Tony Docherty revealed his Dundee players are back in a “buoyant” mood following their comprehensive midweek defeat by Rangers as they prepare for the visit of Livingston on Sunday.
The Dark Blues lost 5-0 at home to the Light Blues on Wednesday night and their first loss in five games left them ninth in the cinch Premiership, one point ahead of second-bottom Livi whom they beat 2-0 in West Lothian last weekend.
The Gers match was delayed by 45 minutes after the Rangers team bus was held up in traffic and then suspended for 18 minutes after the travelling fans let off a large number of flares that triggered fire alarms under the stand.
Boss Docherty has consigned an unusual evening to history to concentrate on Livi and the challenges they will present.
He said: “We’ve addressed that, we’ve analysed it and we move on from it. It’s now Livingston at home and our sole focus is on that.
“I think the way we can identify that was this morning’s training.
“They came in the door and as a result of the game the other night, they are not feeling the best but when they leave they’re feeling really good about themselves.
“We had a really good training session and we’ve done a session analysing the game and they went back out the door all fully prepared for that Livingston game.
“So I think you can gauge it that way, the way the players are, and they were really buoyant going out the door after a healthy training day.”
Docherty’s newly-promoted side lost 3-0 to Celtic last month before going on a four-game unbeaten run against Kilmarnock, Hibernian, Ross County and Livingston and he is looking for a similar reaction following the loss to the other half of the Old Firm.
He said: “I would say the Rangers game was probably below the standard that the players have set.
“The last time we had a game against Celtic we lost 3-0 and I said to the players, these Old Firm games won’t determine our fate, but it is important how we react.
“After the Celtic game, we had a draw at Easter Road, a draw at home to Ross County and we beat Livingston so the reaction from the last game against one of the Old Firm was really good and so I am hoping and confident I will get the same reaction from the players this time.”
