Derby Preview

Ahead for tomorrow's derby, Ally Stewart takes a look at the opposition. Nickname: The Dees Manager: Paul Hartley 2014-15: 6th Place in the Scottish Premiership Their season so far… After beginning the campaign with a 4-0 thumping of Kilmarnock down at Rugby Park, the Dens Park side enjoyed a good start in August, losing just once in the league to Hearts at home. Although they started September off well with a 1-0 win at Partick Thistle, a 6-0 thrashing at Celtic Park then led to a more indifferent spell which has since seen Dundee drift back down the table having spent much of the early season in the top half. Their whole fixture card during November ended in 1-1 draws and the 5-2 defeat to Ross County in their last outing sees them with just one win in their last ten matches. Who to watch out for… With key player Greg Stewart suspended for this game there are still others that United will need to be wary of. Perhaps grabbing less of the headlines than his counterpart up front has been summer signing Kane Hemmings, who has bagged 10 goals so far in his debut season in the Scottish top flight. Having scored 19 goals in season 2013-14 with Cowdenbeath a move to Barnsley never quite worked out before Paul Hartley moved to bring the solid 6ft 1in striker back up North.  With 5 of his 10 goals to date having come in their last two games, the Tangerine back line will certainly need to keep their eye on a man who is clearly full of confidence in front of goal just now. Last Meeting… The moment some United fans have pinpointed as the trigger for when the side started to struggle badly for league points. At Tannadice on Tuesday 11th August a tight first half was turned on its head by the hosts after the break as they turned on the style. In a blistering 3 minute spell with a quarter of the game remaining, a clinical double from Blair Spittal had the stadium rocking with many wearing Tangerine sensing another rout could be on the cards. After passing up several chances to make it 3-0 Greg Stewart then gave Dundee a lifeline in the 81st minute when he curled in a lovely left foot shot into the top corner. Then a heart-breaking sequence of events from United’s point of view took place in the 4th and final minute of stoppage time. Simon Murray pulled out a sublime save from Dundee keeper Scott Bain who touched his goal bound effort onto the underside of the bar allowing the visitors to break up field. Luis Zwick fumbled a long range effort from Gary Harkins which allowed James McPake to prod into the net to end the game 2-2. The squad… Goalkeepers: Bain, Mitchell Defenders: Irvine, Kerr, McGinn, McPake, Konrad, Gadzhalov, Holt, Meggatt, Extabeguren, Allan, Black Midfielders: Thomson, McGowan, Harkins, Low, Ross, Colquhoun, Carreiro, Calder Forwards: Wighton, Stewart, Loy, Hemmings, Healey Last three meetings… United 2-2 Dundee United 3-0 Dundee Dundee 3-1 United Missing through injury again for United will be Paul and Ryan Dow, joined on the injury list by Calum Morris who was forced off at Tynecastle on Wednesday. Mark Durnan will miss out through suspension following his red card against Hearts and the match may come too soon for Florent Sinama Pongolle having been missing since going off early against Partick on December 12th. With the away allocation for Dens again sold out and United in desperate need of a win, the atmosphere on the day will electric. Let’s hope that by full time the club are again looking forward on the back of a victory which could potentially have a massive impact on our league fortunes. Come on United!!! The match kicks off at 12.30pm and anyone who has still to collect pre purchased tickets must uplift them from the Dens ticket office on the day of the game.