Whether or not he makes his debut, Jocky has still to decide. He is happy, though, that he has added a player of Malcolm’s vast experience at such a vital time of the season.

“With the number of games coming up, we need as many available players as possible and to have added one who has played at the level Bob Malcolm has is very pleasing,” he said.

“We are trying to win our league and that’s a position he has been in with Rangers on several occasions and knows exactly what’s required. He can play in midfield, but it is as a defender I’ve signed him and there’s a possibility I’ll use him tomorrow.”

Malcolm spent nine years at Ibrox before moving to Derby in 2006 and then, via a loan spell at QPR, to Motherwell two years ago.

Last summer, he headed for Australia and a deal with Brisbane Roar, but, following the departure of former Ibrox mates Charlie Miller and Craig Moore, he left there in January and headed home.

Most recently, he has been training with another of his former clubs, Motherwell, and, while he may lack match sharpness, his general fitness levels have impressed.

Striker Sean Higgins, meanwhile, is hoping to make it back-to-back games against Inverness and, if the outcome is the same as in his last competitive outing in November, he’ll be delighted.

Higgins’ last run-out was when Dundee stormed back from two down to lift the Challenge Cup against ICT in a five-goal thriller at McDiarmid Park.

He had knee surgery shortly after, but is back and set for some involvement in this vital clash. He knows both teams can take positives from the cup final, but feels Dundee have an edge.

“In the final, they hammered us in the first half and were worth the lead. They won’t have forgotten that, but we were worth our goals in the second half and deserved to win.

“We’ll want to take that into this game and look for three points, which would be massive.”

Although he refuses to name Caley as the main threat to Dens promotion hopes, Higgins does accept they are the division’s form side.

“They have been going well and even last week, when they only drew with Ayr and equalised in injury time, they created chances. The result was still a blow and, hopefully, we can give them another bad day.”

He also hopes to be involved, though, a lack of games since his recovery from that knee op. means he is unlikely to start.

“The weather means I’ve only had 45 minutes of a reserve game, but we’ve had a couple of bounce games in training and I’ve been working hard.

“It’s good to be back, because there are a lot of games coming and it’s going to be important to have as many players available as possible.

“When you look at the schedule, there is no way everyone is going to play 90 minutes of each game, so everyone is going to have a part to play.”

A huge 17-point advantage over seventh-placed Aberdeen means that, even with six games to go until the league splits, the first objective of a top-half-of-the-table finish for a third year running has been achieved.

Now Casalinuovo sees no harm in revealing he and his team-mates plan to stay in the third slot that was wrestled away from Hibs last week when they were held at Easter Road and United beat Falkirk.

“It’s not going to be easy, because Hibs, Motherwell and even Hearts will all believe they can be third, and the way Motherwell have climbed the league shows what you can do if you win some games in a row,” he said.

“However, we are back in third and we want to stay there. To do that means we have to keep winning, but I believe we can do that. If we can win on Sunday, it will be a big result for us, because then one of the teams who are close to us will be looking at the league and seeing we have made the gap to them bigger.”

Although this is his first experience of Scottish football, the 23-year-old is aware that tradition means Jim Jefferies’ team are likely to push United hard in the coming weeks.

“I know that, here in Scotland, Hearts are a big club, who are used to being near the top of the league, and they have won some games recently. I also know from earlier this season that games against Hearts are very tough and you need to play well to beat them, and this time will not be different.”

He is confident, however, United have the firepower to get three points and such is the quality of attacker at gaffer Peter Houston’s disposal, admits just getting a place in the side gives him a boost.

“We have good strikers. Jon Daly, Goodie and Danny Cadamarteri are all very good players and, before long, Francisco Sandaza will be back. When I look at these names and see I am in the team it gives me confidence, and I am very happy at the number of games I have had.

“I was very happy when I signed for Dundee United, but my aim for my first season was to work hard, play some games and then build from there next season, so I am very pleased I have played in so many games. It is good because of the players we have and, because of that, I think we always have a good chance of scoring goals.”

Boss Peter Houston was sticking to his policy of looking no further forward than the next fixture and he predicted a close-fought game against a team who’ve been boosted by the return as manager of a man he knows very well.

“You can never expect an easy game when you face Hearts, because they are a big club with plenty of players capable of doing a good job,” he said.

“Jim Jefferies has come in and given them a lift, but that does not surprise me because you are talking about an experienced SPL manager who knows how to go about his business. He’s already brought Kilmarnock up here this season and taken a point, and he’ll want at least as much with Hearts, but we’ll be looking for another win ourselves.”

After feeling his calves tight while playing for Scotland on Wednesday night, Andy Webster faces a fitness check and striker Jon Daly will also be assessed over the next 48 hours. He missed the win over Falkirk with a thigh problem.

Fans are reminded Sunday’s game has a 3.30 pm KO.

The move has not gone down well with the fans and both clubs have received numerous complaints. As a result, they will be making their concerns known to top-flight headquarters in Glasgow, though, right now, a switch back to the previous Saturday seems unlikely.

Tomorrow, the two shape up again at McDiarmid, with in-form Motherwell being led by their recently-appointed management duo of Craig Brown and Archie Knox.

The wily ways of Scottish football’s most- experienced managerial pair will pit their wits against the more youthful St Johnstone pairing of Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty in a game which has all the makings of another cracker.

Saints’ quartet of Graham Gartland, Jody Morris, Kevin Moon and Kenny Deuchar are back in training following spells on the sidelines, Gartland due to illness and the others due to injury.

Murray Davidson, who sparkled and scored in that opening day SPL encounter, is a doubt due to the groin injury which necessitated his removal from the Scotland U/21 squad.

Saints last home game saw them rout Hibs 5-1 with Steven Anderson settling neatly in at left-back.

He was lined up to play there again against Hibs in last Saturday’s 1-1 Easter Road draw when he had to make a quick switch to a central defensive position.

Graham Gartland took ill during the warm up, meaning Danny Grainger was brought in off the substitutes’ bench to take up the left-back slot, with Anderson moving to the centre of the defence.

Derek McInnes had praise for the former Dundee United man, stating, “Ando is so versatile and that’s a bonus for us as he can play anywhere along the back four.

“He trains well and works hard. In fact, he trains every day as if it’s his last and he’s played really well in the last couple of games.”

Derek describes Motherwell as “the form team” and he added, “We’re under no illusion as to how difficult a task this will be.

“Motherwell have been playing well under Craig and Archie, and they have a confidence and belief about them.

“They have good attacking options and pace up front — so make no mistake, this is a tough game for us.”

For their part, Motherwell opened up a 12-point gap on the bottom half of the SPL with victory over Kilmarnock last weekend — but manager Craig Brown believes Saints, represent a threat to their top-six ambitions.

Saints currently lie a point behind seventh-placed Aberdeen on the 28-point mark, but have three games in hand on fifth-placed Motherwell (41 points).

Brown said, “The best recent performance I’ve seen of any SPL team was St Johnstone beating Hibs 5-1 — and it was thoroughly merited. If they play like that, we have a major problem.”