“Cool heads” and calm bodies are needed at Dundee as they prepare for a huge derby at Tannadice.
The Dark Blues will make the short journey across the street to face a Dundee United side all-but secured in the top six.
And they head there needing to end a winless derby run that stretches back over five years.
The last win at Tannadice, meanwhile, was 18 years ago in 2004, one of only two Dundee wins at United since the turn of the century.
But three points are needed. Badly.
Because the Dark Blues are six points adrift at the foot of the table with six games to go.
‘No better way’
For Jordan McGhee, Dundee skipper in Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Aberdeen, the prize on offer in a game of this magnitude is all that is needed to focus the players’ minds.
“They are great games, great occasions to play in,” McGhee said.
“This will be my sixth or seventh derby.
“They are brilliant games and there would be no better way to get three points than in a derby before the split.
“We’re aware it’s been a long time since Dundee won there but we see it as a good chance for us to put that right.
“Every game for us is a cup final from now on. We are well aware of that.
“This week going down there will be hostile, we need to keep cool heads.
“We’ve got big players and it’s a big occasion so we need to turn up.”
‘Everyone knows what is at stake’
Though Saturday’s home draw with the Dons extended their winless run to seven league matches, McGhee says their two recent performances against Rangers and Aberdeen give hope they can get themselves out of relegation trouble.
The Dark Blues led at half-time against the champions and then created some decent openings against the Dons at the weekend.
And McGhee insists the players have confidence they can still stay up.
“St Johnstone have a tough game against Celtic and we have a derby, anything can happen in a derby, so we need to go down there and pick up three points,” the former Hearts man said.
“That leaves them only three points ahead and we still have to play them.
“We are still positive because there are good signs out on the pitch.
“Everyone at the club knows what is at stake.
‘Big players’
“We have done well in recent weeks against Rangers and then another big club in Aberdeen.
“We have big players here for the big occasions and we need to step up now, rally round and help keep the club up.
“You need to be mentally strong when you cross that line, take all the anxiety away and try to turn that into a positive.
“You need to be prepared and ready to go out on the pitch.
“I thought we did that on Saturday in a big game and were disappointed not to get the three points.”
