The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Dee bid to play pressure game
Dark Blues see TV clash as chance to open gap on drop rivals
Dundee will attempt to pile the pressure on their relegation rivals by winning back to back league games for the first time this season tonight.
The Dark Blues, victors over Livingston last weekend, welcome Hibs to Dens Park for the live TV game and have been presented with an opportunity to open up an eight-point gap on St Mirren – without a league win since before Christmas – and a three-point gap on Hamilton.
And, with Saints facing an on-form Hearts side and Accies playing Rangers – fresh from their 5-0 Scottish Cup victory over Kilmarnock – over the weekend, it would be a big ask for the pair of them to respond.
McIntyre said: “Obviously we play first and we want to make sure we pick up the points to put pressure on the other teams. But it’s a tough game.
“The boys can certainly be confident but we need to make sure we win our individual battles again. Hibs have started well under their new manager and will be confident as well.”
Both Craig Curran and Andrew Nelson will be fit for the match.
McIntyre is just as pleased with the man who hasn’t yet opened his account for Dundee as he is with the one who has four goals in four starts.
“Neller has done well and got the headlines with the goals,” he said. “Hopefully that will continue. “The level of performance from Craig since he came in has been very high.
“All strikers want to score goals and get the headlines but Craig is probably one of the most unselfish players I’ve ever worked with.
“It’s all about the team for him and that’s the type of player I want.
“He’s never been a prolific goalscorer. He’ll chip in with eight to 10 a season but it’s the other parts of his game that are very good, which help others, especially his strike partner. He’s doing a brilliant job for us. Hopefully they can both keep their form up.”
This will be Paul Heckingbottom’s first away game as Hibs manager.
McIntyre said: “Obviously he’ll have his own way of working but it’s the same group of players. It’s not like he’s come in during a transfer window and changed the squad about.
“We’ve watched the game thoroughly from last weekend and we know how he liked to play system-wise down south.
“There might be a surprise, you just don’t know, but I’m concentrating on what we do. That’s the most important thing for me.
“We’ve got some good play behind us in the last three games. There have been periods when we’ve been very good but we can still be better when the opposition is having a spell on top.”