Dundee United

Paul McNicoll
Fan writer

Scrappy. That's the best way to describe United's win on Saturday.

An undeniable fact, however, is that you get the same three points from a scrappy win as you do from a free flowing, blow the opposition away win. I'll take it.

I feel the general consensus among fans is that the Saintees will likely be closer to the bottom than the top of the table this season. For that reason alone, Saturday's win was important.

I have no idea where United will finish this season, but it stands to reason that if you want to stay out of trouble yourselves, you need to be strong at home and beat the sides you think will potentially be around about you. That is exactly what happened.

United have now navigated the first three matches of their league campaign unbeaten. Two draws and a win is quite possibly something all United fans will feel is a good start.

Of course, it could have been better, having taken the lead in all games. But it also could have been worse, as we have had moments in all three games when we were, shall we say, not at our best.

That now leads us on to a real difficult test this Sunday at Tynecastle. It's a venue players and fans alike all seem to love as it's without doubt one of the best stadiums in the country.

The usual large Tangerine following will be a lot smaller, given Hearts' policy of only giving away fans a relative handful of tickets, but the lucky ones in attendance will be right behind the team and hoping to see them continue their more than decent start to the season.

And if Hearts also happen to be suffering from a European hangover after Thursday, well that would be just lovely.

Paul McNicoll can be found at The Dode Fox Podcast, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Dundee United beat St Johnstone 2-0 on Saturday for their first Premiership win since their return to the top flight.

Kevin Holt is playing a sort of shielding role in front of the defence but I’m popping him back into his usual centre-back position for my Team of the Week.

He's a real leader and helped United to a clean sheet. I hope he's made a full recovery from his, erm, altercation with Adama Sidebeh!

We asked you for your views following Dundee United's first win back in the Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Tam: Great result against St Johnstone despite a terrible first half with Jim Goodwin forced to change formation yet again. This keeps happening...

Only three attempts on goal is never good enough for United at Tannadice. All the same, an encouraging start to the season and hopefully we can start producing full 90-minute performances in weeks to come.

Jim: Considering our manager signs players such as Adegboyega and Stephenson and immediately they're in the team, our defence is going to have a few shaky moments, but that will settle down.

As for more signings, how deep is our owners pockets? Was hoping for a good start to season so can't be unhappy with this.

Watch highlights as Dundee United beat St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

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Ross Graham says Tannadice is "a really good place to be" after Dundee United extended their unbeaten run to seven games.

Jim Goodwin's side earned their first Premiership win since their return to the top flight with a 2-0 victory over St Johnstone on Saturday, and Graham praised the squad's morale.

"It's a really good place to be at the minute and the new boys have come and settled in really well," Graham said.

"We've got a good strong core of players and a lot of old experienced ones as well as bright and youthful young ones coming through.

"You always want to go on a wee unbeaten in periods in the season and we're happy that it's come in a good time at the start.

"But we keep needing to build momentum and I'm looking forward to next week's game."

Scott Allison, currently head of coaching at Nottingham Forest, is leaving to become academy director at Dundee United. (Football Insider), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin told BBC Scotland: "It gives the group a lot of confidence - the fact they can hold their own at this level and more.

"We had a great cup win against St Mirren last weekend and followed that up today with a good victory, another clean sheet.

"Defensively I thought we were excellent all day. First half was really scrappy and St Johnstone just shaded it with clear goalscoring opportunities. We were guilty of causing our own problems.

"We made a couple of changes at half-time and made a substitution just after we scored. That made a real difference and from that point on we had a lot more control. Over the piece we deserved the win.

"We were playing far too many balls backwards [in the first half]. We were in good areas. We know what Sidibeh and Kimpioka are like, how hard they work, and we didn't get to grips with it.

"Louis Moult was terrific when he came on and led the line well. Delighted with the first goal, a really well-worked goal. The second goal is fortuitous."

Dundee United picked up their first league win of the season as they punished 10-man St Johnstone at Tannadice.

After a terrible first half, Liverpool loanee Luca Stephenson put United ahead in the 54th minute when he reacted quickest to a David Babunski rebound.

Soon after Adama Sidibeh's red card, United scored again. Josh Rae missed his punch from a throw-in and Jack Sanders accidentally nodded into his own goal.

What did you make of that United fans? Was that a deserved victory?

Does Jim Goodwin still need to strengthen in the remaining transfer window?

Let us know your thoughts., external

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Similar to last week's win over St Mirren in the Premier Sports Cup - this was not the most glamorous win of Jim Goodwin's United career.

The first-half, in particular, was a hard watch. There was one solitary shot - a Trapanovski volley that flew over the bar.

Although some of the manager's additions have gelled quickly, there is a lack of creativity at the top end and they were effectively handed their two goals today.

Indeed, Goodwin still cut a frosty figure on the touchline when the first goal went in. He was a bit happier at the second.

By that point, they had a bit more confidence about them. Trapanovski had been hooked for Louis Moult, and they immediately showed more threat with two strikers on the pitch.

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Kristijan Trapanovski. The winger produced the only real moment of quality in the game, arguably.

He's adapted to Scottish football very quickly, and his link with compatriot David Babunski is obvious to see.

He's created a few United goals now and shouldn't be underrated.

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Dundee United: Walton, Adegboyega, Graham, Gallagher, Stephenson, Babunski, Sibbald, Holt, Ferry, Trapanovski, Van der Sande.

Substitutes: Richards, Moult, Odada, Middleton, Fotheringham, Docherty, Thomson, Cleall-Harding, Ubochioma.

St Johnstone: Rae, Neilson, Sanders, Cameron, Wright, Essel, M Smith, Carey, Raymond, Kimpioka, Sidibeh.

Substitutes: Sinclair, MacPherson, Clark, C Smith, Sprangler, McPake, Kirk, Franczak, Keltjens.

Dundee United defender Vicko Sevelj returns from suspension but has had a tight hamstring and will be assessed. Ryan Strain is out long term with a hamstring problem.

St Johnstone could welcome back David Keltjens but Sam McClelland is out long-term with an Achilles injury and Uche Ikpeazu (knee) is still out.

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Declan Gallagher believes Dundee United are in "a really good place" after recording back-to-back draws on their return to the Scottish Premiership.

With points picked up against rivals Dundee and Ross County, United reached the last eight of the League Cup with a win against St Mirren last Sunday, and defender Gallagher is hoping he and his team-mates can take that victory into the league.

"There’s a feel-good factor about the place just now so always excited for the next game," he said as he previewed Saturday's game against St Johnstone.

"We are six games unbeaten just now, we’re doing really well and we’ve progressed in the cup, so it’s a game we’re looking forward to.

"That’s two top-six teams we’ve played - in St Mirren and Dundee - and have held our own and, obviously, we won the game against St Mirren so we are in a really good place just now.

"I think first and foremost, as a new team coming in here, I think we have to always say that we are just looking to solidify ourselves in the league, I think that’s our first priority at the end of the day.

"But as you can see, there’s a lot of exciting players been brought to the club. The manager’s built a really good team here, and it’s one that’s exciting the fans just now.

"So hopefully we can continue to gel and continue to do well and progress, and we’ll just see where the league takes us."

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin says the final piece of transfer business he is looking to do in this window is the signing of a centre-forward to provide competition for Louis Moult and Jort van der Sande.

Goodwin also praised the talent of 17-year-old striker Owen Stirton, but says it is likely his development will continue either in the club's youth set-up or out on loan.

"We've only got two senior strikers in the building with Van der Sand and Moult," Goodwin said.

"Owen Stirton is a player we've got high hopes for, but we feel for Owen's development it's important he keeps playing under-18s games; there might be the possibility he goes out on loan.

"It's still an area we're looking to strengthen. Everywhere else, I'm very happy with right now."

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been talking to the media before Saturday's Premiership clash with St Johnstone.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Says there's a "good feeling" among his players after last three games, particularly the League Cup win over St Mirren last time out.

• Expecting a tough game against St Johnstone - says they have "good technical players" and is wary of Adama Sidibeh and Benjamin Kimpioka up front.

• Goodwin says he is still looking to add a striker before the window closes, but he is "very pleased" with all other areas of his squad and the transfer business they have done to this point.

• Praised Kevin Holt's versatility after he shone in central midfield against St Mirren, and how it gives him options in terms of the make-up of his side.

• Team news: Ryan Strain remains out with long-term injury; Ross Docherty is "not quite up to speed" and Richard Odada is "a little bit behind the rest of the group". Vicko Sevelj has had a tight hamstring but it's not serious.

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• Dundee United are winless in their last seven Scottish Premiership home games against St. Johnstone (D2 L5), losing their last three in a row.

• St. Johnstone have only won one of their last 13 away games against newly promoted opponents in the Scottish Premiership (D7 L5), a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock in May 2023. They drew both of their trips to Dundee United the last season in which the Tangerines were a promoted side (2020-21).

• Dundee United have drawn their opening two Scottish Premiership fixtures this season (2-2 v Dundee, 1-1 v Ross County) – the last team to draw their opening three matches of a top-flight campaign were rivals Dundee in 2014-15, who were also a newly promoted side (Ross County could also do so this weekend).

• St. Johnstone have won their last two Scottish Premiership away games and will be aiming to win three in a row on the road in the competition for the first time since December 2018 under Tommy Wright (6 in a row).

• This will be St. Johnstone manager Craig Levein’s first top-flight match against former club Dundee United since a 1-1 draw with Hearts in October 2004. Levein has lost just one of his last eight such meetings with the Tangerines (W6 D1 – all with Hearts), a 1-2 defeat in November 2003.

• All 12 Premiership sides provided a total of 15,101 minutes to Scottish players aged under 21 in the 2023-24 season.

• Those minutes average out to just 1,258 per club, which is the equivalent of only 14 full 90-minute matches.

• Six teams failed to reach a total above 700 minutes.

• Celtic and Rangers were the worst offenders in the division, with Celtic managing just 89 minutes all in, while Rangers' total was even lower at only 26.

Steve Clarke could call up former Dundee United midfielder Ryan Gauld, now in the MLS with Vancouver Whitecaps, for the Nations League games with Poland and Portugal. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

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Motherwell and Dundee United's League Cup quarter-final at Fir Park will take place on Friday, 20 September.

The match kicks off at 19:45 BST and will be live on Premier Sports.

Steve Kettlewell's side edged out 10-man Kilmarnock 1-0 in extra time in the last 16 on Sunday while Dundee United beat St Mirren by the same scoreline.

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Clubs in Scotland are failing to bring through enough young players, a report, external by the Scottish FA has said.

The governing body says Scottish football is "significantly underachieving its potential" in youth development compared to countries of a similar size.

Using a range of data to compare leagues across Europe, it shows players under the age of 21 in Scotland are playing fewer minutes in the top-flight than countries such as Denmark, Norway, and Croatia.

Meanwhile, game time for young Scottish players in major European club competitions ranks below countries with smaller populations and fewer resources, such as Montenegro and North Macedonia.

It also stresses clubs are missing an opportunity to reduce wage costs and increase transfer revenue by developing their own players.

The report was commissioned by the SFA's professional game board at the end of 2023, and a working party comprised of SPFL and SFA representatives will now consider its findings.

Read the full story

Former striker Lee Miller, who turned out for Dundee United, Aberdeen and Kilmarnock among others, recounts his experiences of being on the move on transfer deadline day during his playing career.

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Dundee United are in discussions with attacking targets. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip