Dundee V Partick - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.Dundee boss Hartley eyes top sixDundee manager Paul Hartley believes his side will push all the way for a top-six place in the Scottish Premiership.Dundee could have the incentive of edging into the top half of the table when they host Partick Thistle on Saturday - if St Johnstone lose to Celtic earlier in the day.Hartley admits survival was his only goal when he assembled a new-look Dens Park squad in the summer, but his priorities have changed.He said: "Now is just about giving a big push for the next eight games to push our way into the top-six."We think we can get into the top sixThat's where we want to be going
I think it would be a really good achievement."We weren't quite sure how things would pan out at the start of the season with the players we've brought in."There's been a massive turnaround but that won't be the same again this summer
We've had to change things for the better of the club."If we could get into the top six it would be great, but the aim at the start of the season was to stay in the league."As the season goes on, though, your ambitions change a little bit."I can see the top-six thing going down to the last couple of games."It's good and I think it's a good thing for the game at the top end of the table with Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United and Inverness all competing."They're all up there and the bottom end is tough also with Motherwell, St Mirren and Ross County fighting down there."Dundee are eight points ahead of Thistle but Hartley is well aware the Glasgow team are capable of beating anyone on their day, despite a run of one win in nine matches."I think they're a really good team to watch," Hartley said
"The games we've had against them so far this season they've been difficult to play against."They've got good players there
Like most teams, it's about finding the consistency."They've got really good individual players
I think Lyle Taylor coming in is a really smart signing for them and Ryan Stevenson has hit a bit of form."The young lad, Declan McDaid, against Celtic the other night was really good
So they can pose you problems."Striker Greg Stewart is suspended for the game
But on-loan Hibernian winger Alex Harris and former Easter Road signing Paul Heffernan are available after being ineligible for the cup defeat by Celtic.Injury doubts remain over Gary Harkins, Kevin Thomson, Iain Davidson and Luka Tankulic.Meanwhile, Stephen O'Donnell is "very confident" that Partick will rescue their form which has dipped to "shambolic" levels recently.The Maryhill men travel to Dundee with one win in their last nine games and on the back of a comprehensive 3-0 home defeat to Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic on Wednesday night.O'Donnell, however, believes that Hoops' display was an improvement on last Saturday's 2-1 William Hill Scottish Cup fifth-round defeat by Inverness at Firhill.The 22-year-old full-back is hoping the nadir has been reached this season and that ninth-placed Jags will get back on track on Tayside."The performance last Saturday was shambolic," he told Press Association Sport
"It wasn't good enough on any level from any individual."And when that is happening it is hard to stay positive."But against Celtic, albeit we didn't get a result, we put in an okay performance and we are hoping to build on that this Saturday."We have the players
We have a squad that is better than it was last season and I am sure we are capable of picking up the points."It is not a great run, there is no shying away from that."But everyone is pushing in the right direction
Hopefully we have positive things to look forward to and Saturday is a massive opportunity for us to get some points"Dundee are a good outfit and we need to respect them but I am very confident that we will get out of this run."Boss Alan Archibald will give fitness tests to striker Taylor and defender Danny Seaborne.Taylor suffered a calf injury in the 3-0 defeat by Celtic on Wednesday night while Seaborne has an ankle complaint.Sean Welsh (ankle) is still on the sidelines while Jordan McMillan remains unavailable having been suspended by the club
Source : PA
Source: PA