Tony Docherty urges Dundee to go ‘toe-to-toe’ with Rangers on Ibrox homecoming

Tony Docherty has challenged his Dundee team to nullify any excitement about Rangers’ homecoming as they bid to pull off an upset and reach the semi-finals of the League Cup.

The Dark Blues will be the first visitors to Ibrox this season after delays to renovation work at the stadium meant Gers were forced to play their previous home matches this term at Hampden.

Dundee, coincidentally, were also the last away team to play in Govan when they went down 5-2 to Philippe Clement’s side in May despite taking a 2-0 lead, and Docherty has called for a similarly strong start from his team in Saturday’s quarter-final showdown.

“It’s a really mouthwatering tie, a brilliant game for us to be involved in,” said the Dark Blues boss. “We’re not going there to shore up, we’re going there to take part in the game and do all we can to get to the next stage of the competition.

“I remember last year we had a really strong start at Ibrox and went 2-0 up and I think if we hadn’t lost a goal right on half-time, it could have been a very interesting second half. That’s in the history books now, we lost that game, but we have players in the squad who know what it takes to play at Ibrox.

“It is a wee bit of an unusual situation because they’re going back to Ibrox for the first time but we’ll prepare for every eventuality and make sure we’re ready. I would expect the fans to be right behind Rangers because they’re just getting back to Ibrox.

“I thought Rangers were scintillating in the first 20 minutes (in their 1-0 win over Dundee United) at Tannadice on Sunday, and we’ve got to be ready for that.

“We’ve got really good players and they need to realise that and be confident, brave in possession and resolute as a team, and if we do all that and go in team-handed and ready to go toe-to-toe with Rangers, we’ll give ourselves a chance. It’s a cup tie, so you’re either in or out at the end of it, and we’re going to give ourselves every chance.”

Dundee suffered their first defeat of the season when they lost 2-0 at Ross County last weekend but Docherty – who has Clark Robertson and Charlie Reilly available for the first time since July – is optimistic.

“We’re a good team that had a bad day last week, sometimes that happens,” he said. “We move on and the important thing is how we react.

“I’ve been buoyed by the players on the training ground and seeing the return of Clark Robertson and Charlie Reilly. They’re available for Saturday and it feels like two new signings.

“I’ve known Clark for a long time since he was a young boy at Aberdeen and since then he’s gone on to captain teams in England and gained really good experience, and I’m looking for him to use that experience for our team. Young Charlie just needs to get going again because he’s been plagued by injuries.”