Docherty seeking to strengthen injury-hit defence

Dundee manager Tony Docherty aims to sign defensive reinforcements this month after having to throw players in at the deep end in Thursday's derby defeat.

With Jordan McGhee and Billy Koumetio joining Antonio Portales and long-term absentee Joe Shaughnessy on the sidelines in the festive period, Docherty is short of centre-backs.

Clark Robertson was rushed back from injury to face Dundee United along with Luke Graham, who was recalled from a season-long loan spell at Falkirk, and Ryan Astley in a back three.

Docherty, whose side travel to face St Johnstone on Sunday, said: "Clark Robertson trained for one day, so in normal circumstances he wouldn't have played in that match, but because of the boy he is, and because of the situation we're in, I had to play him.

"I think you may have seen that was a contributing factor in the last goal. He's looking over at the bench and he's struggling at that stage of the game.

"Big Luke, he's 20 years old, he's done fantastically out on loan, but it's that area of the pitch, with experienced defenders, it's cost us this season, absolutely, to have the amount of injuries that we've got.

"When the dust settles, you need to give the players credit, particularly Clark, for coming through that, but certainly we're suffering from the amount of injuries we've picked up, and the position in the team that the injuries fall."

Docherty confirmed Koumetio would be out for a "length" of time following a scan on an ankle injury and added of his missing defenders: "Obviously they're the big players for me, so we'll look at that as a group and see what we can do to try and make things right.

"But it doesn't take away from the fact we should win that game, we should absolutely win that game, and the overriding feeling for myself is one of real frustration and a bit of anger."