Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Woeful record from 81 versus
DUNDEE head i nto this weekend bottom of the Premiership table and taking on a Kilmarnock side just three points ahead of them.
Normally, playing teams in and around a side at the wrong end of the table would spell a chance to pick up some much-needed points.
Sadly for the Dark Blues, getting results against the teams near them in the last couple of seasons hasn’t been their forte.
In fact, against the sides who finished in the bottom six last season, Dundee have only picked up 30 points from a possible 81.
And that’s exactly why they’ve found themselves battling a relegation battle last campaign and looking down the barrel once more this time.
Seven wins, nine draws and 11 defeats in 27 games since the start of last season against Ross County, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Hamilton, relegated Inverness CT and their replacements Hibs have seen the Dark Blues continue to struggle at the wrong end of the division.
They welcome Killie to Dens with just eight points from their 13 league matches and in desperate need of adding to that tally before long.
Their recent record against the Ayrshire side shows the game is likely to be a tight affair with only two games in the last 10 won by more than a goal.
So far this campaign, the Dark Blues have found themselves on the wrong side of those sort of scorelines — something they’ll have to address and quickly.
Being on the losing side again will see Killie open up a six-point gap between the them.
And, although Kilmarnock have only won once at Dens since Dundee’s return to the top flight, their recent away form under new manager Steve Clarke has been impressive.
The former West Brom and Reading boss has shown all the expertise he picked up as assistant to serial winners like Jose Mourinho and Kenny Dalglish in his short time at Rugby Park.
The only blemish on his record is a home defeat to Hibs but, on the road, they’ve picked up results at Celtic, Rangers and Hearts.
Add to that a victory at Partick before he took the managerial reins and Killie have eight points from a possible 12 in the post-Lee McCulloch era.