Dundee head coach Steven Pressley believes his side must produce another “perfect performance” when they welcome “wounded animal” Celtic to Dens Park on Sunday – live on Sky Sports.
The champions have lost all three of their matches in the City of Discovery this campaign.
However, the Dark Blues' boss has warned that a "hurting" Celtic can be even more dangerous after defeat at rivals United before the international break left them five points behind leaders Hearts in the race for the Scottish Premiership title.
Pressley also revealed that in-demand defender Luke Graham - who Sky Sports News understand is of interest to Rangers - has "ambitions" of one day playing in the Premier League.
The 52-year-old spoke to Sky Sports after taking a week off during the international break to spend time with his family down south, citing inspiration from ex-Brentford colleague Thomas Frank...
Pressley: Beware of the "wounded animal"
When Pressley's Dundee beat Celtic 2-0 at Dens Park in October, it marked their first victory over the Parkhead club since 2001.
It also saw former Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers edge closer to the exit door, with the result leading to his humorous post-match outburst in which he likened managing the team to driving a Ferrari with the keys to a Honda Civic.
Since then, a further two Celtic managers have tasted defeat on Tannadice Street, yet they are still in the fight for the title.
At the opposite end of the table, the Dark Blues have their own fight.
Despite just one defeat in their last six matches, Pressley's side could find themselves only two points clear of the relegation play-off spot come kick-off at 4.30pm on Sunday - live on Sky Sports.
"It will always take a perfect performance to win these types of games. Anything short of that then will not win," he told Sky Sports News.
"You also always need a degree of luck against the Old Firm but we've certainly shown we're capable of that and I think the one thing I have to say about this group of players is that there is a belief around them.
"There is a belief that, regardless of the opposition, we can be a real match for anybody, and that's been a really refreshing part of managing this group.
"But it will take an enormous performance against a very much wounded animal after losing to Dundee United in their last game.
"They'll be looking to bounce back and if they still have the aspirations to win the league, then they'll know they need to beat ourselves so it makes it a really interesting game.
"That's when they're most dangerous. Celtic have proved time and time again how resilient they are as a club and a team so it will take a top performance from ourselves.
"But we've got our own pride and our own situation we need to take care of and the most important thing for us is ensuring that we put together the right performance.
"The last time that Dundee as a club won two home games in the top-flight against Celtic was 1972-73 and another ironic aspect about that is that the player that scored the winning goal was Gordon Wallace who just sadly passed away over the last couple of weeks.
"A legendary football figure within the city so it's amazing the type of stats that football brings up."
'Rangers target Graham has Premier League ambition'
Meanwhile, transfer talk surrounding centre-back Luke Graham has intensified this week and Sky Sports News understand Premiership rivals Rangers are keen on the 22-year-old.
Pressley has backed the academy graduate to make it to the "very top" and revealed it is the Scotland U21 international's "ambition" to play for a Premier League side one day.
Graham has been a mainstay in Dundee's backline this term, starting 30 of their 31 Premiership fixtures since returning in the summer from a title-winning loan spell with Falkirk.
"We received a substantial offer for him in January, and the club turned that down, which was really important. Since then, his form has been terrific; in fact, he's got better and better," added the Dens Park boss.
"He's a credit to himself and his family, the way he's conducted himself through all of the speculation.
"Am I surprised by the speculation? Absolutely not. We've received no further offers. Do I expect us to receive them in the summer? Probably, based on his form.
"He's been an amazing young player for us and he's a great talent who I think can go on and play right at the very top. I'm not surprised about anything around him at this present moment in time.
"We've got to understand that a player like Luke Graham probably, in his own mind, wants to play at a top club. A club in the English Premier League, that's his ambition, and of course at Dundee we can't provide that ambition.
"That decision will ultimately be Luke's decision and the decision of the football club who meets the right financial package that's required to lure him away.
"If it is that he needs to go to another club in Scotland before that move then again that will be the decision maker's choice. Also, it will be the market choice.
"The most important thing for us is the player and we should be proud around his progression and we should want a young player like Luke Graham to play eventually at the very top level."
Pressley: Family over football during international breaks, just like ex-Brentford boss Frank
Coaches often use international windows to get across new information or reinforce tactical details that may not be possible to cover in great depth amidst the demanding domestic calendar.
However, Dundee's eccentric head coach took a different approach, copying that of recently-sacked Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank - whom he worked with at Brentford.
Pressley spent four years in West London as the club's head of individual player development, where he noticed Frank would disappear during international breaks to spend more time with his family.
"After the Hearts game, I went down to visit my family in Leamington," Pressley continued. "I was there for a week, although the coaches and the players continued up until the Wednesday.
"I was fortunate enough to get some time to myself and time with my family.
"Truth be told, I had no involvement, no thought about football until going to watch my son on Saturday when Walsall played Colchester. That was the first time I switched back on after a week away from football.
"It was a much-needed break and I think I've come back and feel more recharged.
"I'm always trying to learn and in some of my early jobs I was 24/7 relentlessly trying to improve but managing your time and managing that freshness is really important.
"When I was at Brentford, every international break Thomas [Frank] would take the week off.
"During the periods in between, he would work exceptionally hard but then he would take his time off to recharge, and I thought that was really clever.
"It was something that I always intended to do, going back into a job, and it's been the same. I've said it time and time again, I'm first in the morning and often last home but I think it's important at the right times that you need to recharge and that was the real reasoning behind it.
"I really did enjoy it. It wasn't long enough truth be told but of course it's nice to be back in amongst it again."