Dundee V Inverness CT at Dens Park Stadium : Match Preview

Dundee V Inverness CT - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.Paul McGowan urges Dundee to forget about upcoming Old Firm clashesDundee midfielder Paul McGowan is too aware of the quality of Inverness to start looking beyond Saturday's mid-table Ladbrokes Premiership battle.Dundee secured a William Hill Scottish Cup quarter-final spot against Rangers when they beat Dumbarton 5-0 in a replay on Tuesday night. Their Ibrox clash comes next weekend, three days after a midweek game at Celtic Park.But the Old Firm double header is on the back burner for Paul Hartley's side as they face a crucial match against Caley Thistle on Saturday.A win would open up a five-point lead over seventh-placed Inverness and put Dundee in the driving seat for the top six, but the Tayside club have not beaten this weekend's opponents in 13 games and defeat would see them slip into the bottom half.McGowan said: "It's a big week for the club. It's exciting. But we are just looking at one game at a time and Caley come here on Saturday."We don't have a good record against them, we have not beaten them since we came up. So it's going to be a tough game."I'm a big admirer of Caley Thistle, the way they pass the ball and they can roll their sleeves up as well. We need to be at our best."I don't think they get the credit they deserve. Every game against them is a tough, tough game."It's a massive game for both clubs. (If) we beat them on Saturday, it puts a cushion between us and them and gives us a bit of breathing space and hopefully we can get away from another couple of teams. It's top six we are aiming for."The former Celtic and St Mirren player added: "The gaffer will drill into us that we take one game at a time. Even though we know we have two massive games coming up, we can't stray away from Caley Thistle because this is just as important a game as it is against Rangers or Celtic."If we start worrying about a couple of games ahead then we could go out there on Saturday and get a drubbing."Dundee have Nicky Low back in training following an ankle problem while Daryll Meggatt is working his way back towards fitness after a hernia operation but James McPake is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.Inverness assistant manager Brian Rice insists the Highlanders have not given up hope of keeping hold of James Vincent and Danny Williams.The pair have been targeted by Dundee with a view to a potential summer move to Dens Park.The Dark Blues are ready to tempt the Caley Thistle duo away on pre-contracts but Rice says his club are still keen to keep hold of 26-year-old midfielder Vincent and winger Williams, 28.However, if they are lured to Tayside, John Hughes' number two hinted Inverness will be ready to snap up some swift replacements.Asked if he had resigned himself to losing the players, Rice said: "You're not resigned to losing anyone until it's done and dusted."It's the players' prerogative to go and speak to other clubs if they are out of contract. That's the rules, just as we can go speak to players at another club."So even though players might be leaving here we might be speaking to players at other clubs. It's just not been documented."It works both ways. Some will go, some will stay, some will come in. That's just football."Vincent and Williams, the latter back in the squad after missing last weekend's loss to Celtic due to a family bereavement, will be given an early peek at the players they could be lining up with next season on Saturday.But they could also help dent Hartley's top-six ambitions.Seventh-placed Inverness are one place and two points behind Dundee and Rice wants to see his men leapfrog their weekend opponents with a win."This Saturday's game is one that, if we win, would push us into the top six," he said. "It's very tight at the bottom of the league and everybody is looking over their shoulder."But everyone is also looking up, just as we are and I'm sure Dundee are too."I've not known the league to be so tight for a long time and it's bringing great excitement for the public. It's a wee bit nerve-racking but we are looking up the way more than we are below."The winger missed last weekend's 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park following a family bereavement.Inverness captain Richie Foran (calf) remains unavailable, while it is doubtful Alex Fisher (ankle), Josh Meekings or James Vincent (both knee) will play a part at Dens Park.Long-term absentee Aaron Doran (knee) is still out, but goalkeeper Dean Brill is closing in on a return from his knee injury.

Source: PAR