Dundee

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Six goals, six different goalscorers, a host of other chances, some nice football and a place in the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

Days don’t get a lot better than this and Dundee were well worth their win.

That’s 29 goals in 7 games so far this season for Tony Docherty’s side, the manager is challenging them to raise the bar and they already seem to be doing that.

The midfield of Mo Sylla, Luke McCowan and Lyall Cameron is particularly impressive and will cause all sorts of problems for many an opponent this season if they can all be kept together.

The Dee are now one match away from Hampden and will be filed under ‘ones to avoid’ in the quarterfinal draw.

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Once again, Luke McCowan impressed.

No goal this afternoon but two assists from the sought-after player.

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There's only one change to the Dundee starting XI with Trevor Carson replacing Jon McCracken in goal.

Sam Graham, the 24-year-old who left National League outfit Fylde this summer, could make his debut off the bench.

Dundee: Carson, Ingram, McGhee, Portales, Larkeche, McCowan, Sylla, Cameron, Tiffoney, Murray, Palmer-Houlden.

Substitutes: McCracken, Sharp, Astley, Main, F Robertson, Graham, Lochhead.

Airdrieonians: Wright, Aiken, D MacDonald, Bruce, Hancock, Agyemang, McCabe, McMaster, Frizzell, Gallagher, B Wilson.

Substitutes: Johnson, Reid, Watson, McGrattan, Cooper, Mochrie, Taylor-Sinclair, Armstrong.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Dundee have dispelled fears that their top-six Premiership finish was a flash in the pan by going unbeaten in six games this season, scoring 23 goals and only conceding five.

Tony Docherty's side, still led by midfielder Luke McCowan after a failed bid from Hibernian for their captain, will entertain second-tier Airdrieonians in Saturday's Premier Sports Cup last 16 seeking a fourth consecutive home win after last weekend's impressive 3-1 dismissal of Heart of Midlothian.

While Rhys McCabe's visitors have scored 15 goals in four wins of their own this season and only lost 2-1 away to top-flight Aberdeen in the group stage, they were brought down to earth by Friday's 5-0 Championship hammering away to Ayr United.

The Diamonds will be hoping last season's 1-0 group-stage win at home to Dundee is more of a precedent than their last visit to Dens Park, when they were thumped 6-2 in the Scottish Cup in November 2022.

McCabe strengthened his defensive options on Friday by signing Sam Graham, the 24-year-old who left National League outfit Fylde this summer.

Read the Premier Sports Cup preview in full here.

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Billy Koumetio aims to emulate former Liverpool team-mate Owen Beck's success by becoming a key player at Dundee.

The 21-year-old centre-back sought advice from Beck, who shone on loan at Dens Park from the Reds last season, before joining on a two-year deal last week.

"Yes, 100%, he [Beck] did brilliant," said Koumetio. "At Liverpool we were very close, we were like a family, there was a lot of talks, so when I was there I remember how every manager and staff were speaking about Owen.

"Owen returned a better player, I know his game has changed now and he has more experience in the men's game.

"The manager and the boys here helped him and liked him, everything went perfect for Owen. I had a chat with him and everything he said was positive and it was perfect for me."

Koumetio, who made his debut off the bench in last Saturday's win over Hearts, emphasised that manager Tony Docherty's vision for Dundee matched with his.

"When he spoke to me about the project of the season that was how I was seeing it," he added.

"And even how he wants me to play and how he wants us to play as a team, it was something I was looking for.

"I didn't just come because Dundee wanted me, I know the club, I know the atmosphere, I know how good the manager is and the vision just matched."

Hibernian have made a third bid of £750,000 for Dundee captain Luke McCowan, with Celtic closely monitoring the situation but yet to make an official approach for the 26-year-old midfielder valued at around £1m by his club. (Anthony Joseph on X), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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The draw for the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup will take place on Sunday after the Celtic v Hibs tie, which kicks off at 15:00 BST.

The draw will be shown live on Premier Sports following their coverage of the game from Parkhead.

All quarter-final ties due to be played on the weekend of September 21-22.

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Tony Docherty has urged in-form Dundee to continue their "feelgood factor" by reaching the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup this weekend.

The Dark Blues followed their perfect group-stage campaign by taking four points from their opening two Premiership matches, including an impressive win over Hearts last weekend.

Ahead of Saturday's visit of Airdrieonians, manager Docherty said: "This game is all about confidence and more importantly the players going into it with confidence.

"We've now played six matches, we're unbeaten, we've only drawn one, we've scored 23 goals and conceded five. Those stats show you that we're in a good place at the moment, but it's important that you embrace that and you stay in that good place.

"There is confidence going into the next game but if we come off it at any stage then you can affect that.

"We're very motivated for progressing as much as we can in the cup. There's a feelgood factor about the players that's hard earned. Hopefully we'll be taking that form and confidence into the next game."

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media before his side take on Airdrieonians in the second round of the Scottish League Cup on Saturday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Docherty says Dundee's display in last weekend's 3-1 win over Hearts was "one of the best performances I've had since I've been here", and stressed how high confidence levels are among the squad.

• Says he's "absolutely delighted" with new signing Billy Koumetio and he's already fitting into the dressing room after one week of being at the club.

• Hinted at more potential incomings: "We're always working and I'd like to see some progress on that".

• On rumoured interest in Luke McCowan, he says it's inevitable that good players will attract suitors when they are playing well.

• Praised his midfield as a whole, and believes you can see progress on the pitch with each passing game.

• Joe Shaughnessy and Josh Mulligan remain out. Docherty hopes to have Clark Robertson and Charlie Reilly back before the international break.

Celtic are chasing £10m Belgian wonderkid Arne Engels of Augsburg - a central midfielder who can play right-back and right wing - and are also eyeing a shock move for Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan. (Scottish Sun)

Dundee have contingency plans in place should they lose McCowan or any of their star players - and Tony Docherty hopes to make a signing before the weekend. (The Courier)

Arsenal have joined other Premier League clubs in showing an interest in Dundee's Scotland Under-16 goalkeeper Ally Graham. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

Ethan Hampton
Fan writer

If you can make an argument for 11 different players when deciding who should claim the player of the match award, you know it's been a great day at the office.

Initially, I was wary of Hearts going into Saturday night's match. They had just held Rangers to a draw and have recruited strongly this summer transfer window.

If you’d offered me a draw before kick-off, I’d have gladly accepted it.

Scott Tiffoney delivered what could very well be his best performance in Dark Blue to date. His talent and workrate aren't always reflected in his scoring record, but he got both the goal and the plaudits he deserved.

Tiffoney's direct style of play positively influences the team, and with early signs of improvement in this Dundee side compared to last season, I sense that 'Tiff' will polish his numbers in front of goal.

I was shocked when referee Don Robertson spared Gerald Taylor a sending off - little did we know that decision would benefit Dundee later, as Taylor accidentally slipped the ball past his own goalkeeper to double our lead.

Lady luck has a sense of humour, and I was laughing with her!

Just two minutes later, Tiffoney was brought down in the box and Luke McCowan scored from the penalty spot, putting us 3-0 up at half-time. You'd need to go back to 2017 for the last time we led by three or more goals at half-time in a Premiership game, when we held a 5-1 lead away to Motherwell.

Jordan McGhee is currently our longest-serving player. Every time we cross swords with his former club, McGhee emerges as one of the most outstanding performers on the pitch. Saturday was no exception.

He read each cross into the Dundee box like an open comic book, commanding the backline with exceptional poise. As all good leaders do, he led by example. A truly top-drawer performance.

Malachi Boateng was at the heart of our midfield during the first half of last season until Mo Sylla’s rich vein of form took his place. It was fitting that they would finally go head to head in our first home league game of the season.

It was an enjoyable contest to watch. Boateng was a very positive influence for Hearts in the second half and it was his cross that Frankie Kent met to pull a consolation goal back, but the first-half scoreline proved too much for the away side to overcome.

Our first league victory of the season has been secured as we professionally dispatched the undisputed third-best team in Scotland. That's a statement of intent.

Dundee now march on. Seven games unbeaten with 23 goals scored holds us in great stead ahead of our upcoming League Cup tie, as we look to defeat Airdrieonians and advance to the quarter-finals.

I’m sure many Dees share my sentiment. I'm proud of how well the team has performed so far and eager to see what comes next.