Preview: St Mirren vs. Dundee - prediction, team news, lineups

Newly-promoted Dundee will be hoping to bounce back from their midweek five-goal thrashing with a victory on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Paisley to face St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

The hosts, meanwhile, are seeking their fourth league win of the campaign which could see them finish gameweek 12 as high as fifth place in the table.

Match preview

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St Mirren extended their unbeaten away record to four matches, after playing out a 2-2 draw against Motherwell on Wednesday night.

Tony Watt scored twice in four minutes shortly after the break, including a 52nd-minute penalty, to put the hosts in front, however Eamonn Brophy bagged a brace of his own, including a 78th-minute spot kick, to force both sides to share the spoils at Fir Park.

That result sees the Saints remain in seventh place in the Scottish Premiership, seven points clear of Saturday's opponents Dundee, who currently occupy the relegation playoff position.

Jim Goodwin's men head into this weekend's clash unbeaten in their last six meetings against the Dark Blues, including July's 2-2 draw at Dens Park on the opening day of the season.

With their next three opponents – Dundee, St Johnstone and Livingston – currently sitting below them in the table, St Mirren will be hoping to put a solid run of form together as they aim to climb towards the top four.

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Dundee head coach James McPake would have been hoping for his side to build on an impressive 2-1 win against Aberdeen and a 1-1 draw with high-flying Hearts when they faced basement club Ross County on home soil last weekend.

However, the Dark Blues were surprisingly thrashed 5-0 by Malky Mackay's men, who were four goals to the good at half time. Regan Charles-Cook netted his second of the game and Ross County's fifth in the 71st minute to rub salt into the host's wounds as the visitors went on to claim their first league victory of the campaign in style.

McPake must go back to the drawing board, with his side sitting just one point above the foot of the table as they head into a challenging run of fixtures which includes Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers.

Dundee are now the only Scottish Premiership side who are yet to win away from home so far this season, claiming just one point from a possible 15 available.

A victory on Saturday, however, would break their duck on the road and could move them level on points with 10th-placed St Johnstone, if they were to lose against Dundee United.

Team News

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St Mirren will be without key midfielder Jamie McGrath, who was stretchered off the pitch against Rangers with a hip injury, however Goodwin has confirmed that the 25-year-old will return to first-team training sooner than expected.

Ethan Erhahon is also ruled out with a thigh strain, so Alan Power, Ryan Flynn and Connor Ronan are set to keep their places in central midfield, with Brophy and Curtis Main leading the line.

As for Dundee, they will be without midfielder Shaun Byrne and forward Alex Jakubiak as they continue to recover from respective knee and shoulder injuries.

Veteran midfielder Charlie Adam is set to pull the strings in a deep-lying role just in front of the back four, while Celtic loanee Leigh Griffiths could be joined in attack by Jason Cummings and Paul McMullan.

St Mirren possible starting lineup:

Alnwick; Shaughnessy, McCarthy, Fraser; McAllister, Power, Flynn, Tanser; Ronan; Brophy, Main

Dundee possible starting lineup:

Legzdins; Kerr, Ashcroft, Sweeney, Marshall; McGhee, Adam, McGowan; Cummings, Griffiths, McMullan

We say: St Mirren 3-1 Dundee

Seven of the last eight meetings between these two sides have seen both teams score, including each of the last five, so goals are to be expected on Saturday.

St Mirren head into this encounter in slightly better form and we expect the hosts to come out on top in Paisley.