Dundee vs Aberdeen. Scottish Premiership.
The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens ParkAttendance6,321.
Sunday 18 September 2016 10:47, UK
Dundee defender Kevin Gomis begins a two-match suspension but fellow centre-back and captain Darren O'Dea hopes to overcome a foot injury to face Aberdeen on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 2.
Dark Blues midfielder Nicky Low is in line for his first appearance of the season after an ankle injury, while James Vincent could also feature after recovering from a knee problem.
Dundee have drawn their last three in the league but sit two places above Aberdeen in seventh; manager Paul Hartley is confident there is further improvement to come.
He said: "We brought eight new players in so we have got to have a little bit of time to gel. We have lost a couple of players also.
"It was good last week in certain periods in the game, we just have to find that little bit of consistency. If we can get there I think we have the makings of a very good team."
Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie is expected to recover from the foot injury that forced him off against former club Inverness and feature at Dens Park.
Mark Reynolds is back from suspension while Callum Morris is also in contention after recovering from an Achilles knock.
Skipper Ryan Jack (knee) is out while Peter Pawlett, Miles Storey and Scott Wright staked their claim for involvement on Tayside by scoring for the U20s in midweek.
Derek McInnes is refusing to panic as he reflects on a start which has seen last season's runners-up win just one of their first five, in contrast to an eight-match winning streak at the same stage last year.
He said: "It is important for us to keep calm and work for that improvement. We have to knuckle down to try to find that real form we know we are capable of.
"If you compare this start to last season, then of course we are off where we were then. But that season was a record-breaking one in terms of winning the first eight league games. That is not the norm."
