Dundee United look likely to be without top talents Ryan Dow and Stuart Armstrong when they welcome Hamilton Accies to Tannadice.
The skill-laden duo will both be given late fitness tests ahead of Saturday’s Premiership clash, but the chances of them featuring appear to be fading.
Dow has a thigh injury and didn’t train on Thursday, while Armstrong’s ankle problem is still causing him grief despite playing in a bounce game against Hibs in midweek.
United assistant boss Simon Donnelly said: “Dowser hasn’t trained today but we will give him up to the last minute to see if he can recover.
“He is struggling with his thigh and it’s something that he has been suffering from for the last couple of weeks.
“He has come back after the break to get some treatment but he is still feeling it.
“With Ryan, especially, we are wary of forcing him back early for this game and then risking him being out for five or six.
“So he is touch-and-go for the Hamilton match. Stuart came through the bounce game against Hibs the other day but he is still feeling the knock on his ankle.
“He is another one who will get to the last minute to see if they are fit. I would say, though, that both players only have a 50-50 chance of being involved.
“It’s a shame because there is a lot of talent between the two of them but we have other lads like Mario Bilate and Chris Erskine, in whom we have a lot of confidence.”
Donnelly then talked up both Bilate and Erskine, perhaps signalling that both men could be in manager Jackie McNamara’s starting line-up for the Accies game.
“Chris was really unfortunate last season because circumstances dictated how it went for him,” said the Tangerines’ number two.
“Guys were ahead of him and playing well and when he did get the chance it didn’t happen for him.
“He then went out to Partick and got game time, came back and now looks like the player we knew he was. Also, Mario is getting stronger and stronger in every game.
“I don’t think you can question his footballing ability. He is a clever player who holds the ball up really well and can score special goals.
“It is just about getting him up to game speed but he is getting stronger and fitter all the time.”
United, of course, suffered a serious injury blow earlier this week when it was confirmed that on-loan Hull City left-back Conor Townsend has been ruled out for a month with a foot injury.
The good news, though, is that skipper Sean Dillon is ready to return to action after being sidelined because of a fractured cheekbone.
It is not certain that Dillon will play specifically at left-back but he is another experienced option for the defence.
Donnelly said: “Sean came through the bounce game no problem and the thing with him is that his fitness has always been there.
“The only problem has been the contact side of it because of the fractured cheekbone but he is a model pro who has been staying match-ready.”
Donnelly gave a respectful nod to Hamilton ahead of Saturday’s game but he also claimed United should win if they play to their capabilities.
Asked about Accies’ rise to second spot in the Premiership one ahead of his own club Donnelly said: “They have gotten off to a great start but so have we.
“With the exception of the Celtic game we have looked really solid form the centre-halves right through the team.
“It is a home game for us and I expect we can cause Hamilton a few problems and win.
“People might have looked at Hamilton at the start of the season and predicted they would be in the bottom half of the league but they have done really well to prove them wrong.
“They are playing with confidence and will be a challenge but I expect us to meet that challenge if we play the way we know we can.
“We have an important set of games including the Dundee derbies coming up but I would stress just how important this Hamilton match is.
“If we can get three points that would confirm just what a good start we have made and we would have real momentum. It is a big one for us.”
The Tangerines will find themselves top of the league tomorrow night if they beat Hamilton and leaders Inverness lose or draw when they meet Partick.
However, Donnelly said: “It’s early days to be talking about league positions.
“I am not going to lie and deny that’s it’s nice to see your name up there but I would say we should wait to when we are maybe 20 games in to see how things are taking shape.”