James McPake believes Dunfermline should swell with pride at overtaking the superstars of Manchester City with their unblemished league record.
But he has warned the Pars their bubble could easily be burst against Clyde tonight if they get ahead of themselves.
Already the last remaining unbeaten team in the SPFL, City’s defeat to Liverpool on Sunday meant only TNS in Wales and Larne and Glentoran in Northern Ireland share the Fifers’ so-far invincible run.
Saturday’s 1-0 victory over FC Edinburgh lifted Dunfermline back to the top of League One and intent on stretching their lead away to the Bully Wee, who have lost their last seven league games.
What a moment 💫 pic.twitter.com/2UIolnTCDB
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 17, 2022
McPake, who joked he had been wearing his Liverpool top on Sunday watching the Premier League clash, said: “If anyone can take any credit for the run it’s the players – and we’ve said to them it is something to be proud of, to go on a run like that and not get beat.
“But it could change on Tuesday night. That’s football, and we’ve all seen that.
“The big focus on this game isn’t on preserving an unbeaten run. It’s going to Clyde and putting on a good performance and we believe if we do that then we’ll come away with a positive result.
“Then, the unbeaten run takes care of itself anyway.
“But if the performance isn’t right and we’re below the standards we’ve set then Clyde are a good enough team to beat us, and beat us comfortably.
“We just need to get our game-plan right, start well, run as much as them and if it turns into a fight be as strong as them, and then when it’s on to play we need to play good football.
“That’s what we’re aiming to do and if the unbeaten run continues then great.
“We’re proud of it and the players should be proud of it. We’ve played more games but, because of the call-off, this is the last remaining game of the first round of fixtures and we would love to go through it unbeaten.
“But that’s not the key thing here. The key thing is the performance, because it’s the performance that gets you the result.”
Striking strength
McPake is confident of being able to call on the services of Nikolay Todorov after the striker suffered a nasty clash of heads in Saturday’s win over Edinburgh.
Following impressive second half cameos from Lewis McCann and Craig Wighton, who have both suffered injury-blighted campaigns, he believes he has the striking strength to cause Clyde problems.
Good Morning #DAFC fans🏁 pic.twitter.com/n7NHRzljFh
— Dunfermline Athletic (@officialdafc) October 16, 2022
The former Dundee manager added: “I think that Clyde will come out and have a go.
“They are at home and they will see it as a chance to get three points to help themselves climb the league.
“I’m not saying Edinburgh didn’t see it as a chance to get three points and I’m not trying to be disrespectful to any team.
“I have been a manager where I have gone and tried to goad the other team to get something late on in games because you know if you do go out and go toe to toe with that team the likelihood is, unless they have a really off day, they have better players and they will win you the game.
“But, with Clyde being on their home pitch, they will come out and they will have a go at us, which will suit us I think.”
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