Preview: Dundee vs. Kilmarnock - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors are currently clinging onto their top-four spot in the Scottish Premiership, and are also looking to respond to a loss during their most recent outing.

Match preview

Dundee head into this weekend on the back of consecutive defeats after being beaten by Hibernian and then Celtic, but it was the performance in midweek that will have left Tony Docherty with a lot of thinking.

The Hoops emphatically dispatched the Dark Blues 7-1, which is a result that the team will be desperate to put behind them at the first available opportunity.

The two losses also stopped Dundee from putting any pressure on Kilmarnock in their bid to try and finish in the top four of the Scottish Premiership.

There is now an eight-point gap between the two teams in the league table, and that is something that Docherty can ill-afford to allow to grow anymore.

However, in the three times that Dundee have faced Kilmarnock this season, they have failed to defeat them, which is a run the team needs to bring to an end to push Killie.

Both of the Scottish Premiership fixtures between these teams have resulted in 2-2 draws, while Kilmarnock got the best of the Dark Blues in the Scottish FA Cup.

It was a lightning-fast start to that match which proved to be the difference as Kyle Vassell and Marley Watkins both found the back of the net in the opening three minutes, which was enough to get the victory.

However, Killie also head into this weekend on the back of a defeat, despite the fact Daniel Armstrong gave them the lead with an 11th-minute penalty.

Ultimately, Rangers had too much for Kilmarnock as they won 2-1 to go top of the league, and Derek McInnes will be hoping to see an immediate response from his team at the weekend.

With St Mirren just one point behind them in the league table there is no margin for error as Killie aim to keep hold of their fourth place.

Dundee Scottish Premiership form:

L

L

W

W

L

L

Kilmarnock Scottish Premiership form:

D

D

W

D

W

L

Kilmarnock form (all competitions):

D

W

W

D

W

L

Team News

Dundee will be without Finlay Robertson this weekend after he was sent off against Celtic, which will force at least one change to the starting lineup.

Docherty had switched things up for the midweek clash by making five alterations to his team, and that could take place again with the likes of Aaron Donnelly and Lyall Cameron potentially coming back into the team.

Dundee did welcome Antonio Portales and Ricki Lamie back against the Hoops following injury spells, but whether they are ready for another game in a short space of time remains to be seen.

Watkins and Vassell should lead the line for the visitors this weekend as they both look to get back on the scoresheet after failing to do so in midweek.

Kilmarnock will be expected to continue using the 4-4-2 formation, which has provided plenty of structure to them throughout the season.

Dundee possible starting lineup:

Carson; McGhee, Shaughnessy, Donnelly, Beck; Cameron, Sylla, McCowan; Main, Mellon, Tiffoney

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:

Dennis; Wright, Mayo, Findlay, Ndaba; Armstrong, Donnelly, Polworth, Kennedy; Watkins, Vassell

We say: Dundee 1-2 Kilmarnock

With little between the two teams in the league this promises to be a closely fought contest, particularly since both are heading into the match on the back of defeats.

Kilmarnock cannot afford another loss considering how close St Mirren are to them in the division, and they should have enough attacking quality to gain three points.

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