“He’s got this thing that’s been hanging around the club for a few months now. With some players, it has just lasted a couple of days and, with others, it’s been a bit longer,” said the manager.

“I wanted him available because I’ve been thrilled with the way he’s been playing. All he needed was games and, now he has had a few, he is doing very well for us.”

Looking further ahead, a gentleman’s agreement means Webster will not face Rangers in a fortnight, but his loan deal from Ibrox is for the season and there is no January release clause.

Craig, meanwhile, shares Dons boss Mark McGhee’s view that this game remains one of the big dates on the domestic calendar.

“Mark’s last experience of it was when he was a player and it was Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean battling it out with two teams at the top of the league, so I can understand why he thinks that way. Since I’ve been involved, they have always been exciting games with big crowds and a great atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, after an unwanted break, midfielder Danny Swanson is hungry for action tomorrow.

A harsh red card in the win at St Johnstone led to a two-game ban and, with an international break falling between them, it’s now been almost a month since he saw top-team action.

Flu threatened to extend his absence for another week, but the 22-year-old is back in training and wants the chance to vent his frustration on the Dons.

“Until what happened at St Johnstone, things had been going well. I was in the team every week and, although I thought I might have done better in a game or two, overall I had been happy with my form,” he said.

“To have my run interrupted like that was hard to take and, to be honest, it was so hard watching the games when I was out that I would probably have been better not even going.”

His day off ill apart, this week Swanson has been buzzing in training as he builds up to his return.

“It’s been good to have something to aim for and, hopefully, I’ll get my chance from the gaffer. If I do, it’s a great game to be coming back in, because, since I’ve been here, it’s always been good when we’ve met Aberdeen.

“There have usually been a few goals, but the games have been close and there is always a great atmosphere.”

After back-to-back draws while he was sidelined, he believes a win in the Granite City would send out the perfect message.

“When you look at the players we’ve had out since the start of the season, to only have lost once is not bad going.

“It shows we are a stronger squad this year and, as the gaffer has been saying, the boys who have come into the team would walk into most other sides in the Premier League. I think Aberdeen have improved as well, though, and it won’t be easy up there. We will be looking for the points and, if we get them, it’s one of those results other teams notice.

“From the point of view that they are one of the teams around us, this is a game we have to win and, if you get a result at Pittodrie, you know you’ve done well.”

United have confirmed Johnny Russell’s loan spell at Raith has been extended, while young keeper Conor Grant and defender Marco Andreoni have gone on loan to Forfar Athletic.

“What’s been in their favour coming up is the fact the rest of us do not really know them, but the first quarter is over and we’ve all had a game against them.

“That means we should be better prepared for them and, as ever, this being a home game means we will be going all out to win.”

Eight home games have yielded seven wins and a draw and, while that’s the kind of form that can make visitors to Dens Park scared, Jocky admits, to date, he has not detected a fear factor.

“Our aim is to keep winning, because we want people worried when they have to come here. Our record is good, but I have to say, so far, the opposition have been having a real go, so we’ve still got work to do.”

With David Cowan set to be sidelined for several weeks with the groin injury he suffered at Morton, veteran Jim Lauchlan will come in at the back. Midfielder Gary Harkins has shaken off a foot knock and will be in his usual place.

Meanwhile, Raith boss McGlynn has called on his depleted squad to show the same kind of spirit that earned them victory over Queen of the South last weekend.

The Kirkcaldy side are without Laurie Ellis, Iain Davidson, Iain Williamson, Stephen Simmons and Craig Wilson, but McGlynn remains confident his makeshift side can still do a turn at Dens.

He said, “I’m hoping the performance against Queen of the South helps the guys who came on and who have not been playing regularly to take confidence.”

The Raith boss has targeted Dundee’s in-form striker Leigh Griffiths as a main threat to his team’s hopes.

“Griffiths scored goals with Livingston and that’s why Dundee paid a lot of money for him.”

Raith received a boost today with news that striker Johnny Russell’s loan spell from Dundee United will be extended.

One of the 29-year-old’s career highlights, however, came during his time in Scandinavia when he helped minnows FC Midtjylland to a surprise second place in Denmark’s top division. Even so, he has no doubts the pressure to succeed at Dens Park means this will be a more difficult campaign.

“In Denmark, it was a good league, but nothing was expected of us and we could relax and play our football,” said Klimpl.

“That’s what we did and we took everyone by surprise. But since my first day at Dundee, I have known that, here, things are different. This is a big club in our league and, for us, second is not a good thing — it is failure.

“That means much more pressure is on us, including from our own fans, but that is the way it should be because the size of this club means it should be in the highest division.”

Klimpl also believes with the status of promotion favourites comes the pressure of having to cope with opposition who raise their game just because it is Dundee who are being faced.

And, while he does not quite go as far as agreeing with Dens money man Calum Melville’s assertion the bottom half of the SPL and the top half of the First Division are identical when it comes to quality, he does not see a big gap.

“It has only been six or seven games for me so far, but I’d say we are definitely playing teams who are giving 120% because it is Dundee they are against. This is normal when you are playing for the big team in any league, but it is something I am experiencing for the first time — I am enjoying it.

“From my games with Motherwell last season, I do not see many differences in the quality, but, of course, in our division you do not have Rangers and Celtic, and one or two other teams that make a difference.

“Playing those big games against those teams helps you and that is what we want to be doing next season.”

Although Saints sit second bottom of the SPL, they’ve been playing some sparkling football more deserving of a place higher in the league.

All of the team which started at home to Rangers last Saturday are fit, but Filipe Morais, who did well when he came on as a substitute, has failed to recover from a shoulder knock and is out.

No. 2 keeper Graeme Smith has recovered from a leg knock and long-term injury victim Kevin Rutkiewicz, whose latest problem has been a stomach injury, was hoping to start training today.

“Tomorrow is the start of a big seven days for us,” said Derek. “Following the Killie game, we have Dundee United at home in the Co-Op Cup on Tuesday and then Falkirk at home in the SPL a week tomorrow.

“Killie may not have scored many goals in the league, but they have capable strikers. They’re strong up front and we have to be aware of that.

“And once tomorrow is over, we’ll turn our attention fully to Tuesday.”

Martin Hardie is looking forward to returning to Kilmarnock.

In his season with Killie, he only started 10 games and was a substitute on eight occasions.

“Present Killie manager Jim Jefferies was the man who signed me and, although I didn’t get as many games as I wanted, I liked it there,” said Martin.

“Of the playing staff, Garry Hay, James Fowler and Jamie Hamill are still there from my time and so is the physio, Alec McQueen, who helped me through rehabilitation after injury.

“We’ve been playing well, so go to Kilmarnock with confidence.”

For his part, Jefferies admits more than the same points total binds Kilmarnock and Saints together.

The Killie boss believes the season so far for both teams — who have six points — has been one of missed opportunities.

He said, “Saints have done well this season, and, like us, probably deserve a few points more.”