Dundee report covid cases and place Mark McGhee's Motherwell return under threat

Dundee are faced with a major selection headache ahead of Mark McGhee’s return to old club Motherwell on Saturday.

The cinch Premiership bottom club confirmed before Wednesday's goalless draw with Hibernian that they would be without Luke McCowan and Zak Rudden through Covid-related absences.

McGhee’s side have now confirmed that they have returned two positive tests this week.

"The first positive case earlier this week led to five players being identified as close contacts and some members of the squad missed out against Hibernian due to isolation periods," a statement added. "Testing ahead of tomorrow's match at Fir Park has returned another positive case and as a result, a further five players have been identified as close contacts and some further players will have to isolate as a result.

Dundee manager Mark McGhee has seen his struggling side take one point from nine and now has a covid outbreak disrupting preparations for the cinch Premiership fixture this weekend. (Photo by Roddy Scott / SNS Group)

"The club is co-operating fully with the appropriate authorities.”

The disruption is another chapter in a torrid time at the Tayside club which has seen a slip to the bottom of the table, a change of manager following the surprise sacking of James McPake and his successor – veteran Mark McGhee – sit out his opening six games serving a pre-existing six-match ban.

The Dark Blues have a Scottish Cup quarter-final with Rangers at the Kilmac Stadium to look forward to this month, but face Motherwell on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Celtic and a 4-0 home hammering by Livingston preceding their scoreless draw with ten-man Hibs in midweek.

Covid has also struck at their weekend hosts where Fir Park CEO Alan Burrows revealed he had been struck with the virus, but had so far only experienced mild symptoms.

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