Boost for Dundee with return of injured trio

Dundee manager Neil McCann believes he effectively has “three new signings'' available this weekend as his side travel to Celtic.

Josh Meekings, Jules Etxabeguren and Kosta Gadzhalov have all returned to training following injury to strengthen an improving Dee team.

Wins against St Johnstone and Hearts offered encouragement to McCann and supporters before the international break, and the Dark Blues boss is optimistic that things can only keep getting better.

The return of three players yet to play this season has been a boost to the former Rangers midfielder, with Meekings - who only joined in the summer - a particularly exciting addition.

“He could be huge for us,'' McCann said. “He's a real quality defender. Good on the ball, powerful, quick, and he's like having a new signing outside the window.

“Jules is the same, Kosta is coming back too so we have three new signings at centre-back which bolsters us. It gives a competition for places that we're all striving for.

“I'm in a good position right now and I'm really thankful for it.”

Despite an upturn in form following a tricky start to the season, Dundee face the unenviable task of trying to break Celtic's 58-game unbeaten domestic run on Saturday, but McCann played down talk of his side heading to Celtic Park with nothing to lose.

He said: “There's no free hit in football. A free hit in football is just a surrender, and saying someone is too good and you're not winning.

“There are no free hits, not here anyway.

“Our team will be going to Celtic Park to get a result, and we're not going to throw away momentum, we want to build on it.

“It's as tough a game as you will get this season, because they are playing against the best team in the country, but you have to come up with a game plan that you believe you can take to these places and try and get a result, otherwise there's no point in the bus turning up at Celtic Park.'