JAMES MCPAKE isn't thinking about potentially landing a psychological blow on Athletic's rivals when they kick off this weekend's Championship action.

Dunfermline take on Dundee United this evening in the first of the fixtures at KDM Group East End Park, having been brought forward from its original Saturday slot for television coverage.

BBC Scotland will screen the clash, and a victory for the Pars would see them jump a place and into sixth, and move four points clear of second bottom Inverness Caledonian Thistle, before the rest of the division play tomorrow.

Fixtures elsewhere include Inverness hosting Ayr United, who are one place below Athletic on goal difference, and Queen's Park, one place above Dunfermline by the same method, entertaining title-chasing Raith Rovers.

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When asked if three points against the leader leaders could strike a mental blow to the teams around them ahead of their matches, however, McPake replied: "I don't think about it that way because you can look at it the other way and say, if we don't pick up a point, then you're giving other teams a boost as well. Maybe some people do.

"I like night time games. I like the live TV games, as do the players, because what normally comes with that is a really good atmosphere. Dundee United, being the size of club they are, and the fact that they are where they are in the league, in a very tight race at the top, then they're going to bring a good crowd which will add to the atmosphere as well.

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"I've managed games where you've had to play on the Monday night or the Sunday, and you've played after everyone, and it generally doesn't make a difference to me."

A first win over the Tangerines this term - they've drawn twice at Tannadice, and lost the last meeting at East End thanks to a late goal from Chris Mochrie, who spent last season on loan with the club - would also help Fife rivals' Rovers title aspirations.

They followed their win over Dunfermline on Saturday with a hard-fought success at Partick Thistle on Tuesday, cutting the gap to table-topping United to a point with eight games to go.

"It's a strange situation. The perception is that it's your rivals. They're obviously going for a league title, as are Dundee United, but I genuinely don't really care," McPake continued.

"I just want to take care of ourselves. If that helps the other team, then so be it, but as long as we go in and look after ourselves then we'll be happy."

When asked if it helps having taken points off Jim Goodwin's Taysiders going into tonight's match, McPake added: "I don't know because we had beaten Airdrie twice, and then they came and beat us here.

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"We hadn't beaten Raith, but we were going into that game confident and believing that we could go in and get the result.

"Dundee United will be looking at those games as well and knowing they were tight. They'll be aware of our threat, we're certainly aware of their threat, and then both teams will be looking over the last games, just to see where you can hurt the other team, and what you can maybe do a wee bit better to come out good on the night.

"Ultimately, it comes down to the 90, 95 minutes on the night, and what we can do in terms of the team that we pick, and then the subs that can come on and make an impact in the game.

"As soon as the game starts, you forget that you've actually played them, and you just care of the game that you're involved in that night."