Dundee’s squad will be stretched to the limit for the League Cup encounter with Peterhead at Dens.
Boss Paul Hartley will definitely be without four players because of suspension and injury while there are doubts over another three for the new-look Dark Blues’ first competitive game of the season.
And although the manager is understandably keen to progress in the competition, he insists that no risks will be taken ahead of next week’s Premiership opener against Kilmarnock.
Hartley, who confirmed this week that goalkeeper Scott Bain would definitely miss out as he recovers from his appendix operation, said: “We’ve got a couple of doubts and a few will be missing.
“James McPake is suspended from last season.
“Gary Irvine and Iain Davidson have just joined back in training so they’ll need another good week’s work before they’re back normal.
“The two German lads (Luka Tankulic and Thomas Konrad) have both got little niggles.
“Craig Wighton is ill. He’s got tonsillitis and has been missing for the past three or four days.
“We don’t want to take any risks but we still want to put out a strong team to win the match,” he added.
Hartley took in Peterhead’s Petrofac Training Cup victory over Montrose last Saturday, with Jim McInally’s side cruising to a 3-0 win.
One of the goals was scored by prolific striker Rory McAllister who was linked with a move to Rangers at the start of the summer.
The 27-year-old netted 33 times last season as he helped Peterhead clinch promotion from League Two and Hartley has identified him as the main danger man Dundee must watch if they hope to progress in the League Cup.
The manager said: “I was at the Peterhead game last weekend and they had a decent result. I know all about Rory McAllister. He is one player who will always score goals.
“He’s a player we spoke about in the past when I was at Alloa. He’s always scored goals in the lower leagues.
“I looked at him last year and the year before but I think he’s settled where he is. I believe he has a good trade.
“I think he could play at a higher level. I think he’s had opportunities but he doesn’t want to follow that career path.
“He’s already played for Inverness at a higher level and was at Aberdeen as a kid, so is a definite threat. He scores all types of goals so we’ll have to watch him closely.”
Hartley added: “We’re under no illusions. This will be a tough game. We’ve spoken to the players about that and they know that. There will be nothing easy about this game.
“We’ll try to set ourselves up as well as possible to get into the next round.”
Dundee’s competitive start to the season will see them play three out of their first four games at Dens.
Hartley is determined to capitalise on that home advantage to set the tone for the rest of the campaign.
The manager said: “We want to make this place a fortress. Our home form has got to be the key for us this season.
“Three out of our first four games are at home. So it’s important we get off to a good start and get the crowd behind us as well.
“Our attitude has to be spot-on and I’m sure it will be from the lads, who have been great so far.”