Robbie Muirhead is poised to make his first start for Dundee United when Celtic visit Tannadice.
With strike duo Nadir Ciftci suspended and Mario Bilate injured, an opportunity has opened up for the former Kilmarnock to face the Hoops on Sunday.
Ciftci is banned for one match under the penalty point totting-up procedure, while Bilate’s season is over after he suffered yet another hamstring problem during last weekend’s defeat to Aberdeen.
Bilate’s misfortune gave Muirhead his chance to shine as a substitute just minutes into the second half at Pittodrie and he did well despite finishing on the losing side.
He has been restricted to appearances from the bench since joining during United during the January transfer window but would appear to be at the front of the queue now.
If he is given the nod to face Celtic, then coach Darren Jackson has urged him to make the most of it.
“Robbie did very well when he came on against Aberdeen,” said Jackson.
“It has been hard for him to get into the team because we have had players like Nadir, Chris Erskine and Aidan Connolly doing well.
“But we have every confidence in Robbie and also the likes of Henri Anier – that’s why we brought them here.
“They are good players and it has been hard for them sitting watching games from the bench.
“But now this could be a chance to stand up and be counted.”
Jackson confirmed that the outlook for Bilate is bleak.
“Mario will go to see a specialist but it doesn’t look good,” he said.
“He hasn’t featured a lot but he is a good player and we could have done with him.
“We have also got Paul Paton injured and we’re waiting on the full diagnosis of that.
“And Ryan Dow is out for the season, so it’s not ideal because they are all big players for the team.”
Sunday’s lunchtime clash will be the seventh time United and Celtic have faced each other this season.
Overall, it has been pretty grim for the Tangerines but they did win the last league match at Tannadice – a 2-1 success just before Christmas – and drew the first Scottish Cup quarter-final game at their own ground.
Jackson said: “It’s ridiculous playing any team seven times in one season, really, but that’s how it is.
“Celtic will be hurting from their Scottish Cup defeat (by Inverness Caley Thistle) but all we can focus on is ourselves.
“We have beaten them at home earlier in the season and although the four games we had in March didn’t work out the way we wanted, we still believe we can beat them.
“They are a good side and we will give them a lot of respect but we are at Tannadice and we will be going to win the game.”
United would, realistically, appear to be in a three-way battle with St Johnstone and Dundee for fourth spot in the Premiership but Jackson argued that they still have a chance of catching ICT in third.
“We’re still looking above us,” insisted Jackson.
“We are six points behind Inverness and still have to play them twice.
“So it’s about looking at third – that’s our aim.
“We have given ourselves more work to do than we hoped for but it’s about looking above us, not at the teams below.”