Dundee United

Sportscene pundits Michael Stewart and Shelley Kerr analyse Dundee United's winning goal against St Mirren.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Emmanuel Adegboyega was Dundee United's match winner in Paisley and a real battler in defence.

It's been a solid start overall for United in their return to the top flight and Adegboyega has more than played his part.

Watch highlights as Dundee United win 1-0 against St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.

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Dundee United match-winner Emmanuel Adegboyega reckons his side showed an 'extra level' to overcome St Mirren on the road.

The Norwich City loanee opened his account for Jim Goodwin's side to win the game against the Buddies in the final 15 minutes of the game.

“Yeah, I'm absolutely delighted to get my first goal for Dundee United," he told club media.

"I had a feeling it was coming in the first half, so to actually get it at the end of the day is great.

“I've always [been] told to follow in the ball, regardless of what position you're playing. So as Doc had a strike at goal, I just said, yeah, follow the ball in, it could rebound anything that happens. So that's exactly what I did.

“Since the start of the season, I’ve been trying to come up with a celebration. So I think my trademark is now the knee slide, so I just had to pull it out.

“St Mirren, they're a good side, you know, physical, strong, aggressive.

"So not only do we have to match it, but we have to go to an extra level against them away from home as well. So we had to show our stuff."

We asked for your views on Dundee United's 1-0 win against St Mirren.

Here's what some of you said:

Bob: It was a bruising game and a hard watch. We were much better in the second half until we took the lead and then sat back a bit too much. Result made it all worthwhile, though.

Gail: Jim Goodwin is proving he is very good at in-game management. He's not afraid to change things if his system isn't working. Really pleased with how things are going, recruited well and able to shuffle the pack without causing a problem. Keep this up and we'll do more than okay for our first season back.

Stephen: Three points, that's all that counts. It may have been one of the less beautiful performances but we got the three points. The United players in the last two games have displayed grit and spirit that has been missing for a number of years. We know they can play and now that they can fight. On to Hibs after the break hopefully for another three points.

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• St Mirren have failed to win any of their last six matches when conceding first in the Scottish Premiership, since a victory over Aberdeen on 2 March 2024.

• St Mirren attempted 16 shots in this game, their highest total in a league match this season.

• Dundee United have kept a clean sheet in three of their seven games, only Rangers (four) and Celtic (six) have done this more often in the league this season.

• Dundee United have avoided defeat in their last eight matches when scoring first in the Premiership, since a 1-3 loss to Hearts on 4 February 2023.

Dundee United extended their unbeaten away run in the Scottish Premiership to four matches with a hard-fought win over St Mirren.

Emmanuel Adegboyega nodded in the winner in the final quarter after St Mirren goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe parried Ross Docherty's thumping shot.

It was an apt winner in a game defined by industry in midfield and set-pieces rather than flowing football and lots of attempts on target.

What did you make of United's performance? Have your say here, external.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "Any win away from home is massive. But I don't need to guess what game your guys in the Sportscene studio will be showing last this weekend because it wasn't easy on the eye at times

"It was a really scrappy game and St Mirren are such a difficult team to play against because of their physicality. They get the ball forward early and you've got to defend your box.

"We didn't do that for a 15-20 minute period last week against Kilmarnock and found ourselves conceding three goals. So we worked a lot on the defensive shape this week, and I thought we defended brilliantly.

"We felt at half-time whoever got that first goal was going to win the game. Thankfully Manny Adegboyega was the first one to react and head home.

"It's a huge three points. We want to play better and we have played better this season - but you've got to credit the opposition. They don't give you a lot of time on the ball."

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Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United were not much better than St Mirren in terms of their creativity and flow. They just managed to take one of their few good chances to score.

They remain a work in progress in possession but Goodwin has instilled a competitive edge, and Emmanuel Adegboyega continues to impress alongside Declan Gallagher and Ross Graham at the back.

Wing-backs Luca Stephenson and Will Ferry are also industrious and add quality.

The 1-0 home defeat by Rangers is their only loss in seven league matches this season, and all of their games regardless of the result have been close.

The United fans and their manager will want them to develop a more dangerous attack and refined playing style so games are not always turning on fine margins.

It only takes a few things to change and suddenly results are turning when games are always so close.

But right now United have proved they will be extremely competitive after a season in the Championship.

Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin makes two changes from the thrilling draw against Kilmarnock.

There's no Louis Moult in the squad due to a knee issue, while David Babunski drops to the bench.

In comes Vicko Sevelj, who may step into midfield, while Jort Van der Sande partners Sam Dalby in attack.

• Follow the action live

Image source, BBC Sport

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St Mirren defender Scott Tanser is banned after being sent off against Motherwell and Shaun Rooney remains out after being suspended by the club following an assault charge.

Alex Iacovitti (tendon) is out long term and Conor McMenamin (knee) is working his way back to fitness.

United are without Ryan Strain, who is making good progress following hamstring surgery.

Former Hearts, Dundee United and St Johnstone defender Ryan McGowan says non-Old Firm fans will have enjoyed Celtic and Rangers being given a "taste of their own medicine" by "taking a pasting" in Europe against teams with a bigger budget.

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Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee United's Will Ferry says the character they showed to dig out a point at Kilmarnock last weekend will hold them in good stead for the rest of the Premiership campaign.

Fifth placed United were 3-1 down after 64 minutes but they battled back in an encounter which finished 3-3.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premiership trip to St Mirren, the midfielder said: "The biggest thing is just character, you see teams go under all the time.

"We were 3-1 down, it is really easy to go under and I think the fact we showed that bit of resilience says a lot about us.

"That is something we can have in the back of our minds, that we can rely on, that we know when we get difficult times in the season in the games we are going to stick together and get through it.

"That is the main thing, it is just encouraging. Everyone has sticky spells in patches in seasons but we know we have got that character to come through the other side of it."

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin takes heart from his side only losing once in five games against last season's top-six teams on their return to the Scottish Premiership. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Jim Goodwin has urged Dundee United to replicate their League Cup performance against St Mirren when they head to "the land of the giants" on Saturday.

It will be the second meeting of the sides this season, with United having knocked the Paisley team out of the League Cup in August.

"You know what you are going to get with St Mirren," Goodwin said of his former side.

"They are probably the most physical team in the league, it really is land of the giants when you play against them and you have got to do the basics well against them to get results.

"You have to win those individual battles, show aggression, and match them in every area. That is what we did in the recent cup game when we beat them at Tannadice.

"We are needing a repeat of that performance. It is going to be a difficult game, no doubt about it.

"This will be the third away fixture in a row for us so it has been quite demanding but the players are looking forward to it."

Having lost just one of their opening six Premiership games, Goodwin says his newly-promoted team have already proved they can compete in the top flight.

"If you look at the fixtures we have played until now, we have already played five of last season's top six," the Irishman added.

"We beat Hearts, drew with Dundee and had a narrow defeat to Rangers so I think the fixtures we have already played have hopefully proven to the group that they are more than capable of playing at this level."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media ahead of Saturday’s Premiership trip to St Mirren.

Here are the main points:

• On the challenge St Mirren will pose, Goodwin says they are probably the "most physical team in the league" adding that his team "have got to win those individual battles".

• Having lost just one of their opening six league games on their return to the top flight, the United manager insists his side have proven they can compete at this level.

• Says coming back from 3-1 down to draw at Kilmarnock last week was "testament to the group" and was a "real test of character".

• Was full of praise for summer signing Will Ferry saying he has already been "one of our outstanding players" this season.

• But ater limping off at Rugby Park last time out, Goodwin says "we have to wait and see how he recovers".

• In other team news, Goodwin admits Kristijan Trapanovski will be sidelined for two to three weeks with a muscle injury, long terms absentee Ryan Strain misses out and there are "two or three" players carrying niggles.

Image source, SNS

• Dundee United have only won one of their last nine Scottish Premiership meetings with St Mirren (D4 L4), a 2-1 away win in March 2022.

• St Mirren have won both of their last two league meetings with newly-promoted opponents, last winning three in a row in the top flight in November 2012.

• Since the start of April, only St Johnstone (9) have lost more Scottish Premiership matches than St Mirren (8), while the Buddies' 27 goals conceded in the competition is behind only Dundee (29) and the Saints (29) in this time.

• Dundee United are yet to lose away from home in three games in the Scottish Premiership this season (W1 D2); the only newly-promoted sides to avoid defeat in their first four on the road in a campaign in the competition since it rebranded in 2013 are Hamilton (5 in 2014-15), Hibernian (9 in 2017-18), and Hearts (5 in 2021-22).

• St Mirren have dropped more points from winning positions (7) than any other side in the Scottish Premiership this season. The Buddies have scored first in each of their last four league games but have won just one of them (D2 L1).

In form forward Louis Moult, 32, is showing why Dundee United wanted to keep him for their return to the Scottish Premiership, says manager Jim Goodwin. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Jim Goodwin will have learned a lot about the character of his new look side last weekend.

They found themselves 3-1 down to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park midway through the second half, but they dug deep - very deep - to get something out of the game – Ross Graham’s added time penalty ensuring they returned to Tayside with a point.

Creativity and cutting edge are among the qualities that successful teams usually possess, but so is character. And Goodwin will now know – if he didn’t already – that his team have that in abundance.

In fact, sometimes character alone can get you something in the most unlikely of circumstances.

So that is another big positive the manager can take from what has been a very encouraging start to life back in the top division for fifth placed United.

It is just one defeat in their opening six league games – and if they can emerge with something tangible from this weekend’s trip to St Mirren, then you have to imagine all those of a Tangerine persuasion will take a real sense of satisfaction into the forthcoming international break.

However nobody at Tannadice will be resting on their laurels – the challenge going forward will be to try to ensure that they can build on the very solid looking foundations they already appear to have in place.

Macedonian winger Kristijan Trapanovski, who missed Dundee United's weekend draw with Kilmarnock after injuring his hamstring, could be out for up to four weeks. (The Courier), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.