Gary Bowyer is hoping to welcome back two midfield options for Friday’s trip to Welsh champions The New Saints.
The Dundee boss will get his first taste of the SPFL Trust Trophy as the Dark Blues travel to Shropshire for their third-round tie.
Keen to put Saturday’s disappointing home defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle behind them quickly, Bowyer could have Shaun Byrne and Luke McCowan to call on this Friday.
If neither are fit in time, however, they are both expected to return for the next league match at Hamilton on October 1.
Byrne has been out of action for six weeks since picking up a thigh problem in a win at Raith Rovers at the start of August.
McCowan, meanwhile, limped off in defeat at old club Ayr just over three weeks suffering from a painful ankle injury.
“Shaun Byrne is not bad, he joined in with training on Tuesday as did Luke McCowan which is good,” Bowyer revealed.
“(Alex) Jakubiak is still not with us yet but he’s been out on the grass but the other two are possibles for the end of this week.
“We’ll see how they go if they are going to travel but I certainly expect them both back in contention for next weekend.”
Bowyer added: “We trained with only 18 outfield players fit and available this week so we haven’t got the biggest of squads in terms of numbers.
“I always want competition so the sooner those injured players are back, the better.”
Alex Jakubiak
Jakubiak, meanwhile, is nearing a return to action after also pulling up in that 2-1 win in Kirkcaldy with a hamstring injury.
Still top scorer this season, though Zach Robinson has since moved level on four goals, the former Scotland U/19 man suffered a setback during his rehab.
“The first injury was a hamstring injury but then on his recovery he tweaked his thigh,” Bowyer revealed.
“He’s not had much luck, has he?
“That seems to have continued. It has taken a little bit longer but we think we’ve got to the bottom of the problem.”
Josh Mulligan will be on international duty with the Scotland U/21s, taking on Northern Ireland in a double-header across Thursday and Sunday.
Ryan Sweeney’s two-game suspension for picking up a red card on Saturday, though, doesn’t kick in until next Saturday’s league clash at New Douglas Park.
He earned a one-game ban for the sending off but also reached the threshold of six bookings in the process, adding a further match.
Meanwhile, trialist Derick Osei Yaw continues to train with the club.
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