ATHLETIC boss James McPake has confirmed that Matty Todd and Kane Ritchie-Hosler will be both be in the squad for the match with Dundee United tomorrow (Friday).

Ritchie-Hosler, who has recovered from a knee operation, having previously gone under the knife for an ankle problem during pre-season, was on the bench for last Friday's win at Greenock Morton.

He was an unused substitute in that game, which McPake had hoped would also see a return for Todd, who has been out since injuring his ankle in a Viaplay Cup group stage match with Annan Athletic in July.

That also required surgery, but both players have recovered, and are set to be involved for the televised visit of Championship leaders United.

"Matty Todd will come into the squad. He was touch and go last week; he just probably hadn't done enough in terms of load in training, so we opted to top him up," McPake said.

"Kane had done a little bit more, so Kane and Matty are in the squad. Other than that, we should be unchanged.

"It's a boost having those two. They've got another week of training into them as well.

"It's an unfortunate one for both of them, and I think I've spoken about that. Kane in particular has had a double blow, really, with coming back, getting a wee taste of being back in, then being back out."

McPake, however, has ruled both Kyle Benedictus and Rhys Breen out of the game with the Tangerines.

Pars skipper Benedictus returned from a fracture in his foot against Raith Rovers last month, but was taken off at half-time, whilst Breen was replaced late on in that same game with a hamstring problem.

They were both missing from the squad at Cappielow, and McPake said: "Kyle and Rhys are working away. They'll not make this game, but I wouldn't like to put a date on it, just because I don't know the date, if I'm honest. They're working away and doing wee bits and pieces."

United's visit, to be broadcast live on the BBC Scotland channel, is the first of five successive home games for Athletic, who will aim to be the first to send the promotion favourites to defeat.

In August, only a stoppage-time equaliser from Mathew Cudjoe prevented Dunfermline leaving Tannadice with all three points, but McPake knows the size of the task awaiting his men.

"It's a big month for the football club, and we want to start the home run pretty well, and go out and perform in front of our own fans," he added.

"We'll have a game plan to go out and play against them. They're a good team; they're 12 unbeaten in the league. They're at the top of the league on merit because they've been the most consistent team off the back of coming down, and that's not easy. We've seen clubs down before and take a while to get going, so credit to them. They've come down, they've got themselves going, particularly after what would have been for them, in their eyes, a poor Viaplay Cup group stage.

"They've been good in the league, very consistent, and they've got some good players. We know it's going to be a tough game, but we just need to concentrate on ourselves."