, Wednesday night reads well for us. We are at home against a Ross County side who are on a run of seven consecutive defeats and two points below us, teeing us up nicely to secure our Premiership status with a win.

I'd rather be in our shoes than theirs, but Dundee do not cope well against sides struggling to find form.

The thought of succumbing to defeat is unbearable as it could tee us up for a final-day showdown at Perth against St Johnstone in a straight shootout for bottom place.

The old cliche of the next game being a 'cup final' couldn't be more true.

Ross County seem to have our number this season, combine all the scores against them this campaign and they're up 8-1.

Our defeat at Rugby Park on Saturday was cheap, between gifting them a penalty to switching off right after the equaliser, it was disheartening to watch.

It's been a poor season for Dundee, after a promising start we stagnated at the worst points and couldn't make up for it in time come the split.

However, we've still had our moments and there is a foundation in place that can kicked on from next season - but it'll all mean nothing if they don't get the job done this week.

While I believe no top-flight club will be relegated in the play-offs this season, I'd still rather avoid the stress of seeing Dundee get dragged into that showdown. Because if there is any team who is an expert in finding ways to lose...

The task at hand is simply to beat Ross County. Give 100%, no-one is asking Dundee to blow them out the water - if it's the kind of game where we have to claw and kick our way out.

The fans expect to see that in abundance, show that fighting spirit, but do so appropriately and avoid silly mistakes.

If the players aren't prepared to give it their all - then the badge is too heavy for them.

Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart analyses the confusion over Dundee's penalty shout for a foul on Simon Murray in the defeat by Kilmarnock. (Available to UK users only)

Lyall Cameron has voiced Dundee's frustrations over their latest VAR controversy – but accepts they have been the architects of their own downfall this season. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

Watch highlights as Kilmarnock ensure their Scottish Premiership survival with a 3-2 win over Dundee. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on Dundee's 3-2 defeat against Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you said:

Bob: We have lost 26 points from winning positions, the most in the league (for the second year running). That is a badly managed team with no backbone. At least Dundee finally did to Kilmarnock what virtually every team had been doing to them over the last two seasons - scoring twice in the last 15 minutes. Oh wait...

George: It's simple, when you score get hold of the ball and keep it away from your own goal. What do they do? Get a goal, then let another one in within a minute. We are heading for the Championship. This has been a useless set of games. The manager has lost his way. Get rid of him and build a decent team for next season.

Brian: Sorry Tony Docherty, you sir have not got a clue. Yes VAR was wrong for the umpteenth time this season, however, your team selections and tactics are awful. Hopefully we can stay in the Premiership and you can head off elsewhere.

Garry: Yet again another lacklustre effort from Docherty and his choices! Why was Oluwaseun Adewumi on the bench? And why was Ryan Astley back as a lethargic right-back? He was skinned the whole game! If we do, by some miracle, escape the trap door, it's time for the board to wake up and get rid of a manager who got away with one last season, but has been found lacking on so many occasions this season. We must beat Ross County on Wednesday, otherwise I fear what Sunday might result in!

Iain: Dee's 'defending' of set pieces and crosses is woeful, and has been for a long time. So many goals lost while the goalkeeper stands on his line and watches whilst the defenders fail to win bread and butter headers within a couple of yards of the line. Our goalies do not command their area and our defenders are hopeless at crosses. I don't know why Docherty dropped Finlay Robertson and re-instated Aaron Donnelly, Robertson made a mistake last week but he has been one of the more reliable ones at winning headers. Defence failed completely at Killie's second goal, defending was non-existent at the cross and goalie stood and watched. Very poor.

Lindsay: Never at the races, the scoreline flattered us, same excuses every week, just not good enough.

Kilmarnock held off Dundee's late fightback to secure victory and their Scottish Premiership status while uncertainty around manager Derek McInnes' future continues.

Danny Armstrong's penalty gave Kilmarnock the lead before the break, but Lyall Cameron's first goal of the afternoon levelled.

Two headers, scored by Bruce Anderson and Robbie Deas, looked to have finished the game but Cameron netted again - this time a stunner from the edge of the box - to set up a tense finale. However, the hosts held on.

What did you make of that, Dundee fans? Do you agree that your side should have had a penalty?

How big an impact has VAR had in the last few weeks? Did you deserve a point from that? And how do you feel about Wednesday night?

Let us know your thoughts.

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Dundee boss Tony Docherty told BBC Scotland: "It's not emotion, it's confusion. There's confusion throughout, for the second week. I don't want to be the manager who comes out every week and complains about referees and VAR, but there's huge confusion about the decision not to give the penalty kick.

"I've been in to see Don [Robertson], who I think is a very good referee. He's a bit embarrassed. The sequence of events was he was called across by VAR, they reviewed the offside, saw it wasn't offside, but decided it was outside the box.

"They never showed Don an image. The whole point of VAR is to bring Don across, show him the image and let him make a decision. I've seen the image, he [Simon Murray] is inside the box. It's a penalty kick. What's the point in VAR? Why was he not shown an image?

"He was inside the box. The referee would have come to that conclusion, had he been shown an image.

"If we convert the penalty, it would have a huge affect on the game. Once again, I want to stress I'm not abdicating my responsibility, but for the second week running we've been wronged by VAR.

"We knew going into the bottom six what was ahead of us. Two draws from this week and last week would have seen us okay, but that's not the case."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Any belief that Dundee had of leaving Ayrshire with points was fleeting.

The hope attained from Cameron's first goal lasted all of a minute. The game only last six minutes after his second.

But that feeling of missing the opportunity for a point, a moment that came and went so quickly, will linger.

Now, everything rests on Wednesday night and the game against Dundee.

For all the possession, they struggled to test the keeper for large parts.

The introduction of Oluwaseun Adewumi was hugely influential. He set up one, almost scored another, and looked a much better partner for Simon Murray.

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Kilmarnock pair Brad Lyons (groin) and Joe Wright (hip) have a chance of returning to the squad while Kyle Magennis (knee) is back in training but unlikely to feature.

Dundee attacker Oluwaseun Adewumi has shaken off a knock but Jordan McGhee remains out and Ethan Ingram has been ruled out for the season with a thigh injury.

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Captain Joe Shaughnessy insists there's no extra pressure on the crucial trip to Kilmarnock this weekend as Dundee battle to remain in the top flight.

Tony Docherty's side sit just two points clear of Ross County, who occupy the Premiership play-off spot with three games remaining.

Despite that, and suffering a controversial defeat to Motherwell last time out, Shaughnessy insists the squad know what's required in the run-in.

"We know it's in our hands," Shaughnessy said. "We know we've got to put in the performances now to keep ourselves in the division.

"We've got the chance to really go and show that we deserve to be in this league next year.

"I don't feel like there's any more pressure now than there has been over the last few months.

"We've known we've been in a relegation battle for the last couple of months, really. So it's not like there's any extra pressure. It's just another game that you go and deal with.

"You go and deal with this weekend and then you move on to Wednesday and there's no point thinking 'What if I do this wrong? What if I make this mistake, all these bad things are going to happen.'

"It's just a game football that you've got to go and deal with and make sure you're on top come the end."

Opponents Kilmarnock have found form at a good time, with consecutive wins leaving them with the chance to secure their Premiership place against Dundee.

Victory for Dundee would leave them just a point behind Derek McInnes' side.

"At this stage of the season, the result is all that matters," added Irish defender Shaughnessy.

"Everyone would love to win pretty, but you've just got to win any way you can. You've got to get the results. We're ready to do that.

"They [Kilmarnock] put you under pressure and you've got to stand up to that.

"If you can't stand up to that, there's no point going to play Kilmarnock away if you're just going to lie down. You've got to fight that."

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• Kilmarnock have only lost one of their past 13 Scottish Premiership games against Dundee (W4 D8), a 3-2 defeat in November this season.

• Dundee are winless in five Scottish Premiership visits to Kilmarnock (D3 L2) since a 1-0 victory in May 2017.

• Kilmarnock have won their past two league games (both 2-0), while they last won three in a row within a single season in the Premiership in October 2020, and last did so while also keeping a clean sheet each time in April 2018.

• Dundee have alternated between winning (3) and losing (3) their last six league games, losing 2-1 at home to Motherwell last time out.

• Dundee have dropped more points from winning positions (26) than any other side in this season's top flight, while no club has recovered more from losing positions than Kilmarnock (13, level with Hibernian and Rangers).

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty has hailed Simon Murray as a "role model" to younger players in his squad after the striker's second player of the year nomination.

Having been beaten to the PFA Scotland award, Murray is shortlisted for the Scottish Football Writers' Association prize.

The 33-year-old has been an inspirational figure this term for the Dens Park side who, despite his form, sit just two points clear of second-bottom Ross County with three games remaining.

"He's been brilliant," Docherty said.

"He's not just displayed fantastic ability on the pitch, but in the dressing room he's brilliant as well. That's the reason why we went to such lengths to get him here.

"Simon, for me, is a role model for the younger players. The biggest kind of credit I can give Simon Murray is he's really developed as a player.

"Last year, people would say to me he can only play, for example, in the front two. He's showing this season he can adapt to any formation because the qualities that he's got and that doesn't just happen.

"That's as a result of how hard he works during the week, how much he puts into his game, how he loves his life and how he dedicates himself to to the sport and he's now getting the credit that I think he richly deserves.

"The age Simon is, to keep on improving the way he's improving his huge credit to him. That's a role model for the younger ones."

Dundee side face a crucial trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday and Docherty insists his side are in good form despite suffering a controversial defeat against Motherwell last time out.

"I need to emphasise and reinforce we're still in good form. We've won three of our last six games, two of our last four which were against St Mirren and Hearts," he added.

"It's important that we display that resilience and also that quality of play that's allowed us to win three out of six.

"It'll be a really difficult game. We know they're a very difficult opponent. A very organised and competitive team but we need to do our utmost to make sure that our cause is greater."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Tony Docherty has been speaking with the media before Dundee's Premiership trip to face Kilmarnock this weekend.

Here are the key points:

• Docherty did not wish to dwell any further on Antonio Portales' controversially disallowed strike in the defeat to Motherwell but did say he has had no contact from Scottish FA head of referee operations Willie Collum regarding the incident.

• He says Dundee need the "resilience" they have shown through the season to bounce back from a game "we should never have lost".

• Docherty cited three wins from Dundee's past six matches as "good form" and wants his side to show "that quality of play".

• Kilmarnock can secure their Premiership status this weekend and Docherty recognises "it will be a really difficult game" but insists Dundee "need to do our utmost to make sure that our cause is greater".

• Having worked with Derek McInnes at clubs including Killie and Aberdeen, Docherty is not surprised the Rugby Park boss has been linked with the Hearts job, saying: "It's recognition of the body of work Derek has done over a number of years."

• Docherty praised Simon Murray as being a role model for younger players in the squad after the striker was nominated for the PFA Scotland and SFWA player of the year awards, adding that his dedication to improve at age 33 is a huge credit.

• Ethan Ingram looks likely to miss the remainder of the season but Oluwaseun Adewumi is available this weekend.

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Dundee striker Simon Murray has been nominated for the Scottish Football Writers' Association player of the year award.

The 33-year-old was also shortlisted for the PFA Scotland prize but lost out to Celtic's Daizen Maeda, who is vying for the SFWA's equivalent with team-mate Callum McGregor, Hibernian midfielder Nectar Triantis and Dens Park forward Murray.

After returning to Dundee last summer, Murray has scored 21 times across all competitions this season in Tony Docherty's struggling side.

The former Hibs striker also leads the Scottish Premiership scoring chart, along with Maeda, on 16 goals and there have been calls from fans and pundits to reward the forward with a call-up to the Scotland squad.

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

I should be writing about two sensational volleys from Antonio Portales. Instead I'm forced to vent about VAR.

Saturday started so promisingly when it looked like Portales had scored a second worldie of a volley just before half-time.

However, in Scottish football we can't have nice things, so the goal was ruled out for a bizarre offside call.

Clark Robertson, for me, did not interfere with play and his sin was merely existing in an offside position. Dominic Thompson goes to clear the ball regardless of what the Dundee defender is up to – and thus Robertson's actions clearly had no impact on Portales' finish.

Even if one were to make the argument he moved towards the ball and that's enough for an offside offence to be considered, that would imply that if Robertson had taken a half step 30 degrees to each side instead then it's suddenly alright? Nonsense.

It's no wonder all pundits are unanimous on this being an awful decision from VAR, maybe even the worst one seen all season.

Had the goal stood, no one would have been calling for it to to be disallowed.

On one hand, at 2-0 up the dynamic of the game completely changes if the second goal stands. Dundee have command of the game, a healthy lead at home.

On the other hand, Dundee didn't do nearly enough to win the game in the second half, particularly when Motherwell went down to 10 men.

So Dundee were viciously hard done by from poor officiating and also performed abysmally in the second half, both things can be true.

In the end, Motherwell were worthy winners and Dundee once again found a way to lose a game by surrendering a lead they should never have lost.

We should be going to Rugby Park with a weight off our shoulders, but we could potentially slump back to 11th this weekend. The pressure is ramping up as we are within touching distance of Ross County in the relegation play-off.

It's three cup finals for Dundee, we simply can't afford anymore stale performances like that second half against Motherwell.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Dundee boss Tony Docherty couldn't help but vent his frustrations at the officials following Saturday's defeat to Motherwell, where there was a controversial disallowed goal.

The fantastic strike came from Antonio Portales - who had already opened the scoring with a similar effort - and though it was chopped off, the defender still makes my team of the week as he showed his quality.

Watch the Sportscene panel analyse Antonio Portales' disallowed goal against against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

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Watch all the action from Motherwell's 2-1 win over Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

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