Dundee United

Motherwell will be without Calum Butcher after the defender suffered a foot injury in midweek.

Harry Paton and Dan Casey are doubts but Callum Slattery returns from a ban. Riku Danzaki remains out along with long-term absentees Joe Efford, Jake Carroll and Nathan McGinley.

United striker Steven Fletcher is a doubt after playing with a torn groin muscle against Kilmarnock as left-back Aziz Behich returns from suspension.

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Manager Jim Goodwin looks set to be given the chance to get Dundee United back into the Premiership at the first-time of asking. (Daily Record), external

Sacking Jack Ross so early in the season was a mistake, as was failing to find a new goalkeeper in January, says former Scotland striker Kris Boyd as he slams the goings on at Dundee United. (Scottish Sun) , external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

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Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin wants his players to go down fighting after revealing some were left in tears by the midweek defeat to Kilmarnock that has left the club on the brink of relegation.

"There are some very good players within the group, they haven’t quite lived up to their expectations this season," said Goodwin.

"Some of them were in tears the other night, I know maybe the supporters won't want to hear that, but there is nobody walking away from Dundee United satisfied with what has happened this season.

"They owe it to themselves, their families and the supporters to give absolutely everything on Sunday in order for us to get a positive result."

United round off their campaign at Motherwell where they need victory as well as Kilmarnock to beat Ross County and an eight-goal swing.

"We would need to go and score a hell of a lot of goals and hope that Kilmarnock do similar to Ross County," said Goodwin.

"There is a 1% chance possibly, but we know how difficult that task is going to be. You are hoping for a hell of a lot of things to fall in to place but we have to give a good account of ourselves as a group and not go to Motherwell on Sunday and be waving the white flags."

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Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premiership trip to Motherwell.

Here are the key points:

• The mood in the camp is "extremely flat" following the midweek defeat to Kilmarnock that has all but relegated United.

• While they need a "minor miracle" this weekend, they aren't going to throw the towel in.

• Goodwin spent hours with United owner Mark Ogren yesterday, "giving him my overview on what I have experienced during my time here".

• He adds: "We had good, positive talks, but there is no guarantee or there has been nothing decided with regards to my long-term future."

• Goodwin says Ogren is not going to walk away from the club and is determined to put things right.

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Dundee United travel to Fir Park on Sunday to face Motherwell in their final fixture of the Premiership season.

Jim Goodwin's side need a big win to stand any chance of staying in the league.

Who would you pick to give United the best chance of survival? Tell us here.

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Striker Steven Fletcher says a lack of “nastiness” has been a key factor in Dundee United’s fall towards almost certain relegation this season.

After Kilmarnock inflicted United’s fourth straight defeat in midweek, the Tannadice men need an eight-goal swing in Sunday's final league fixtures even if they beat Motherwell on Sunday and Ross County lose at Kilmarnock.

"We come in every day, work hard, but it's all good doing that on the training pitch and us leaving the training pitch every day and saying 'we've got a good squad',” said Fletcher.

“I've said it all season, it's a good team, a good group of lads. Sometimes it is not enough. When you cross that white line you need to roll up your sleeves and work hard for each other.

"We've got a great group of individual players who will probably have a great career but when you cross that line you need to work as a team and need to push each other.

"Sometimes, without overstepping the line, you need a bit of nastiness in your team.”

Fletcher believes Jim Goodwin should be given an extended contract despite the losing streak.

"I think he has been fantastic since he came in," the former Scotland striker said. "I feel like, as a group, we have let him down to be honest.

“We were the ones who need to do the job."

The insipid 3-0 defeat to Kilmarnock that has shunted Dundee United to the brink of relegation is "indicative of their season", says Sportscene pundit Neil McCann.

“It’s the nature of the goals that they concede, so disjointed," said McCann.

“Jim [Goodwin] said they’ve got good players but if you don’t pull together as a team you’re going to be punished.

“Some of the goals that they’ve conceded of late have been alarming and have plunged Dundee United into the mire.

"They were so reliant on Steven Fletcher as a goal threat. He’s back but isn't 100% fit, he’s probably put himself forward.

“There’s no question they’ll be relegated.”

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We asked for your thoughts on Dundee United's 3-0 defeat against Kilmarnock that leaves the Tannadice men all but relegated.

Here is what you said:

Alistair: No fight, no heart, just picking up a wage packet, I’ve seen Sunday teams play with more fight.

Valerie: The board need to get themselves sorted before the club can progress anywhere. It is shocking that we are where we are. The fans deserve better from what is meant to be a great owner and board. Well, I think it's time the owner and the board looked at the statistics.

Stephen: As bad as the management has been this season at Tannadice, there is no way the blame can be laid at their feet. This group of players has failed to perform under all three now. They have completely and utterly let the managers, the fans, the club and themselves down. There are so few that can even get pass marks, I'd just let the kids play next season.

Wallace: We have had problems in defence and attack all season and they were never addressed. The last four games have been one disaster after another. The playing squad is simply not good enough in the top flight.

Murray: I’ve been watching United for 55 years and I’m seriously worried about the club's future under this present ownership and management from the top to the bottom. The playing squad they have assembled are embarrassing on the field as they lack heart, desire and skill, and are vastly overpaid.

George: I don’t think Jim Goodwin will stay, he will get better offers. We need a total reset from to top to bottom, on and off the pitch. A few seasons in the Championship to come I think.

Ian: We always find a way to stoop even lower. Apologies from the club are not worth the paper they are not written on. A season-long disaster with everyone to blame. If Goodwin stays, and I'm open to that, we start from scratch, there is very little worth keeping in that squad and those that are worth keeping will leave.

Stu: Diabolically run from the top down! Half-hearted American owners making an absolute mess of it. If the club can't be run properly then don't bother. Poor management appointments. Poor decisions. Money-grabbing pros with stinking attitudes. Toxic Tannadice once again. How can clubs around us be better run? It's embarrassing and not what us fans deserve.

Gavin: Dundee United is such a historic and proud club. The fans expect and deserve so much better. I feel that Goodwin should get the chance to rebuild this squad from scratch. A lots of players in and out is needed.

Allan: Club is a shambles from the owners down. I'm not 100% sure about Goodwin but he got us closer than I thought to survival. Running of the club has been shocking for a number of years, change of ownership hasn't really helped as we thought it would.

Robert: A disastrous season, almost entirely self-inflicted. Looks like we're going down. Huge investment will be needed next season to build a team capable of bouncing back. Another failure on that front might see us consigned to a lengthy period outside the top division. That would be a blow from which we might not recover. A team of errors not Terrors.

Dundee United's top-flight stay is all over bar the shouting, with defeat to Kilmarnock effectively sending Jim Goodwin's men down.

Where has it gone wrong for United this season? What happens now? And should Goodwin lead the team in the Championship?

Tell us your thoughts here.

Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin: "The players are extremely disappointed and apologetic to the supporters for what they've put on this season.

"The supporters have been different class and quite simply their loyalty and commitment hasn't been repaid on the park. For that, I can only apologise.

"I believed when I first came there was enough in the group. I genuinely believed I could turn it around. Unfortunately in the last four games the defensive frailties have raised their ugly head again and that's what has come back to bite us.

"The amount of goals we have conceded is quite embarrassing for a club of this size with the investment that's been made.

"We've just got to take every ounce of criticism that comes our way.

"I'm the biggest optimist there is and will never throw the towel in, but we've got to be realistic. The chances of us being able to turn around an eight or nine goal swing is extremely difficult."

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Martin Watt, BBC Sport Scotland

United seemed spooked by the enormity of the occasion and barely laid a glove on a Kilmarnock side who have proved far from infallible on the road.

As soon as the opening goal went in, the hosts wilted and never looked capable of mustering a response.

Having churned through three managers this season, United's brief revival under Jim Goodwin has turned into a plummet towards the drop.

Their only sliver of hope now is that they hammer in-form Motherwell at Fir Park - a tall order - and that Kilmarnock thrash County. It's an eight-goal swing akin to a minor miracle.

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No one in a United shirt did themselves justice.

But 17-year-old substitute Rory MacLeod at least tried to provide attacking impetus and was unlucky not to net late on with a smart swivel and shot on the edge of the box.

United have dropped goalkeeper Mark Birighitti after his latest blunder in the weekend loss to Livingston, while striker Steven Fletcher returns from injury to face Kilmarnock

Jack Newman, 21, is in goals for just his second start and defender Ross Graham and winger Peter Pawlett are also drafted in.

Birighitti is on the bench alongside Glenn Middleton and Rory MacLeod, with Aziz Behich missing out through suspension.

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Clear heads and hard graft are required from Dundee United in their relegation battle with Kilmarnock tonight, says Tannadice legend Paul Hegarty.

“If I was in the dressing room I’d be saying to the players, just forget about what’s happened in the past,” Hegarty, skipper of United’s 1983 title-winning team, told BBC Radio Scotland.

“Forget about performances, battle your corner, make sure you do your job correctly and get a win. Bottom line is you’ve got to work harder than the opposition and make sure you don’t give them too many opportunities.

“I’ve been going to all the home games and the fans have been magnificent. They’ve been coming in big numbers and been so patient. They haven’t been getting rewards and tonight is a big opportunity to repay them.”

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• Jamie McGrath has more home goals than any player for Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership this season (6), netting in each of his last three home league matches.

• Kilmarnock have won just one of their 18 Scottish Premiership away games this season (D2 L15). The last side to lose more than Killie (15) on the road in a single top-flight campaign were Livingston in 2005-06 (16).

• Only St Johnstone (5) have fewer home points in the Scottish Premiership in 2023 than Dundee United (7), who have lost five of eight such games this calendar year (W2 D1).

• Kilmarnock are looking to win back-to-back league meetings with Dundee United within a single top-flight season for the first time since November 2008, having won 1-0 against them most recently in February.

• Dundee United have won six of their last seven top-flight home games against Kilmarnock (L1), including each of their last three since a 2-1 reverse in September 2015.

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Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

After a long, and ultimately disappointing campaign for Dundee United, their Scottish Premiership fate will be determined by the next two games.

The scale of Wednesday night's visit of fellow strugglers Kilmarnock was summed up by Glenn Middleton, who said it is "massive, no other way to put it".

And it is just that. Win and they move off the bottom, lose and they could be relegated – although that would be determined by what Ross County do against St Johnstone.

The stakes couldn’t be higher and Tannadice will be a cauldron of noise, and nerves, for a game that can certainly be billed as the Tangerines’ biggest for a number of years.

Manager Jim Goodwin says they have to play it like a cup final and, with so much potentially on the line, he has talked of the importance of his team being able to manage their emotions.

Despite all the doom and gloom, United’s fate still lies in their own hands, with Goodwin admitting the positive spin on things is "we are still in the fight".

And they very much are but to grasp any lifeline they need to find a means to getting back to winning ways.

If it is any consolation for United, their opponents are under as much pressure as they are.

So, it looks like the outcome will be decided by which set of players can handle that pressure best.

Dundee United have been drinking in the Last Chance saloon for a while - and now it's last orders...

Three successive wins dragged them off the bottom in April, but three defeats on the spin since has brought them crashing back into last place.

A fourth successive loss may very well mean relegation. A win could lift them up to 10th.

Kilmarnock know a victory would at least end any worries about an automatic return to the Championship. Defeat could mean swapping places with the hosts.

With so much on the line, it promises to be a nerve-fraying evening.

The good news for those of a tangerine persuasion is that United have won six of their last seven top-flight home games against Kilmarnock. But hang on, Killie were celebrating a Scottish Cup success on their last visit back in February.

United's current home form is patchy at best, thanks largely to a bad habit of slipshod defending. There have been five defeats from eight league matches at Tannadice in 2023, including a damaging reverse against Ross County - the third party in this scrap for survival, who host St Johnstone at the same time.

Kilmarnock's away record in the Premiership is simply abysmal, with one solitary success all season and a measly eight goals scored.

If we get a home win at Tannadice and a draw in Dingwall, then all three sides go into the final weekend level on points...

United boss Jim Goodwin will give striker Steven Fletcher the chance to prove he can overcome a groin problem.

Liam Smith (ankle) is still injured and Aziz Behich is suspended after being sent off against Livingston.

Killie have lost midfielders David Watson (suspension) and Liam Donnelly (knock) but Ash Taylor could return. Ryan Alebiousu remains out along with Ben Chrisene (hamstring).

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