Paul Hartley has warned his Dundee troops to expect a Kilmarnock side fired up by Lee Clark's arrival when they travel to Rugby Park on Saturday.
The Dee will provide the opposition for the former Huddersfield, Birmingham and Blackpool manager's first official match in charge of Killie.
The 43-year-old watched his new side on Tuesday night from the stands as caretaker Lee McCulloch oversaw their last-gasp William Hill Scottish Cup defeat to Rangers.
But Hartley reckons the Ayrshiremen will come out fighting for their futures now that Clark has moved into the dug-out.
He said: "Killie have got a new manager coming in and as always happens, it will give them a huge lift.
"Guys who have been out the team will see this as their chance to get back in. They will want to make an impression, so will the guys out of contract. It's a combination of things that happen when a new manager comes in, everyone wants to try and impress.
"We will have to be ready for that. The players will be made aware of it so that they are fully focused to get the three points."
Clark's main priority for the remainder of the season is steering the club up the Ladbrokes Premiership table and away from their current slot in the relegation play-off slot.
On the face of it, Hartley's men in fourth should have no such worries but with just six points separating his men from second-bottom, the Dens Park boss knows there is little point speculating on their European ambitions until that gap is widened significantly.
He said: "I think all the teams are thinking that a couple of good results can fire them up the table into the top six - but a couple of bad results drops you down towards that 11th spot, where nobody wants to be.
"Everybody here is aiming to be in that top six slot come the split, then we will see where we are in terms of European places.
"We haven't achieved anything yet. We are playing well right now but just have to take it a game at a time and see where we end up then."
Source: PA
