Dundee United produced a superb comeback to defeat Aberdeen and leapfrog them into fourth place in the Scottish Premiership and clinch European football after a dream first season back in the top flight.
What did you make of United's performance? And the season as whole? Has this been beyond your expectations?
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We feel absolutely brilliant, as you can imagine. The celebrations in the dressing room are great to see.
"I just think it's a wonderful way to finish off a really good, strong campaign. We've been getting a lot of criticism of late and rightly so for our performances in the past four games.
"But as I said the league is decided over 38 games not just the last four. We gave ourselves an opportunity today.
"It's been a remarkable effort from top to bottom at the club. It's been a really good two years.
"I've had a couple of promotions as manager and enjoyed those moments. Today feels like one of those moments in qualifying for Europe.
"It will be a new experience but one we're excited for."
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin said pre-match that going into the final game with a chance for fourth place was an achievement in itself, given United were only promoted this season.
He was right. But given they went into the split with a nine-point advantage over St Mirren which rapidly disappeared, it might not have felt like a successful season had they ended sixth.
As it happened they rediscovered what had made them an effective team in the Premiership at the crucial moment.
Goodwin has kept it simple. A solid structure and hard-working players with a big man up front in Dalby who has been lethal in the box when given quality service through Will Ferry, Ryan Strain, Middleton and others swinging in crosses.
When they turned to that after the first 30 minutes they got so much joy against a frail Aberdeen team and eventually their series of crosses paid dividends.
It has not been a thrilling recipe but Goodwin understands what it takes to be successful in the Premiership.
It is to his and United's credit that with a much-reduced budget and some significant injuries in a long season, they have finished as the league's fourth best side.
Fans may want more in attack next season but all of that can wait. They can enjoy the warm glow of a fruitful campaign.
Image source, SNSWill Ferry's work rate up and down the left-hand side was excellent, as were his deliveries into the box.
Image source, SNSDundee United are missing Craig Sibbald, Ross Graham and Luca Stephenson but Emmanuel Adegboyega and Lewis Fiorini have a chance.
Aberdeen defender Alfie Dorrington is suspended while Ester Sokler (leg), Sivert Heltne Nilsen (eye) and Vicente Besuijen (knee) are still out injured.
Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSManager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Dundee United's final game of the Premiership season, against Aberdeen at Tannadice on Saturday.
Here are the main points:
Goodwin "wouldn't have believed it" if someone had told him in August his side would be 90 minutes away from finishing fourth.
United will qualify for Europe if they match St Mirren's result at Celtic Park and Goodwin stresses his side's game could be a "defining moment" in what has already been a "fantastic season".
The Tannadice boss says neither Aberdeen or United are in great form but believes that will "go out the window" at the weekend.
Goodwin feels this has been "the most difficult season" in terms of injuries to key players but believes he will have "enough quality available to get the job done" on Saturday.
Emmanuel Adegboyega and Lewis Fiorini have a chance of being available but Craig Sibbald and Ross Graham will both miss out.
With players such as Declan Gallagher and Kevin Holt set to play their final game for United on Saturday, Goodwin wants them to leave with their "heads held high" and "hopefully off the back of achieving European football".
Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSIt had looked like a tight, three-horse race for third spot would go down to the wire - until losing streaks for Dundee United (four) and Aberdeen (three) handed the prize to Hibernian.
Now the Dons, who have suffered successive heavy defeats by Rangers and Celtic, travel to Tannadice still three points clear of their hosts as they go head to head for fourth.
United, who beat Aberdeen 1-0 on their last visit in December before a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie, must win to overtake their east-coast rivals on goal difference.
Even then, they will have to wait until the Scottish Cup final before knowing whether that will be enough to ensure they enter Europa League qualifying for the first time since 2012-13.
That is because, should Aberdeen then beat Celtic at Hampden, United would have to make do with the less prestigious Conference League second qualifying round instead of the same stage of the Europa League.
Aberdeen are guaranteed Conference League football even if they lose the cup final and finish fifth, but United could find themselves missing out on European football altogether if they suffer defeat on Saturday.
However, that would require sixth-top St Mirren, who are one point behind, to spoil Celtic's title-winning party.
A draw in Glasgow, combined with a United defeat, would take the Buddies into Europe instead on goal difference.
An unlikely St Mirren win, meanwhile, would leave United needing a victory of their own.
To add to the intrigue, that would mean United's Jim Goodwin would have spoiled the European aspirations of the two clubs he previously managed.
Read all the final weekend Premiership picks
Image source, SNSDundee United have won four of their past five home league games against Aberdeen, with the exception a 3-1 defeat in March 2023.
Aberdeen have only lost one of their past five league games against Dundee United (W3 D1), although are winless in their latest two (D1 L1), losing their last away from home in December (1-0).
Dundee United have only lost their final league game in one of their past five Scottish Premiership seasons (W3 D1), although that was their last campaign in the division in 2022-23 (3-2 v Motherwell).
Aberdeen haven't won on the final day of the season in any of their past four league campaigns (D2 L2) – they had won their final game in four successive league seasons before this (including curtailed 2019-20).
A win in this match would see Dundee United become the first newly-promoted side to finish in the Scottish Premiership's top four since Hearts in 2021-22 (third). It would also see the Tangerines compete in Europa League qualifying for the first time since 2012-13.
Watch Sportscene pundits Charlie Mulgrew and Michael Stewart analyse Dundee United's goal against Rangers, scored by defender Sam Cleall-Harding.
We asked for your views on Dundee United's 3-1 defeat against Rangers.
Here's what some of you said:
Jamie: Sick and tired of Jim Goodwin using the "small squad" excuse, for what feels like the hundredth time this season. Only putting out six substitutions is ridiculous. Put some of the youth players in, or better yet, don't loan out talented players like Miller Thomson to Falkirk. We are also now the third-lowest scorers in the league. Nowhere near good enough.
Allan: This has been a remarkable season for the team, staff, management, owners and fans. Of this, there is no doubt. One more match to go, a new firm derby no less, to close out the season and determine our final situation regards European football next year. What an opportunity for the team to overcome all the injuries, niggles, pain and injustices we've experienced this year and relight the Tannadice stronghold mentality one more time and bring it home. We showed that even with an injury-depleted team, we can be positive, make opportunities, score goals and hold our own against teams expected to dominate us. However, improved man marking is needed to stop that first goal against us. Can't do much differently to avert the second and the third goals, they were well worked by the opposition. It's all to play for. Come on United!
Ally: A better display until we go 2-1 down, but ultimately that's 0/9 in post-split games under Goodwin. It's a huge red flag, as is his cup record. Let's not ignore that penalty call, though. Does anyone genuinely believe that's awarded at the other end? I thought not.
Chris: Well, the writing was on the wall, in the last three games we have conceded ten and scored one, this is not good with our current form. Forget passports, only a bus pass is required, they have given fans a load of poor results.
Watch highlights as Rangers win 3-1 against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
Available to UK users only.
Image source, SNSRangers have scored in 32 of their 37 games, only Celtic (34) have scored goals in more matches in the Premiership this season.
Rangers have won 16 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.
Dundee United have lost 21 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Dundee (28) and Hibernian (25) have lost more.
Cyriel Dessers has contributed to goals in his last 4 games in the Premiership (5 goals, 0 assists).
Cyriel Dessers has scored in each of his last 4 games in the Premiership (5 goals), his longest scoring streak in the competition.
Cyriel Dessers' double and a fine Nicolas Raskin strike ensured Rangers secured back-to-back home Scottish Premiership wins in their final appearance at Ibrox this season.
Dundee United looked to have taken a step closer to sealing a place in Europe when Sam Cleall-Harding headed the opener after slack defending at a corner.
But Dessers struck either side of the break, the first a thumping header followed by a penalty, as captain James Tavernier handed the striker the chance to net his 28th goal of the season.
Victory for Jim Goodwin's side at home to Aberdeen on Saturday would still clinch fourth place in the Premiership, but St Mirren can still overhaul them on the final day and deny them continental combat.
Whether you were at Ibrox or watching the game elsewhere, we want to hear from you.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "Obviously we had a clear game plan to come here and play in a low block and try to hit Rangers on the counter-attack. I thought we had four or five good opportunities in the first half on the break.
"I don't mean goal-scoring opportunities, but good opportunities to get ourselves up the pitch into dangerous areas. We managed to get a couple of set-plays into the box and got our noses in front with a really well-worked corner.
"I'm delighted for young Sam Harding, getting chucked in tonight, I thought he was terrific over the whole piece.
"The Rangers equaliser, it's a very good goal from their perspective. I think we can do a little bit more in terms of stopping the cross. It's a fantastic header from Dessars, I don't want to take anything away from him, but he's not got anyone really putting a challenge on him and that's the disappointing factor for us.
"But at half-time, 1-1, we were quite comfortable and I thought we had sustained a lot of pressure. We knew the Rangers would have plenty of the ball and the game was turned on its head with the penalty kick and that is the major frustration for us.
"I think we just, at that stage in the game, get a little bit tired, a little bit leggy, lapses in concentration.
"We're making hard work of finishing fourth, there's no getting away from that fact, the last four results haven't been good enough but I think, I've said it numerous times, if you had offered us this opportunity on Saturday, way back at the beginning of the season, a one-off game to go and potentially, not just secure a fifth, but clinch fourth, would be a remarkable finish for us.
"We'll need to recover quickly. We've came here tonight with only six subs on the bench, given the injuries that we have to some key players - one or two have limped off again tonight - so the medical team are going to be extremely busy over the next 48 hours to try and make sure these players are ready to give their all in a really difficult game against Aberdeen."
Image source, SNSNot the top six run of results United sought, especially given it was looking like a fight for third at one stage.
Here, they did well to get the lead but just didn't hold on for long enough.
As the game wore on, they struggled to create and can have few complaints at the outcome.
Expectation has grown over the course of the campaign, perhaps slightly harshly, given it's their first season back in the Premiership.
All at Tannadice will be extremely disappointed with this sequence which leaves European hopes fragile and fans a little flat.
It's still very much within their grasp on the final day at home to Aberdeen, though.
Image source, SNSCraig Sibbald insists Dundee United are ready to cast aside their "wee blip" and finish on a high with European qualification.
United have followed a hat-trick of wins with three successive post-split defeats to come under pressure from St Mirren for a European spot.
Jim Goodwin's side might need a result at Ibrox tonight to keep European qualification in their own hands before the final day.
Midfielder Sibbald said: "The boys are all confident. We've had a wee blip recently, but every game's tough in the top six and we've been doing really well up until that.
"All in all, I think we've had a really good season and we can be proud of where we are now - not many teams who have been promoted from the Championship have made into the top six straight away.
"Unfortunately, we've not had a good start to the top-six games, but who's to say we can't finish on a high and get maximum points out of the next two games?
"We just need to remain confident and keep believing that we can get something. It's down to us now and we want to finish the season on a high.
"We were disappointed with the result (on Saturday), but it's in our hands and we're sitting in a good position in the table.
"So we just need to learn from our mistakes and try and cut them out them at Ibrox on Wednesday to make sure we can try and get three points."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Sport can often be about timing. for Dundee United, this is the worst possible time to be on one of their worst runs of the season.
The Tangerines go into tonight's trip to Rangers off the back of three straight league defeats. It is just the second time this term they have been on such a run.
However, doing it in the business end of the season makes it potentially even more damaging.
What will be troubling manager Jim Goodwin even more is that his team – pretty tight at the back for large parts of the campaign – have shipped 10 goals in that trio of matches.
Not ideal, but the message he will be imparting to his players is that it is still all to play for.
United remain fifth and will believe that they can hold off resurgent St Mirren and stay in the European places.
However, things could get even better as they have a faltering Aberdeen in their sights. The Dons are three points above in fourth place with the sides sharing the same goal difference.
And if something resembling the status quo remains in place after tonight, United will feel they can catch Aberdeen when the teams go head to head at Tannadice on Saturday.
However, for that to become possible, Goodwin knows he must find a way of stopping the run of defeats and the flow of goals into the United net.
Image source, SNSRangers have won seven of their past nine league games against Dundee United (D2) since a 1-0 defeat in August 2021 under Steven Gerrard.
Dundee United have won just one of their past 20 away league games at Rangers (D3 L16), a 3-2 victory in April 2011 under Peter Houston.
Excluding the curtailed 2019-20 season, Rangers have only lost their final home league game in one of their past 16 seasons (W10 D5), a 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen in 2016-17.
Dundee United have won seven away league games this season, their most in a top-fight campaign since 2012-13 (also seven), last winning more in 2011-12 (eight). Indeed, only Celtic (39) and Rangers (30) have more away points in the Scottish Premiership this season than Dundee United (26).
Rangers are unbeaten in their last 27 Scottish Premiership games against newly-promoted sides (W24 D3) since a 1-0 defeat at Livingston in September 2018.
Image source, SNSRangers have an unchanged squad with Ianis Hagi, Ridvan Yilmaz and Dujon Sterling out for the season.
Dundee United defender Ross Graham (hamstring) is unlikely to feature again this campaign, while Luca Stephenson (hernia) is absent.
Paul McNicoll
Fan writer
Finishing in the top six this season was always going to be the target for United. And they did it comfortably. Hats off, applause all round, maybe even a friendly pat on the back.
Three games ago, we were cruising. Nine points ahead of St Mirren and European football practically booked.
Fast forward to now, and we're limping towards Ibrox with St Mirren just two points behind and looking like they've had some of Popeye's spinach for breakfast.
Since the split, United have been, well, dreadful. Our once-solid defence has collapsed and folded like a bed settee and opposition goal keepers haven't had to hand their kit in at the end of the matches to be washed.
To add to the mess, we keep hearing from the club about how tired the players are. Long season, knocks, fatigue. Yes, we get it, but saying it out loud just sounds like you're teeing up a ready-made excuse for poor performances.
Here's the reality, if we lose every post-split game and St Mirren nick fifth, it won't feel like a successful season, no matter how many times we're told it is.
So, to anyone at United reading this, feel free to print it out and stick it on the dressing room wall. Use it. Be annoyed. Be inspired. Be better.
Instead of reminding yourselves just how tired you are, replace they thoughts with just how close to European football you are. That may give you that little spring in your step that appears to be missing.
Two games left. Win one and we'll all pretend the past few weeks were just a bad dream.
Over to you, lads.
Paul can be found at The Dode Fox Podcast, external
