By Graeme Dey

DUNDEE’S Gavin Swankie admits defeat at Livingston today is not an option.

Successive losses at the hands of Clyde and Hamilton have cost the Dark Blues any slight chance they had of catching division-one leaders Gretna.

And Swankie is mindful of the quite severe—albeit possibly temporary— damage a third straight reversal might do his side’s league position.

“We can’t think about losing because if we do we could end up seventh come Saturday night,” he said.

“That’s how tight the league is and after losing a couple of games we need to get back into winning ways.

“Our aim is to stay as high up the league as we can until the end of the season.

“Livingston haven’t been firing on all cylinders either and this could be a good time to go play them.

“Hopefully we’ll get the three points we need.”

Swankie was a slight doubt for the match earlier this week but has declared himself fit.

“I had a bit of sickness and diarrhoea and lost a few pounds but I’m fine now,” he said.

Indeed, Dundee’s casualty list is clear except for long-term absentee Bryan Deasley, although there could be a couple of changes to the line-up.

Manager Alex Rae is looking for his players to react in the right fashion to their successive setbacks.

“I want the boys to bounce back after what were a couple of poor results,” he said.

“I am looking forward to the game and I would welcome a repeat of our last visit there when we won 3-2.

“We should be able to show the hunger and desire necessary to go there and win.

“Also, we maybe play better against the so-called bigger teams in the division so we will see how it goes.”

Livingston are without Jason Thomson and assistant manager Dave Bowman said, “Our home form has been our biggest problem and we must sort that out.

“We must use our win at Dingwall as a springboard.”