Caley Thistle boss John Robertson has warned his players they have their work cut out to halt surprise Championship pacesetters Raith Rovers this afternoon.
The Kirkcaldy side sit top of the table and are averaging more than three goals a game with three wins and a draw from their opening four fixtures.
Striker Manny Duku has netted seven goals in six games for the Fifers, including two against Caley Thistle in their Betfred Cup group stage match just under a fortnight ago.
Raith won that match on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Stark’s Park and Robertson has been impressed with John McGlynn’s side.
He said: “We saw in the cup game why they are top of the league.
“They get the ball forward quickly, can mix it up and pass through you.
“They can be very direct and press you very quickly.
“It is going to be a tough match and we will have to be at our very best.
“I have been impressed with a few of their players.
“Manny has done well. He is a big, strong, athletic striker with an eye for goal.
“He is one cog in the overall machine Raith have got at the moment.
“Regan Hendry pulls the strings in centre midfield, young Ethan Ross from Aberdeen is on one flank and Daniel Armstrong, who we know well from his time at Ross County, is on the other.
“Dylan Tait gets forward from the middle of the park and Ross Matthews scores goals as well.
“The full-backs bomb forward and Kieran MacDonald, their player of the year last season, may be back this weekend.
“Their full-backs play like wingers and their wingers come inside and play like old-fashioned inside forwards.
“With the way they played against us in the first half hour at Kirkcaldy we can understand why they are deservedly top of the league.
“Raith are absolutely flying and we have to put a team together that can neutralise their play as best as we can, but, more importantly, make sure we spend long spells of the game on top as we did in Kirkcaldy.
“We need to take our chances and be more clinical with our defensive duties.”
Robertson says his side’s injury list is clearing up but added: “I don’t think Wallace Duffy will make it. He is still injured from last week.
“James Vincent and Sean Welsh returned to training this week and Miles Storey has done a bit more.
“David Carson has started a running programme.
“The squad will be the same as last week except for the possibility of one or two senior lads maybe being on the bench.
“They are still miles off it in terms of match fitness but they can maybe do something for us off the bench and then we will have a fortnight to get them fit.
“We will probably try to get a couple of friendlies against Highland League opposition for guys such as Aaron Doran, James Vincent, Shane Sutherland, Miles Storey, Danny Devine and Wallace Duffy in order to get them some game time.
“Hopefully by the time we go to Dumfries to face Queen of the South in December we will have the majority of our squad back and match-ready.”
