Shaughnessy: Hibs clash a chance for Dundee to open cushion in top-six race

Joe Shaughnessy is eyeing the opportunity for Dundee to pull further away from Hibernian when the two teams meet at Easter Road on Saturday.

With eight Premiership fixtures remaining before the split, Tony Docherty’s side are in sixth place, five points ahead of Hibs.

After home wins against St Johnstone and Ross County, Shaughnessy believes the Taysiders are in rude health going into the game.

The 31-year-old former St Mirren, St Johnstone and Aberdeen defender said: “We are on the back of a couple of good wins and it puts us in a good position.

“It is always tough going away to Hibs but it is a good chance to show what we are about so we can match them and get a good positive result.

“It is just a chance to go and open up a bigger gap between ourselves and them. At this time of the season you are looking to do that and try to really push on so it is a good chance.

“Any time we have had a couple of bad results, we haven’t gone on a run of bad results where you get dragged down towards the bottom of the table. We have managed to react and get back to winning ways which is probably why we are where we are in the league at the minute.

“The squad is looking good, we are getting a few players back to fitness and I think you see that with the last couple of results.”

Dundee battled to a draw in Leith in September before losing 2-1 at home to the Hibees in November.

Shaughnessy said: “Any time we have played them, they are really strong attacking-wise.

“They hit you very fast and that is where they are dangerous so we have to contain their front three/four and impose our own game after that.

“The last time (there) we defended well but we didn’t threaten as much going forward although we had a chance to win it before the end.

“We will look to cause them a few more problems than the last times we were there.”