Celtic travel to Dens Park on Wednesday to face Dundee in the final game before the Scottish Premiership split.
Dundee have snuck into the top six just in time, but it is Celtic who lead the way and the champions will go eight points clear of second-placed Aberdeen with victory.
Dundee
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Perhaps more by virtue of Hamilton Academical's drastic dip in form following the departure of manager Alex Neil to Norwich City rather than their own form, Dundee have secured their top-six spot ahead of Celtic's visit.
Manager Paul Hartley, who won two titles in two years as a player with Celtic, has guided the Dark Blues to a top-half finish in his first full season in charge and was this week rewarded with a new three-year contract.
The Dees failed to build on their 3-1 triumph over rivals Dundee United as they went down 1-0 to St Johnstone at the weekend for a first defeat in four games, although their derby success is their only win during that run.
Finishing above their neighbours, who are two places and four points above them in fourth, would be a good target for Hartley to set his side as they prepare to do battle with the rest of Scotland's best teams between now and the end of the season.
To do that, they may have to improve their form at Dens Park, having only won five home matches all season. This is something that Hartley is steadily addressing, though, with four of those wins coming since the turn of the year.
Recent form: WLDDWL
Celtic
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Ronny Deila's treble dreams are now over following Celtic's dramatic 3-2 defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup semi-final on Sunday.
The Bhoys, who won the Scottish League Cup last month, took an expected lead through Virgil van Dijk and then recovered from Craig Gordon's sending-off and conceding twice either side of the 90-minute whistle to regain parity with John Guidetti's extra-time goal.
However, there was to be another twist in the tale as David Raven struck a 117th-minute winner for Caley to send them into their first Scottish Cup final.
It will be a relief to Deila then that Celtic's league title looks more secure with each passing week. The Glasgow giants have won 12 out of their last 14 games to move clear of Aberdeen ahead of the season's final stage.
A Leigh Griffiths hat-trick in a 4-1 victory over Kilmarnock last Wednesday sent them a step closer to a fourth successive championship, in a period of domestic dominance which could come under threat from Rangers or Hearts as soon as next season.
Celtic have not lost an away league game since suffering a reverse in Dundee - to United - in December.
Recent form: LWWWDW
Recent form (all competitions): WWWDWD
Team News
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Gordon is suspended for the visitors after his Hampden Park red and so Lukasz Załuska will deputise in goal.
Cup-tied former Terrors Gary Mackay-Steven and Stewart Armstrong are back in contention, and the latter could replace James Forrest in midfield.
Despite Guidetti's extra-time strike, four goals in his last three games are likely to see Griffiths get the nod up front as Anthony Stokes continues to be sidelined.
Dundee still have doubts over the fitness of captain Kevin Thomson and therefore could name an unchanged starting XI.
However, Hartley may consider recalling veteran striker Paul Heffernan at the expense of David Clarkson or Greg Stewart.
Dundee possible starting lineup:
Bain; Dyer, Konrad, P. McGinn; Davidson, Ferry, McGowan, McAlister, S. McGinn; Heffernan, Stewart
Celtic possible starting lineup:
Zaluska; Matthews, Denayer, Van Dijk, Izaguirre; Brown, Bitton, Commons, Johansen, Armstrong; Griffiths
Head To Head
Celtic beat Dundee United three times without conceding during March and also have a commanding recent record against their neighbours.
The Dark Blues have to go back to 2001 for their last victory over the Bhoys, who have won 18 of the 21 encounters since.
Dundee nearly caused an early-season shock when they took a first-minute lead at home to Deila's new boys in August, only for Griffiths to earn Celtic a 1-1 draw.
We say: Dundee 0-2 Celtic
Dundee's recent record against Celtic is woeful and the league leaders will be looking to put right their Scottish Cup disappointment. There only seems one likely winner, with Dundee's best chance a draw as a consequence of Celtic's tiredness from playing 120 minutes only three days prior.
Joe Fish
