Dundee: Carson, McGhee, Sylla, Shaughnessy, Donnelly, Beck, Cameron, Tiffoney, McCowan, Bakayoko, Robinson.
Substitutes: Sharp, Dodgson, Astley, Lamie, Ashcroft, Mulligan, Robertson, Mellon, Costelloe.
St Johnstone: Mitov, Olufunwa, K Smith, Considine, Gordon, Robinson, M Smith, Kjeltens, Carey, Kimpioka, Sidibeh.
Substitutes: Richards, Gallacher, McGowan, Kane, Clark, Jaiyesimi, Kucheriavyi, Sprangler, C Smith.
New Dundee signing Ryan Astley has revealed fellow Wales defender Owen Beck convinced him to make the move from Everton to Dens Park. (Courier).
Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish football gossip here.
Image source, SNSSome folk call it the 'Tayside Derby'.
While there is certainly no love lost between Dundee and St Johnstone, whether this fixture is truly a derby is a source of great debate in Scottish football.
Dens Park midfielder Lyall Cameron isn't convinced there will be too much extra bite when the sides meet on Sunday, but does admit it's a huge game in their top-six aspirations.
"We want to try and separate ourselves from them as much as possible, so we're looking forward to it," he said. "It's massive. It's not going to be easy, they're a good side with a lot of good players.
"I'm not too sure if it's the biggest derby in the world, or even in Dundee, but hopefully it should be. It doesn't matter who we're playing, we want to go and get three points. Hopefully the fans can get right behind us.
"We've built quite a good relationship with the fans this year because they've seen the effort we're putting in and we're getting against the very best teams in the league. Hopefully they can bring that energy on Sunday and we can go out and give them all we can on the pitch.
"A lot of people's expectations about us have changed. The first expectation from the fans was how can we survive? We've not totally done that yet, but we're looking towards doing that."
Image source, SNSDundee defender Juan Portales is out of action until March, while Ricki Lamie and Ryan Howley are missing with knocks.
Up frnt, Diego Pineda and Charlie Reilly missed the midweek loss to St Mirren.
St Johnstone will be without Ali Crawford, who is yet to kick a ball this season, while Drey Wright is expected to return from a knee injury some time this month.
Dundee defender Ryan Astley says on-loan Liverpool left-back Owen Beck played a huge part in persuading him to sign a two-and-a-half year contract with the Scottish Premiership club after the 22-year-old exited Everton. (Daily Record, print edition)
Liverpool are considering a move for 26-year-old Fulham and United States defender Antonee Robinson to provide back-up for Scotland left-back Andy Robertson. (Fichajes), external
Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full here.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, SNSTony Docherty is looking for a clean slate as his side aim to arrest their recent slump of just two wins in 12 games.
The Dens Park side remain in the top six despite their recent dip in form, which the manager partly attributes to facing so many games on the road.
Although results may not have gone the way of his team, Docherty insists he's been pleased with the performances levels on show and believes his squad can look forward with 10 games to play before the split.
"I think you've got to put things a wee bit into context," he said. "The level of performance I've seen from the team has been consistently high.
"Going into that St Mirren game, that was our sixth game in 17 days, five of them have been away from home. After Sunday's game, that'll be us seven in 21 [days].
"What I would say is that in the last 11 games that we've played, we've had nine away from home. We've had two at home which have been against Celtic and Hearts.
"I think taking all that into context - and being the newly-promoted club - the players and the staff need to take huge credit for them getting through that realy tough schedule of games.
"We're now in a position where we can look forward. We're through that period and we got through it really well. I'm really pleased with the consistent level of form I'm getting from the squad.
"We now hit the reset button. We've got 10 games until the split and six of them are at home. It's very much looking forward now."
Image source, SNSDundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to welcome St Johnstone to Dens Park in the Scottish Premiership.
Here are the key points...
Calls for "context" despite recent poor results. Says his side's level of performance has still been good on a run of nine away games out of 11.
Describes the submission of planning permission for a new stadium as "fantastic news" for a "progressive" and "ambitious" club. Adds that it's "great" to have the backing of both the SFA and SPFL.
Praises Craig Levein for his longevity in the game, saying you don't have a 26-year managerial career if you aren't good at your job.
Disappointed they aren't taking part in the Scottish Cup fifth-round this weekend, but is content to have sacrificed that if it means finishing higher up the league.
Almost a "clean bill of health" in the Dundee squad. Ricki Lamie, Aaron Donnelly and Dara Costelloe all return, while Antonio Portales will be back in training on Monday.
Image source, SNSDundee's plans to leave Dens Park and build a new stadium have received the backing of Scottish football authorities.
Planning permission has also been submitted to the city council for the Camperdown Stadium Development project, which is hoped to be completed by next year.
Both the Scottish FA and the SPFL have given their support to the proposal, with the 12,500-seater ground planned to host music and entertainment events in addition to being the football club's new home.
Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: “Dens Park has been an iconic Scottish football stadium for more than 100 years and while fans of all generations will cherish their favourite memories inside the stadium, we understand the club’s wish to future-proof their home and improve the matchday experience for supporters for the next 100 years.
“The Scottish FA is supportive of plans that will improve club infrastructure, the supporter experience and the image of the national game.”
SPFL Chief Executive, Neil Doncaster, added: “Any club that seeks to invest in improving infrastructure to this scale deserves enormous credit. This project is ambitious and one that has been worked on for some time by the owners.
“The SPFL supports efforts to enhance the Scottish football experience for the hundreds of thousands of fans who attend matches on a weekly basis.”
Image source, SNSEach of the last three league meetings between Dundee and St Johnstone have been draws by an increasing scoreline: 0-0 in January 2022, 1-1 in April 2022, and 2-2 in September 2023.
St Johnstone have won just one of their last 12 away league games against newly promoted clubs (D7 L4), although that was the most recent of these, beating Kilmarnock 1-0 in May 2023.
Dundee have lost each of their last three home league games, their longest losing run on home soil in the Scottish Premiership since losing their final six such matches of 2018-19, a season they were relegated.
St Johnstone have only won one of their last seven league games (D3 L3), although that was their last such away match, beating Ross County 1-0 to pick up their first away win of the season in the Scottish Premiership.
No player has scored (4) or assisted (4) more league goals for Dundee this season than Luke McCowan (8, level with Amadou Bakayoko), who assisted both of their goals in their last home league match against Hearts.
Dundee host St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, looking to bounce back from successive league defeats.
What team would you go with if you were in Tony Docherty's position?
Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your Dundee XI here.
We asked for your thoughts after Dundee's 2-0 loss to St Mirren.
Here's a taste of what you had to say:
Doug: A seriously disappointing and disjointed performance by the Dees. Mellon and Main promised so much together on paper, but it didn’t quite work out that way on grass. One to forget. Roll on Sunday!
Boab: Inconsistency shown by referees and VAR in our last few games which are costing Dundee vital points.
Rod: A lot of away games and a lot of penalties against us. Hopefully we will be more lucky with decisions and six home games out of nine will see us maintain our top six position. Need Lamie and Portales back in defence.
Tony Docherty gives his reaction to Dundee's loss to St Mirren
Image source, SNSDundee boss Tony Docherty tells BBC Scotland: "It doesn't sit well with me. It was a difficult game, the pitch was poor and really difficult to play on. We tried to pass it, but it was a long-ball, second-ball game. That's their style of play.
"I can't be harsh on my players, they've been fantastic for me. I'm just disappointed to be talking about decisions that don't go for us.
"We've got a handball in the 87th minute from a shot that is going in, or hitting the post at least. We don't get that decision, they don't go over to VAR. I'm perplexed, I'm asking questions, because I'm trying to protect our football club.
"I just wanted the referee to check it. When I checked it, it is a handball. That changes the whole complexion of the game, it gives us a good point if we convert the penalty.
"These decisions continually go against us. I'd urge people to look at the five penalties kicks we've conceded in the last four games. I've always been an advocate of progressing the game, but if we don't use VAR properly what's the point? I think we're getting a raw deal."
Image source, .How big a setback is that, Dundee fans? How aggrieved do you feel to be leaving Paisley with nothing?
Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport Scotland
This was a big opportunity passed up for Dundee to prove their top six credentials. With the exception of the final few minutes, they failed to impress.
However, Tony Docherty will have every right to feel aggrieved by the late handball shout that went against his team. That would, probably, have been 1-1 and the table would look quite different.
And, although they'll be happy to get back home after a brutal run of eight away fixtures in 10 games, the reality is they are nine points from fifth place, and seven from 11th.
They cannot afford to be complacent, even with two games in hand.
St Mirren: Hemming, Bolton, Gogic, Fraser, Bwomono, Kwon, Boyd-Munce, Tanser, Kiltie, Mandron, Scott.
Substitutes: Urminsky, Dunne, Taylor, Brown, Flynn, Baccus, Jamieson, Olusanya, Ayunga.
Dundee: Carson, McGhee, Ashcroft, Shaughnessy, Dodgson, Cameron, Baoteng, McCowan, Beck, Mellon, Main.
Substitutes: Sharp, Astley, Tiffoney, Bakayoko, Mulligan, Robinson, Robertson, Donnelly, Sylla.
Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland
Dundee are sixth in the Premiership table, with games in hand on all the teams above them.
So, the smart money would suggest they are on course for a very good season.
It could yet turn into a great one for the Dark Blues, but in order to tick that box they will need to find a way of getting the wins that arguably their performances have merited.
Despite a string of encouraging displays, the Premiership new boys have only won two of their last 10 league games.
There has been so much to like about Tony Docherty’s team this term, and the man himself will be confident that if they keep doing what they are doing, then the victories will start to flow.
And with a number of players still to return from injury, there is plenty of cause for optimism that is something that will happen over the coming weeks.
Midfielder Keanu Baccus returns to the St Mirren squad after international duty with Australia. Mark O'Hara, Conor McMenamin and Ryan Strain remain out.
Diego Pineda, Ricki Lamie and Aaron Donnelly are back in training for Dundee and could potentially feature but Charlie Reilly, Antonio Portales and Ryan Howley are still sidelined.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSSt Mirren have won four of their last five Scottish Premiership home games against Dundee (L1), including both of their last two in a row.
After their 4-0 win in November, Dundee could pick up back-to-back top-flight victories within a single season over St Mirren for the first time since 2012-13.
St Mirren have lost each of their last three home league games, all without scoring. It’s their longest home league losing run since April 2022 (4 in a row), while not since August 2007 have the Buddies lost four consecutive top-flight home games all without scoring.
Dundee have scored in each of their last eight away league games (16 goals total, 2 per game), losing just two of these fixtures (W3 D3). It’s the Dee’s longest scoring run on the road in the top-flight since netting in 12 in a row from August 2014 to February 2015.
St Mirren’s Stephen Robinson has won each of his last five home Scottish Premiership games against Dundee (three with Motherwell, two with the Buddies) since a 1-1 draw with Motherwell in December 2017.
Image source, SNS"Young-ish" Dundee are still learning the ropes in their first season back in the Scottish Premiership, says midfielder Luke McCowan.
Tony Docherty's side were taught a cruel lesson on Saturday, as Hearts twice came from behind to seal a dramatic victory at Dens Park.
But the 26-year-old insists the squad are "buzzing" at the opportunity to atone for the defeat when they head to fifth-placed St Mirren on Wednesday.
“That’s the hardest thing any team does, when you concede goals to keep your momentum and keep things going your way," McCowan said.
“We are a young-ish team and we are learning that through the season. Obviously there is only so long you can say that, you need to start making it work.
“We know that’s probably been our downfall in some games but we work as hard as we can and other games we have started well in we have ended up being even better throughout the game.
“Listen, some games it happens and it hurts and that’s probably why that result hurt the most.”
“Games coming thick and fast are the best, obviously you need to recover but we are big enough boys, we know how to go again.
“But games coming straight away, especially when you get a defeat or even a draw, you are buzzing that the next game is just round the corner.”
