Image source, SNSDundee remain without Antonio Portales (calf), Seb Palmer-Houlden (knee), Clark Robertson (hamstring), Billy Koumetio (ankle) and Scott Fraser (groin).
St Johnstone lost Bozo Mikulic to a long-term knee injury in midweek. Benji Kimpioka and Victor Griffith are close to a return but Uche Ikpeazu (knee) and Sam McClelland (Achilles) are out long term while Andre Raymond has joined Dunfermline on loan.
Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSTony Docherty insists Dundee have the resilience to salvage survival in a season "blighted by injuries".
After suffering a fifth successive league defeat at Motherwell on Wednesday night, Docherty's side will drop to the bottom of the table if they lose by two or more goals at home to relegation rivals St Johnstone on Saturday.
Asked if that was a concern, Docherty said: "At this stage, no. There's no league standings in February, there's no prizes given out in February.
"It's a big game, they're all big games at this stage of the season. I don't put any more emphasis on this game than any other one.
"There's 10 games to go, there's five games until the split, it's important that although we want to stop the bad run we're on at the moment, we're still working hard towards that.
"What really encourages me as manager, all I want to see is that level of performance but a little bit more consistently.
"I thought the level of performance we got on Wednesday night against Motherwell certainly merited getting something from the game.
"You need to be buoyed and encouraged by that and make sure we're positive with the players."
Dundee are without five players through injury this weekend and Docherty says such problems are symptomatic of their season.
"We've proven that over the season, it wasn't even that long ago, we have been really blighted by injuries," he added.
"It's over 100 appearances, particularly senior players, that we've missed this season. Just recently when we had the episode with real significant injuries and we went into fixtures and we had the good performance results against Rangers and Celtic, we beat Dundee United in the cup, that was real mental toughness by the group.
"That was real resilience and now I'm looking for that at this stage of the season as well."
Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSTony Docherty has been speaking to the media before Dundee's game against St Johnstone on Saturday.
Here are the key lines from his press conference:
Docherty doesn't "put more emphasis on this game" than any other and has "no" concerns about potentially being bottom of the table this weekend because "there's no prizes given out in February".
With Dundee winless in seven league games, losing the past five, Docherty says they need to stay "focused and strong" in a bid to "stop the bad run". He believes it was an encouraging performance at Motherwell in midweek despite the defeat.
"We have been really blighted by injuries," the Dark Blues boss says, but emphasised there is "real mental toughness" in the squad.
He insists the players and staff are working hard to "turn this round and it is encouraging that you see a dressing room that are fully together".
Antonio Portales, Clark Robertson and Seb Palmer-Houlden are out for "four to six weeks" and and while it is "really frustrating" to have key players missing, Docherty was "delighted" with Charlie Reilly's performance at Fir Park and is hopeful Scott Fraser will be back with the squad next week.
He urged the fans to stick with them and understands their discontent following recent results but says "we've got that youth, energy, bravery and sometimes that can bring the inconsistency".
Docherty insists fit-again skipper Joe Shaughnessy is "really important" in influencing young team-mates.
On St Johnstone: "They are a good, possession-based team, you can see that the manager's been working a lot on them in terms of their system."
Image source, SNSFormer Dundee striker Cillian Sheridan believes the atmosphere could turn toxic at Dens Park in Saturday's crucial relegation showdown with St Johnstone.
After five straight league defeats Tony Docherty's second-bottom side go into the game just three points above the visitors.
"St Johnstone are the team with momentum, they've got a bit more hope with them than Dundee have," said Sheridan on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast.
"Dundee maybe have a little bit of worry their confidence will be hit.
"Dens Park is not an easy place to play when the crowd are on top of you and they'll almost be going in expecting and waiting to get their booing started. I've experienced this.
"The way it's landed is brilliant in terms of excitement and something happening down the bottom end of the table."
Image source, SNSDundee have won three of their last four league meetings with St Johnstone (L1), more than their previous 11 beforehand (W2 D3 L6).
After their 2-1 win in October, St Johnstone could win away to Dundee twice within a single top-fight season for the first time since 1998-99.
Dundee have lost their past five league games, their longest such run in the Scottish Premiership since January 2022 (six).
St Johnstone have won three of their past five league games (L2), as many as their previous 21 beforehand (W3 D3 L15).
Makenzie Kirk has scored six goals for St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership this season, the most by a player aged 21 or younger for the club in a single league campaign since Stevie May in 2013-14 (20).
Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland
When Dundee thumped Motherwell 4-0 to leapfrog the visitors into fifth place in early December, the talk was about two sides from the City of Discovery finishing in the top six.
However, after a run of five straight league defeats for Tony Docherty's side, the fear of relegation blues have returned to the Dens Park side of Tannadice Street.
Now four points adrift of third-bottom Kilmarnock and only three clear of St Johnstone, Saturday's visit of the Premiership's bottom side could be season defining for Dundee.
Having only appointed Simo Valakari in October, Saints appear ready to stick with their Finnish manager even if relegated.
In contrast, pressure will mount on Docherty - from Dundee fans at least - should the improving Perth side secure a sixth win in their latest eight outings to draw level in what could then develop into a two-team dogfight to avoid the automatic relegation spot.
A victory for either would, of course, take them closer to one, if not two, of the teams immediately above, considering Kilmarnock visit Ross County.
To do so, Dundee must repeat the form they showed in beating United and Airdrieonians in the cup amid their run of six without a win in the league.
They did beat Saints 3-1 in their latest meeting, at McDiarmid Park in January.
It was the Perth side who prevailed 2-1 on their previous visit to Dens in October, but since then they have only won once in eight away games.
That was also their only win in eight meetings between the sides and St Johnstone have not won twice running at Dens in a single season since 1998-99.
Docherty will hope that trend continues.
Read all the weekend Premiership picks
Defender Joe Shaughnessy is ready to spearhead Dundee's bid for survival. (Courier - subscription required), external
Sportscene pundits Michael Stewart and Richard Foster analyse a Dundee penalty shout for a potential handball by Motherwell's Stephen O'Donnell. (Available to UK users only)
We asked you for your thoughts on the 2-1 loss to Motherwell that leaves Dundee just three points off the bottom.
Here's what some of you said:
Gary: We only change set-up after we've conceded a weak goal, again. Why not start that way when you know you need to protect your defence? That's the way we can be competitive but Tony Docherty doesn't seem to know how to pick the right team that can play that way. He continually gets his tactics wrong and has to react when we're already up against it.
Pageauds Tache: I don't even know where to start, I'm getting so frustrated. Tony, stop making the same old excuses. We are in serious trouble, and no amount of "honest chats" or "home truths" will fix it. Ship up or ship out. Any good credit you banked from last season is now bankrupt.
Bob: Dundee are going down. Docherty lives in cloud cuckoo land. "If we perform like we did in the second half, we will be all right." Really?
Even after being destroyed in the first half, 45 minutes is all you need? Dundee are the rehab team. Motherwell is the latest. Can't win? Need to get your season back on track? Play Dundee!
Gary: How long are we going to suffer this? We don't set up to protect an obviously porous defence? No team fears us now. Tactically unaware, reactive rather than proactive. Clueless and pointless. At this rate something surely has to change. Docherty is only dragging us down now.
Raymond: The Dee are in freefall. I've sat through countless awful games with my grandson over the last couple of seasons and, when you hear Docherty's summary of these games, you wonder if you were at the same games that he refers to.
Ronnie: Unacceptable. This team is haunted. Utterly inept showing, no organisation, tactical awareness, fight or attitude. This rests with the manager. Lose on Saturday and Dundee are as good as down; then Docherty must go and it will be time to clear out his embarrassing, hopeless, lightweight team.
Image source, SNSDundee have lost their last five games in the Premiership, their last longer losing streak was from 4 December 2021 to 18 January 2022, a run of six matches.
Motherwell attempted 14 shots in this match, higher than their season average of 9.8 in the Premiership.
Simon Murray has scored 10 goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Dundee player.
Motherwell have a record of W7, D2, L1 when leading at half-time in the Premiership this season.
Dundee have conceded 13 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Ross County (16) and Hibernian (15) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.
Highlights: Motherwell 2-1 Dundee
Watch the best of the action as Motherwell beat Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.
Available in UK only
Defender Dan Casey scored twice as Motherwell won for the first time in eight matches to beat freefalling Dundee on new boss Michael Wimmer's home debut.
The visitors' fifth consecutive Scottish Premiership defeat leaves them four points from safety and just three points off bottom spot.
Casey's first came after 12 minutes when he bulleted in a header from an Andy Halliday corner.
The Irishman was left completely unmarked in the box and should have added a near identical goal just a few minutes later from another set-piece.
Tony Docherty's side struggled to compete in the first half, but a change of formation allowed them greater control in the second period.
They equalised with 11 minutes to play when Simon Murray tapped in his 15th goal of the season, but the game was not level for long.
Motherwell restored their lead six minutes later with centre back Casey volleying in from Harry Paton's cross to complete an unlikely double.
Image source, SNSDundee manager Tony Docherty: "I thought we should've got at least a point. The performance in the second half was good enough.
"We had numerous chances. We were, by a long shot, the better team in the second half.
"If we continue to put in that level of performance then we'll be okay.
"We've lost a game that we should never lose, but maybe we'll pick up points in a game we shouldn't win.
"Once again, we've shot ourselves in the foot, it's self-inflicted. We need to learn from that.
"If I get that performance level in that second half going into any game, I'd be confident in my team winning. Bring on the challenge, we'll be ready for it."
Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSDundee are in trouble. They have been unlucky in some defeats recently but not in this one.
It took until Cameron's equaliser for the visitors register a shot on target and they never really looked to threaten Ellery Balcombe's goal.
There are goals in Dundee's attack - Murray has 15 this season and netted 23 last campaign; Lyall Cameron boasts 10 from midfield; and Seb Palmer-Holden has found the net nine times.
But providing service to these forward players seems to be the real issue.
With bottom club St Johnstone beating Ross County, Dundee must know they are in a relegation dogfight.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
This week is shaping up as one of the biggest in Dundee's season.
For all the good football they have played at times and for the undoubted quality they possess, Dundee are bang in bother.
They are second bottom of the table, with the second worst goal difference. It is four Premiership defeats on the spin for a Dark Blues side who have only mustered two wins in their past 12 league games.
The statistics make grim reading. Whether they can get themselves out of their current predicament will become clearer over the next few days.
First up is a trip to play Motherwell, who are one place and four points above them.
Then on Saturday Tony Docherty's men face a huge home meeting with St Johnstone, who currently sit six points adrift at the bottom.
A healthy haul of points from this crucial double-header could see things look a whole lot better for the Dark Blues. If they don't get the desired outcome then the alarm bells will really start to ring.
Image source, SNSMotherwell have lost both of their two previous league games against Dundee in 2024-25, this after only losing one of their previous 14 league matches against them beforehand (W9 D4).
Dundee's 1-0 win in October ended a seven-game winless run away to Motherwell in the league (D3 L4) since winning back-to-back visits in 2016-17.
Motherwell have lost both of their last two home league games, last losing more on the spin in November 2022 (run of four).
Dundee have lost each of their last five midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) away league games by an aggregate score of 22-3 since a 1-1 draw at Aberdeen in January 2024. The Dark Blues' last midweek away win in the Scottish Premiership was back in February 2022 at Hearts (2-1).
Dundee's Lyall Cameron has scored five goals in his five Scottish Premiership appearances against Motherwell – the only opponent against which he has scored more than twice in the competition.
Image source, SNSMotherwell have lost Shane Blaney and Sam Nicholson to long-term knee injuries. Tony Watt is available again, while Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Marvin Kaleta are back in training but unlikely to feature.
Jack Vale (Achilles), Steve Seddon (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring), Paul McGinn (thigh), Zach Robinson (Achilles) and goalkeepers Archie Mair and Aston Oxborough (both hand) remain out.
Dundee suffered three fresh injuries in their defeat at Ross County, with key trio Antonio Portales (calf), Seb Palmer-Houlden (knee) and Clark Robertson (hamstring) joining join Billy Koumetio (ankle) and Scott Fraser (groin) on the sidelines.
Image source, SNSTony Docherty is looking for Dundee make it three wins in a row over Motherwell on Wednesday to draw them closer to their fellow strugglers.
Michael Wimmer took over from Stuart Kettlewell as boss of the Fir Park side before their trip to Dundee United in the Premiership at the weekend but began his tenure with a 1-0 defeat to make it six successive losses.
Dundee's form has been equally poor, with a 3-1 loss at Ross County their fourth successive league defeat to leave them four points behind Motherwell in the relegation play-off spot with 11 fixtures remaining.
But Docherty is encouraged by two previous wins over Well this season.
"There's been a good reaction from the players," said the Dundee boss, who reported three "significant" injuries to Seb Palmer-Houlden, Antonio Portales and Clark Robertson.
"Obviously there was a disappointment there. I thought the opposition played the conditions better.
"I thought the pitch was really poor but they played that better than us, so we came away from that disappointed, because we're focusing on every game as a cup tie and trying to do all we can at this stage of the season to win it.
"Once we recover from that, analyse it, it's full focus on the game at Motherwell and we did well this season down at Fir Park.
"We won 1-0 down there and we did well at home with a 4-1 victory as well, so I'm hoping we can cap that off and make it three wins against them.
"You need to treat it as cup football and do everything you can to win the games and we will endeavour to do all we can to make sure that we execute a gameplan that gives us every opportunity to win the match."
Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSDundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Motherwell on Wednesday night.
Here are the main points:
Dundee have picked up "significant injuries" after Saturday's defeat at Ross County. Seb Palmer-Houlden is being sent for a scan on his knee, Antonio Portales has damaged his calf and Clark Robertson has an issue with his hamstring.
Although disappointed, Docherty is looking at the positive that the injury problems "present opportunities for players in the squad I've got great faith in".
On the weekend defeat, Docherty says County "played the conditions better" but stresses he has seen a "good reaction" from the squad in training.
After a six-game winless run in the Premiership, including losing the past four games, Dundee are treating every match as a "cup final", starting with Motherwell on Wednesday night.
Docherty says his side need to do better at "winning ugly" but he is pleased with the experience in the dressing room, particularly with Joe Shaughnessy back in full training.
The manager is confident Dundee can overcome current "adversity" like they have in the past.
Ethan Hampton
Fan writer
Dundee's slide continues. A fourth consecutive league defeat - this time at Ross County - leaves the Dark Blues second bottom of the Premiership.
The next two games could define Dundee's season. A trip to Motherwell on Wednesday will determine whether we remain within reach of the mid-table teams or if a daylight gap emerges.
Remarkably, Dundee were 10 points ahead of St Johnstone in January. By Saturday, we could replace them in bottom spot.
With Motherwell and St Johnstone being the teams directly above and below Dundee it adds heavier emphasis to the matches for a team that will be feeling the pressure.
This could very well be the biggest week of Tony Docherty's managerial career to date. Failure to pick up points could throw the manager and club into a very alarming situation.
On the other hand, a turnaround now would be perfect timing given the Scottish Cup quarter-final and Dundee derby at Tannadice on the horizon.
Football is a funny game - just now feels very doom and gloom but we could quickly be on cloud nine. It is up to to the players to prove they have the character to match their ambitions and rise up from their current wreckage of form.
Amid this chaos, I find myself reminiscing about how strong the team looked at the start of the season. I stated that if Dundee sold Luke McCowan for anything less than a club record fee, it would be a disaster. I argued that, to compete for Europe and make cup runs, keeping him was essential and his influence outweighed any short-term financial gain.
Was losing a captain in a team short of leaders, a matchwinner in a side lacking a talisman, and the heartbeat of the squad, worth just £1m?
Dundee have a history of underselling their best assets. And in every scenario I can think of it never ends with us competing where we want to be.
Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSWhile his future team-mates at Ibrox are in turmoil with the loss of their manager, Lyall Cameron's job until joining Rangers in the summer is to help Dundee out of the relegation play-off spot.
Their visit to Motherwell is crucial considering Wednesday's hosts are one place and four points above, but it should be one for the 22-year-old midfielder to relish.
Cameron has scored five goals in his five Premiership appearances against the Steelmen - the only opponent against whom he has scored more than twice in the top flight.
He also has the added burden of having to impress a new manager given he thought he would be playing under the now-departed Clement at Ibrox come next season.
Cameron will be keen to make sure Michael Wimmer suffers a second successive defeat since taking over as Well manager - the side's sixth in a row overall and seventh without a win.
Dundee themselves have only won once in five, losing the other four, but will be aiming for a hat-trick of wins over Motherwell this season.
That includes October's win at Fir Park, where - you've guessed it - Cameron scored the only goal of the game before a double in their 4-1 at Dens Park in December.
Read all the Premiership picks
Image source, SNSDundee boss Tony Docherty believes his side need to "take stock" as they made it four league defeats in a row following the loss to Ross County.
The Dark Blues sit in 11th place in the league - the relegation play-off spot - and are four adrift from tenth-placed Motherwell.
"We've got another game coming right away on Wednesday," Docherty said. "It's important.
"It really is self-inflicted. I feel as if I'm saying the same things just now, but we really need to take stock and make sure that the situation we've found ourselves in, we need to make sure we work hard to get ourselves out of it."
His side went ahead against Ross County thanks to an early Simon Murray goal but a second-half collapse consigned them to yet another defeat.
"We had defensive injuries today that didn't help us, but there's a group of players in there, a group of staff that, as a collective, we're the only ones that can do something about that. We need to do something about it.
"We need to get to the root of the problem, try and eliminate the individual mistakes that we're making and give ourselves more of an opportunity to try and win football matches."
Watch highlights as Ross County win 3-1 against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.
