Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Dens Park

I have said a few times in recent weeks that Dundee keeper Jon McCracken has looked nervy at times in games.

He can't afford to be that today as he prepares to come up against Tawanda Maswanhise and co. They will pounce on any jitters.

Away we go in the glorious Dundee sunshine.

The Dens Park pitch is looking splendid.

Dundee: McCracken, Wright, Astley, Graham, Samuels, Cotterill, Hamilton, Congreve, Dhanda, Yogane, Murray.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Digby, F Robertson, Hay, Montsma, Halliday, Reilly, Westley, S Wright.

Motherwell: Ward, O'Donnell, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo, Watt, Fadinger, Slattery, Just, Said, Maswanhise.

Substitutes: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Sparrow, Bjorgolfsson, Nicholson, Priestman, Ross, Charles-Cook.

Dundee have won two of their past 10 Scottish Premiership home games against Motherwell, although both were by a three-goal margin: 3-0 in November 2021 and 4-1 in December 2024.

Motherwell have won three of their past four league games against Dundee, after only winning one of their previous seven beforehand.

This season, a 1-1 draw at Dens early in the campaign was followed by a late 1-0 win for the Steelmen at Fir Park in December.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Dens Park

A beautiful day for a game of football at Dens Park.

This Dundee gnome has even been out catching a bit of the pre-match sunshine.

Closing in on kick-off...

Image source, SNS

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou tells BBC Scotland: "It's very easy to find 11 players that we are confident can start the game strong.

"There's a lot of competition in the squad and a lot of players who deserve to start. We are in a spell now where we don't have as many games, everyone is fresh and we've had good continuity with the line-up.

"We don't get up in the morning and think how are we going to put pressure on other teams, unless it's the team we're playing. We think about how we can put pressure on Dundee.

"We have found ourselves in a position in the league that few expected and that possibly stresses not just the teams below us, but also the teams above us.

"Dundee have done really well and progressed throughout the season. They've played some really impressive games against big opponents.

"I expect them to be the best we've seen from them so far this season. I've told the players that, so we have to be on top."

Motherwell's Tawanda Maswanhise goes into this one as the Premiership's top scorer with 16 goals.

The Zimbabwe striker is eyeing a record. Since the league was rebranded in 2013-14, the only African to net more in a single campaign is Cyriel Dessers in 2024-25 (18) with Rangers.

Image source, SNS

Dundee have undoubtedly shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, yet they have only won one of their past seven league games, a 3-2 victory at Aberdeen in February.

Motherwell, meanwhile, have only lost once in their past 20 Premiership outings and have won their past three, last winning more in a row in February 2019 under Stephen Robinson (run of six wins).

Dundee manager Steven Pressley tells BBC Scotland: "It's the third week in a row we're unchanged. The team is performing reasonably well.

"We can improve in certain areas, but at present the current players are making my job easier in terms of team selection because they're proving they should stay in the team.

"I've been hugely impressed [with Motherwell]. You've got to give them great credit and I think it's refreshing for our game. It's what our game's needed for some time and hopefully it will help improve it.

"It's so difficult being a head coach because we're always looking for solutions. Four weeks ago we were very good defensively and we were finding it hard to find the net. Within three or four games we've found the net on a consistent basis but haven't managed to stop the goals.

"The one thing about this period is I can never point fingers at the players. They are giving everything at the moment in time. They are trying to improve, to give performances that our supporters are proud of. So I couldn't be prouder of the players."

For Motherwell to be seven points off top in March would feel pretty silly, but for that to happen they need to win today.

Dundee will be determined to avoid that as they aim to put some serious daylight between themselves and that dreaded 11th place.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Dens Park

I hope I'm not about to curse anything, but I'm really looking forward to this one - it has all the ingredients to be a belter.

The hosts, who are ninth in the table, have been scoring - and conceding - lots of goals in their recent games and know a win will see them leapfrog Aberdeen, who are just above them.

The stakes are even higher for fourth-place Motherwell, who have lost just one of their last 20 league games.

If they can win this game in hand on the three teams above them, they will move to within seven points of leaders Hearts, which would further fuel the argument that Jens Berthel Askou's side are very much in the title race.

Both sides name unchanged teams for this one.

A late stunner from Cameron Congreve earned Dundee a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Hibernian last weekend.

Meanwhile, Motherwell were cruising to a 2-0 victory at home to Dundee United.

Dundee: McCracken, Wright, Astley, Graham, Samuels, Cotterill, Hamilton, Congreve, Dhanda, Yogane, Murray.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Digby, F Robertson, Hay, Montsma, Halliday, Reilly, Westley, S Wright.

Motherwell: Ward, O'Donnell, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo, Watt, Fadinger, Slattery, Just, Said, Maswanhise.

Substitutes: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Sparrow, Bjorgolfsson, Nicholson, Priestman, Ross, Charles-Cook.

Image source, SNS

Dundee against Motherwell is the only show in the Scottish Premiership this weekend.

This game in hand gives Jens Berthel Askou's side a chance to narrow the margin between themselves and the top three.

Steven Pressley's improving team, meanwhile, can keep their faintest hopes of a late top-six push alive with a victory.

More importantly, they will be hoping to move 10 points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

You can listen to build-up on Sportsound on this page or BBC Radio Scotland.