The biggest Dundee v St Mirren clash in decades is upon us – and a lucrative route to European football is at stake.
The two clubs are going head-to-head for a fifth-place finish in the Premiership, which will also bring qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
Two points separate the sides going into the Dens Park clash with the Buddies ahead going into the final four matches of the campaign.
Whoever takes victory will also take control of the race for Europe.
Courier Sport assesses the two teams ahead of a crucial match in the City of Discovery.
Head to head
So far it’s been six points to St Mirren and three to Dundee in their trio of league clashes this term.
All three matches seeing victory for the home side and nine goals flying in.
All three have been pretty one-sided as well.
Early in the season, Tony Docherty’s side endured a tough first half in Paisley, an own goal from Joe Shaughnessy was followed by a Zach Robinson penalty miss.
And then Mikael Mandron headed in from a corner.
Josh Mulligan would get one back but the Dee couldn’t force an equaliser. Statistically Dundee could feel hard-done-by that day – they racked up an xG (expected goals, a measure of the quality of chances created) of 2.31 compared to the hosts’ 1.23.
The return leg saw Dundee top that number as they registered their biggest win of the season.
A double from Amadou Bakayoko was added to by a Zak Rudden penalty and a late Zach Robinson strike.
The Dark Blues were clinical that day, scoring four of their seven shots on target with an xG of 2.59 compared to St Mirren’s 0.51.
Then, just as the Buddies didn’t turn up at Dens, the Dee didn’t turn up at the SMISA Stadium in February.
St Mirren were comfortable 2-0 winners.
Across the season so far, Dundee do win the aggregate scoreline five to four but also boast a higher combined xG – 5.22 to 3.43.
Docherty’s Dee have proved they can create chances against Stephen Robinson’s Buddies.
Home advantage
Dundee boss Docherty insists the Dens Park crowd will give his side an advantage on Saturday.
A look at their recent home record speaks to that.
Since the turn of the year, the Dark Blues have picked up 11 points at home compared to eight on the road.
The Buddies have a better home record. However, their away form doesn’t match it.
St Mirren have the worst away record in the top six with 16 points picked up from 17 games.
In 2024, they have picked up nine points at home and just five on the road with their away form reading WLDLDL since the turn of the year.
History
Looking back across the past decade, Dundee wins are few and far between.
The past 11 league meetings have seen just two victories – this season’s 4-0 thumping and a 1-0 win in Paisley courtesy of a Max Anderson winner in 2021.
St Mirren have won seven of those 11 matches.
If you include a penalty shootout win in a 2023 Scottish Cup tie, the Buddies have won five of the last six.
Key men
Dundee’s top scorer this season is Luke McCowan on nine goals, he also leads the assists list with five.
Amadou Bakayoko has also set up five goals and has hit the net six times himself.
Mandron, meanwhile, is ahead of both on the goals front with 11 to his name. St Mirren’s second top scorer is ex-Dee Mark O’Hara alongside Toyosi Olusanya on six.
Top of their assists list are Greg Kiltie and Scott Tanser.
Jon McCracken has kept three clean sheets in seven games since coming into the team in March while Zach Hemming has 10 this season in total.
The Buddies, though, have only kept one clean sheet since they beat Dundee 2-0 in February.
And they go into this contest with the worst form of any Premiership side, picking up just one point in their last five games.
The history is with St Mirren but more recent form in the top flight and crucial home advantage is certainly with Dundee.
If they can make that pay, it could be a big, big day for the Dark Blues.
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