Steven Pressley is seeking to lead Dundee to back-to-back wins over fierce rivals United – but admits he doesn't "enjoy" derby fixtures.
The Dark Blues, who won 1-0 at Tannadice in January, can replace United in seventh place with a home victory on Sunday.
"I don't enjoy it, to be perfectly honest," Pressley said.
"I think if you asked any manager, unless they lie to you, there's a lot of relief at the end of it.
"It's not a game or a period you particularly enjoy. It's okay if you get the right outcome, as we did at Tannadice, but it's not an enjoyable game.
"It goes without saying that the derby games carry that extra pressure, that extra burden. We're not hiding from that fact."
Opposite number Jim Goodwin is under pressure with inconsistent United set to miss out on the top six, but Pressley is braced for a "difficult challenge".
"That's what goes with the territory when you play at a club where you do play a derby that there's such fierce rivalry around," he added.
"Whether it's Tannadice or whether it's Dens, the importance doesn't change. Your own supporters expect you to get a result, so that doesn't change.
"That's for both sides at the weekend. Dundee United supporters will turn up expecting their team to win, as will Dundee fans, and ultimately that brings a degree of pressure."
