Dundee

The Sportscene team praise Dundee's second-half showing in defeat to Celtic, but say Tony Docherty's side could have been more clinical.

We asked for your thoughts after Dundee's narrow loss to Celtic.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Ian: Another full-blooded performance from the Dee. Shot ourselves in the foot for the second goal. But showed resilience in pressing the game in the last 15 minutes. This season has been the most I have enjoyed watching my team since the Cannigia era. Playing skilful soccer with full commitment, it’s been a pleasure.

Doug: Dundee went toe-to-toe with Celtic and can count themselves unlucky not to have managed at least a draw. On this showing, Dundee should be very encouraged about getting the points to leapfrog St Mirren for a crack at Europe next season. Next week is the big one!

Anon: Really good to watch, great spirit in team. Sure to add to side next term. Manager runs a tight ship. The club owners need to invest in the stadium structure. It's shocking.

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• Celtic have scored in each of their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, scoring 14 goals in that run.

• Dundee have failed to win in their last four games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 2 September 2023 to 24 October 2023, a run of five games.

• Celtic have scored in 30 of their 34 games, only Rangers (31) have scored goals in more matches in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Celtic are undefeated in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 23 December 2023 to 28 February 2024, a run of 10 matches.

Were you at Dundee's 2-1 defeat by Celtic or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "In the second half, we had a really, really strong performance and we went toe to toe with Celtic. Sitting up there and watching it, I watched a really good team. I was really, really proud of them.

"They need to take it into the next game. We're getting better and better. It's the most shots on target Celtic have faced by a team all season. Just a wee bit unlucky that we didn't do that wee bit more in front of goal to get the goal."

Since an early March loss away to Hearts, Celtic have barely looked back with 13 points from a possible 15 helping them regain the title initiative.

This win was far from vintage but typical of a side with the nous and experience in the likes of double goal scorer James Forrest to get the job done.

Dundee's hopes of a European place to cap a fine return to the Scottish Premiership remain alive and their next four fixtures are against teams they have taken points off so far this season.

Their set pieces caused Celtic plenty of problems and manager Tony Docherty - watching from the stand as he served a touchline ban - can take heart after avoiding a repeat of recent heavy defeats in this fixture.

Dundee make two changes following their 0-0 draw with Rangers 11 days ago.

Antonio Portales replaces the injured Joe Shaughnessy in defence with Josh Mulligan taking over from Lyall Cameron in midfield and Cameron also missing from the squad.

Celtic's last game was that epic Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, which they won on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Brendan Rodgers makes just one change to his starting line-up with James Forrest replacing fellow winger Yang Hyun-jun, who makes the bench.

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Dundee: McCracken, McGhee, Portales, Lamie, Dodgson, Mulligan, Sylla, Boateng, McCowan, Tiffoney, Bakayoko.

Substitutes: Sharp, Astley, Main, Robinson, Robertson, Howley, Donnelly, Mellon, Costelloe.

Celtic: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, O'Riley, McGregor, Hatate, Kuhn, Kyogo, Forrest.

Substitutes: Bain, Palma, Idah, Yang, Nawrocki, Iwata, Bernardo, Kelly, Ralston.

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Dundee captain Joe Shaughnessy has been ruled out with cruciate ligament damage while Owen Beck (groin) is also likely to remain out for the remainder of the season.

Daizen Maeda remains out for Celtic, but he is closing in on a swift return from a hamstring tendon problem.

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Malachi Boateng admits Dundee want to cap their impressive return to the Scottish Premiership by securing European football.

The sixth-place Dens Park side begin their post-split fixtures at home to Celtic on Sunday knowing that fifth spot will enough to ensure Dundee's first European campaign since 2003.

"It is definitely there for us," midfielder Boateng said.

"As a group we obviously want to strive for more and look up the table so it is definitely achievable for us.

"I think it is a good incentive to have, obviously Europe is something that a lot of the boys pushed for at the start of the season but we will just keep on playing our game and there is no pressure on any of us to do it.

"The season is not over, we have got five games to go, so no one is relaxed on holiday or anything, just very composed and taking it game by game."

Manager Tony Docherty says his Dundee players feel a "huge sense of achievement" over securing a top-six place, but insists they won't ease off in the final five games as they now target European football.

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Tony Docherty insists his touchline ban won't hamper Dundee's attempts to upset Premiership leaders Celtic on Sunday.

The Dark Blues boss will serve a one-match suspension after picking up his fourth yellow card of the season in the goalless draw at Aberdeen earlier this month.

"I am disappointed but it doesn’t effect preparation too much in terms of all the work we do during the week and prior to the match," said Docherty.

"I have brilliant staff - Stuart Taylor, Scott Paterson - and they will deputise in that respect.

"We will have a line of communication. We are very close and discuss every fine detail during the week, game-plan, so we are all very much on the same page.

"It is all about the players, it is all about the game. We have not had a game for quite a while now, so we have spent a lot of time on the grass in terms of planning, we know the kind of game-plan we will need to execute to give us a chance against a really top opponent.

"We take great pride as a staff that the players know their jobs before they go on to the pitch so it is just reinforcing messages and Stuart is more than capable, he has experience of doing that."

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Dundee manager Tony Docherty has been speaking to the media before Sunday’s Premiership visit of Celtic.

Here are the key points from the press conference:

• Docherty confirmed he will serve a touchline ban against Celtic after picking up a fourth booking of the season for his "wee tussle" with Graeme Shinnie against Aberdeen recently.

• He says it doesn’t change anything regarding Sunday's match, with all the preparation done during the week, and he has "absolute faith" in the players and his coaching staff to carry out the game-plan.

• Having got into the top six despite being the newly-promoted side, there is no chance his team will ease off as they now chase down a European place in a season that has been "all about ticking off objectives".

• Captain Joe Shaughnessy will have surgery on his ruptured ACL early next month. Docherty says the squad are "absolutely gutted" for the defender and "anything we are doing between now and the end of the season, we will be doing it for Joe".

• Celtic are a "fantastic football team" and will be tough, with Docherty seeking a performance similar to the one his side produced against Rangers last time out to give themselves an opportunity.

• Other than Shaughnessy, there are no fresh injury issues.

Dundee plan to build new training complex at the city's Riverside Drive (The Courier), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

• Dundee have lost their last nine league meetings with Celtic; only from October 1965 to October 1971 have they ever had a longer such losing run against the Parkhead side (13).

• In all competitions, Celtic are unbeaten in 42 meetings with Dundee (W36 D6) since a 2-0 defeat in May 2001. Only against Dumbarton (50) are they on a longer ongoing unbeaten run.

• Both of Dundee’s last two league games have finished 0-0; not since February 2022 have they gone three games without scoring in the Scottish Premiership.

• Celtic have scored exactly three goals in each of their last four league games (W3 D1), their longest run of scoring 3+ goals in the league since March 2023 (6 in a row).

• No player has scored more goals as a substitute than Celtic’s Adam Idah in the Scottish Premiership this season (level with Adam Le Fondre), with four of the Irishman’s seven league goals coming from the bench.

It's a tough start to top-six life for Dundee as they welcome league leaders Celtic to Dens Park on Sunday afternoon.

But Tony Docherty's side can take heart from their last outing, where they held Rangers to a goalless draw while showing their quality on the ball.

Would you stick with the same side? Pick your team here.

With their place in the top half of the Premiership assured, Dundee will have had plenty of positives to mull over during their weekend off.

But there is absolutely no way anyone at Dens Park will be taking their foot off the gas and letting their minds wonder to thoughts of summer sun beds.

The Dark Blues will be determined to do more than simply make up the numbers in their remaining five games.

Tony Docherty will feel his side are more than capable of taking points off their top-six rivals over the coming weeks, and they still have Europe in their sights.

Dundee are currently sixth in the Premiership, just two points behind fifth-placed St Mirren.

If the Dens Park side can catch their Paisley counterparts and finish fifth themselves then they will be able to dig out their passports for a crack at European football.

That is because the two Scottish Cup finalists - Celtic and Rangers - are both already guaranteed European football next season.

It is pretty impressive for Dundee to even be in the European conversation, given that this time last year they were plying their trade in Scottish football’s second tier.

They have upset the odds on many occasions so far in this campaign, and you wouldn’t bet against them doing it again and getting their hands on that Euro prize.

Dundee defender Joe Shaughnessy has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. (Courier - subscription), external