Dundee boss Paul Hartley expects better Kilmarnock
Dundee manager Paul Hartley has told his team they face a much-changed Kilmarnock side in Saturday's Ladbrokes Premiership match at Dens Park.
The Tayside club got their campaign off to a winning start by defeating Gary Locke's men 4-0 at Rugby Park in August with a top-class performance.
Killie also lost 4-0 at home to Ross County but they have taken 10 points from their last five matches to move away from the bottom two.
And Hartley knows they will be taking on a stronger side than the one they met on the opening day.
Hartley said: "They have picked up good results so it will be a tough game. The personnel has changed a little bit since the first game we played them so we have to bear that in mind.
"They had a fine result last weekend against a really good Inverness team so we know what they're capable of."
James McPake and Kane Hemmings return to the Dundee squad.
McPake has recovered from a jaw injury while Hemmings has shaken off the knock that forced him out of last weekend's draw with Hamilton. Paul McGowan is also back in training after a broken foot but might have to wait for a first-team return.
Julen Etxabeguren faces several weeks out with an ankle injury while Kevin Thomson (knee) remains out.
Kilmarnock boss Gary Locke's options are increasing. Captain Mark Connolly made the bench last weekend following a knee injury while Scott Robinson, Dale Carrick and Darryl Westlake are in training following hamstring problems.
Long-term absentee Chris Johnston (knee) remains out.
Steven Smith believes weeks of hard work can ensure his Kilmarnock team acquit themselves far better against Dundee.
Killie suffered a rude awakening in their season opener when they were thrashed 4-0 at home by Hartley's team.
Another 4-0 loss at Rugby Park soon followed, against Ross County, but Killie begin their second round of fixtures at Dens Park on the back of a run of one defeat in five Ladbrokes Premiership games.
And Smith, one of many summer signings, feels they are getting their rewards for hours of effort in training.
"We saw on the first game of the season the performance levels Dundee are capable of," the former Rangers player said.
"If we don't match up and don't work hard and put in a good performance then we could get turned over again.
"I think every game we go out in we have to work hard after the way we started.
"Recently we have done that and that's credit to everyone; the manager, the coaching staff and players, because the last few weeks we've worked really hard and we are starting to get the benefits.
"Over the international breaks, when the majority of teams have days off, we have been in doing double sessions, with every aspect of the shape and fitness levels. It just shows you, when you put the work in, you start to get the rewards.
"It was always going to be difficult with the amount of changes that happened over the summer. I didn't think we would have started as badly as we did but that's football sometimes.
"We have come through that tough time and we're all working hard and Saturday is going be no different."
Source: PAR
