The omission of Simon Murray is something of a surprise.

The Dundee skipper has an excellent derby record.

Since the start of February, only Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti (seven) has more Scottish Premiership goals than Murray (six).

I'm sure we'll see him at some point.

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Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

Luca Stephenson walks out on to the Tannadice pitch to receive the adulation of the home support.

It will probably be the last time the see him on it, with the Liverpool loanee's season now over through injury.

He has certainly been a big player for United and will be a big miss for Jim Goodwin's side.

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Rangers: Butland, Sterling, Djiga, Fernandez, Meghoma, Gassama, Chukwuani, Raskin, Aasgaard, Chermiti, Miovski.

Substitutes: Kelly Souttar, Aarons, Tavernier, Diomande, Barron, Skov Olsen, Moore, Antman.

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

Substitutes: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Nicholson, Priestman, Ross, Hendry, Charles-Cook, Said.

Dundee boss Steven Pressley talks to BBC Scotland about the reasoning behind his five changes to his team.

"There's been a lot to consider," he said.

"One, the opposition, two the conditions, and also the challenges of the game so we've gone with the team we feel can deal with that and also impose the way we want to play on the game.

"I've said all along that we have to focus on our own performance. Of course there's an argument that results went well [yesterday] but I think that's irrelevant. Between now and the end of the season, for us to stay in the league, we have to win the appropriate amount of points.

"They're a very dangerous team. There's a degree of pressure off them now, they're safe, they seem in confident mood so I think they're a really dangerous animal and we have to be prepared for that."

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "We've got a few injuries to contend with at the moment.

"Two of our most consistent performers of the campaign in Amar Fatah and Luca Stephenson [are missing]. They are a big loss but, at the same time, opportunities for other players to come in.

"I believe the team that we're going with is a team that's been in form and is very strong.

"The target is to try and finish seventh. It's not what we set out for at the beginning of the season but it's all we've got to aim for now. We want to try and win the next five games if possible.

"Dundee will want to try and get a result and drag themselves away from the play-off place. There's something on the line for everyone. More than anything, there's personal pride at stake.

"I think the fact there's not a Dundee United ticket to be had in the stadium today would tell you what the importance of this game is to them and we've got to make sure it's equally important to us as a group."

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Dundee are not quite out of the woods in terms of avoiding the relegation play-off, although a five-point cushion on 11th-placed Kilmarnock looks pretty handy.

They are looking for a third successive victory at Tannadice but United are unbeaten in five at home, winning the past three on their own turf.

United have not won four in a row at home in the top flight since 2014.

The city rivals have shared the points so far this season, with an away win each and a remarkable draw at Dens Park last time.

United were cruising at 2-0 and really should have been further ahead before Dundee conjured up two goals in stoppage-time, with United skipper Ross Graham heading in a dreadful own goal on 96 minutes.

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Hearts have found late goals in all three derbies this season, scoring in the 88th, 89th and 91st minutes, and winning 1-0 at Tynecastle in October and February.

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The wheels have fallen off for Motherwell, who have lost four of their last five in the league.

In that sequence, they have conceded 11 goals, which is as many as they did in their previous 23 Premiership outings.

David Gray has not lost a home derby as Hibs boss, winning two and drawing the first.

The last one at Easter Road was a 3-2 thriller in December, with Hibs 3-0 up early in the second half, then hanging on for dear life in the closing minutes.

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Rangers have scored 14 goals in their past three league games, scoring four or more each time.

The last time a Rangers team did that was January 1968.

With the games overlapping, let's look ahead to the later kick-offs too.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Scotland at Tannadice

The Dundee derby is usually a pretty spicy affair and this is no different, particularly for the away side.

Dundee find themselves just five points above the relegation play-off spot and in danger of getting embroiled in a dogfight to avoid ending up in that dreaded position.

United are safe in seventh place and have been strong at home in recent weeks.

With an eye on the next campaign, manager Jim Goodwin will be scrutinising his players, so there is plenty on the line for him, and them, over the coming weeks.

Oh, and let’s not forget the bragging rights...

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Jim Goodwin has made two changes from the side that beat Livingston two weeks ago.

Amar Fatah was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring injury while Sam Cleall-Harding drops to the bench. Neil Farrugia and Krisztian Keresztes are in from the start.

Dundee have made five alterations from the 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock last time out.

Drey Wright, Simon Murray, Brad Halliday, Tony Yogane and Joel Cotterill are replaced in the starting XI by Ryan Astley, Ashley Hay, Imari Samuels, Joe Westley and Scott Wright.

No team bus required today... Dundee players made the traditional walk down Tannadice Street.

The rivals' stadiums are less than 200 metres apart.

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Dundee United: Richards, Iovu, Graham, Keresztes, Strain, Sevelj, Agyei, Ferry, Farrugia, Watters, Sapsford.

Substitutes: Adams, Esselink, Camara, Eskesen, Sibbald, Dolcek, Naamo, Cleall-Harding, Russell.

Dundee: McCracken, Astley, Graham, Koumetio, Samuels, Congreve, Dhanda, Hamilton, S. Wright, Westley, Hay.

Substitutes: O'Hara, D. Wright, F. Robertson, Murray, Halliday, Yogane, Reilly, Cotterill, Jones.

Celtic's 3-1 win over Falkirk took them level on points with Hearts and Rangers are just one behind the top two.

Who will be in the number one position once the dust settles today?

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What a day we have in store in the Scottish Premiership. A three course feast of football.

We start with a Dundee derby at Tannadice.

Then Rangers host Motherwell at Ibrox.

And it all concludes with an Edinburgh derby as league leaders Hearts visit Hibernian.

Image source, SNS