Dundee United

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin believes the club are "in the driver's seat" to sign Jamie McGrath this summer if he leaves parent club Wigan Athletic.

The Republic of Ireland attacking midfielder, who still has a year of his Wigan deal to run, is on a season-long loan at Tannadice.

McGrath, 26, has netted in the past three games, taking his tally to seven in 33 United appearances, and Goodwin expects his compatriot to attract plenty of interest.

"I know he has loved his time here at Dundee United, obviously he's disappointed in terms of how the season has panned out as he didn’t come to United to be involved in a relegation dogfight," said Goodwin.

"I worked with Jamie very closely at St Mirren for a couple of seasons. We work well together, I would like to think he would say the same.

"He has got international recognition through myself and him working together and if he is to leave Wigan next year then I would like to think, wherever I am, I would have a good opportunity to be at the table in those discussions.

"Jamie knows I think the world of him, he is a really important member of this group and I am pretty sure he will have a number of very keen suitors in the summer.

"But I think what we have done here, the professionalism from the club, the way he has been treated here, will hopefully put us in the driver’s seat."

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before his side's Premiership trip to face St Johnstone.

Here are the key lines:

• Having been linked with jobs in England, Goodwin says he doesn't know where the speculation has come from and his full focus is on the here and now.

• He aims to fulfil the objective he was brought in for, to keep United in the Premiership, and "hopefully in the summer there will be discussions to be had with the board here because I have thoroughly enjoyed it".

• Despite their good recent form, Goodwin had "a really positive meeting" with the squad on Monday reminding them what the objective and principles are and urging them not to get carried away.

• "The break has been good", giving him a chance to "mollycoddle" players who have been carrying knocks.

• If he been offered their current position a few weeks ago when United were adrift at the bottom he would have "snapped the hand off you".

• On the St Johnstone game: "If we win we go above them and that is a huge incentive."

• Team news - Glenn Middleton is back available, as is Jamie McGrath who picked up a knock last time out.

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Image source, BBC Sport

• St Johnstone are winless in nine home league games (D3 L6); not since November 2001 have they gone 10 without winning at home in the top flight.

• Jamie McGrath has scored in each of Dundee United’s last three league games, netting what proved to be the winning goal each time. The last player to score in four consecutive top-flight appearances for the club was Johnny Russell in February 2013.

• St Johnstone are looking to win back-to-back league meetings with Dundee United for the first time since November 2015, having triumphed 2-1 most recently in February.

• Dundee United have won each of their last three league games, and haven’t won more in succession in the Scottish Premiership since December 2013 under Jackie McNamara (5).

• Dundee United haven’t conceded in any of their last five league visits to St Johnstone (W3 D2), and are looking to win back-to-back top-flight away games at McDiarmid Park for the first time since April 2012.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin believes Saturday's away match with St Johnstone will feel like a home game because of the large travelling support. (Record), external

Livingston manager David Martindale reveals the club had sold fewer than 100 season tickets earlier this week, compared with Dundee United's 4,200. (Sun), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

I read with interest press reports suggesting that the work Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has done in his short time in the Tannadice hotseat is apparently not going unnoticed elsewhere.

After a difficult end to his relatively brief tenure at Aberdeen, Goodwin jumped at the chance to make a quickfire dugout return, and he has certainly made the most of the opportunity.

Yes there is still plenty of work to do, but a run of three wins on the spin, and just one defeat in six games, has moved United out of the bottom two and means they are taking some real momentum into their final five games.

If that form continues, the admiring glances from elsewhere would seem certain to increase.

It is a situation which perhaps gives the United powerbrokers a dilemma. Goodwin was brought in until the end of the season, and there are those who would argue he has already done enough to merit the job longer term.

If that is a view shared in the corridors of power at Tannadice, then should they act now and tie him down to end any uncertainty and ward off any potential suitors?

The counter argument could be that while the improvement has been significant, the team have achieved nothing yet, and only when their Premiership status is resolved should such a conversation be had.

It is certainly an intriguing question, but the fact it is even being discussed signals a welcome sign of changed times for United, who were in a much darker place just a few months ago.

Dundee United will be looking to keep their momentum going when they travel to face St Johnstone in the first round of bottom-six fixtures on Saturday.

It's a tasty Tayside derby with both sides keen to ease relegation fears.

Put yourself in Jim Goodwin's shoes and pick your United XI here.

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin hopes to formalise a permanent deal for on-loan Wigan Athletic midfielder Jamie McGrath. (Courier - subscription required), external

Former Dundee United forward Jon Daly has been put in interim charge of St Patrick's Athletic. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip

Paul McNicoll, Dode Fox Podcast, external

The post split fixtures have been released and United fans are fairly content with them. As fans, the fear was that we’d end up travelling back down to that plastic pitch at Rugby Park. Thankfully, that is not the case.

Now far from being complacent about things, United fans are still of a mind that we are in a very precarious position. That being said, we have at least given ourselves a great chance to stave off relegation and perhaps even drag another team into the mix.

Our first game up is away to that team. St Johnstone. At no point this season have they been mentioned as being in trouble of the drop but slowly and surely their own form has fallen away and they now find themselves just two points above United and Killie. The pressure is on.

The appetite for Saturday’s match at McDiarmid is certainly there in abundance for United fans. All of our 2700 tickets for the match were sold out within about 40 minutes and I’m fairly sure that St Johnstone punters will snap up tickets too.

It really does feel like a massive game for a number of reasons, but contrary to what many people state, this game is not a derby. To call it so often irks me. That’s by the by, as one of the lucky fans to get a ticket for the United end this week, I really can't wait for Saturday.

Steve McQueen may have been the star of the original Great Escape, but I’m growing more and more hopeful that the remake will be Tangerine tinted and have Steven Fletcher, Ian Harkes and Loick Ayina as the stars. C’mon United, lets get into the Saintees!

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin, out of contract this summer, is snubbing talks with other clubs as the Tangerines battle relegation. (Sun), external

Goodwin will not consider his next move until the summer. (Courier - subscription required), external

Read all of Tuesday's Scottish Gossip

Hibernian could make a move for Dundee United midfielder Jamie McGrath, who is on loan from Wigan Athletic. (Sun), external

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Former Hearts and Dundee United boss Craig Levein says he was “killing myself laughing” when a football agent once threatened to shoot him.

Levein revealed the incident incurred during his Leicester reign – he managed the Foxes for 15 months from October 2004 after his first stint in the Hearts hotseat.

Speaking on the BBC’s Sacked in the Morning podcast, which he co-hosts, the 58-year-old said: “I had a situation with an agent. He phoned me and he actually wasn’t the agent of the player – and this happens quite a lot – but he’d got wind that we were interested in this player and I was at Leicester at the time.

“It was a Scottish guy – I won’t say his name – but claimed he was the agent of the player and I knew he wasn’t. So I said, ‘Look, I can’t deal with you because I know who his agent is.’

“Well, he threatened to shoot me. I was like, ‘Whoa, hold on a minute here.’

“That’s a true story. I knew the guy, so it wasn’t so scary but I think he was getting kind of desperate and he came out and said that.

“Actually, I was killing myself laughing.”

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin, under contract until the end of the season, is wanted by two League One clubs in England and has been sounded out about his availability. (Sun), external

Caretaker boss Steven MacLean hopes St Johnstone's bounce game with Hearts on Friday will be ideal preparation for facing Dundee United next weekend. (Courier - subscription required), external

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Glenn Middleton is back in training at Dundee United following injury while Dylan Levitt could return before the end of the season. (Courier - subscription required), external

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Dundee United academy director Andy Goldie says a “lack of leadership” at the club is leading to limited first-team opportunities for young players.

Last season the Tannadice side - who have committed to a strategy of giving academy talents game-time - handed 16 homegrown players minutes.

Former manager Tam Courts achieved this while leading the club to fourth place and European football. But this term, with a change of managers, many of those players have been nowhere to be seen.

Goldie, who was the academy director at United before joining Swansea City last summer, told BBC Scotland: "I don't think it correlates exactly, but they're [United] now near the bottom of the league, and those young players aren't getting the same opportunity.

"So what has changed? I do believe it's that lack of leadership from the very top.

“They have to make sure the strategy is fed throughout the club to the sporting director and first-team head coach to give young players an opportunity."

Read more: Is Scottish football doing enough for young players?

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Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland

Dundee United have made great strides in recent weeks – now they know the path they must navigate in their remaining five games as they look to complete their Premiership relegation escape act.

Just a few weeks ago they were rooted to the foot of the table and looked to be heading one way – down.

But a run of three straight wins – and just one defeat in six games – has seen them clamber off the bottom and up to 10th.

Crucially, it provides them with real positivity into their bottom-six campaign.

The post-split fixtures, published on Tuesday, see United round off their survival push with home games against Ross County and Kilmarnock and three on the road (against St Johnstone, Livingston and Motherwell) - starting with a trip to Perth the weekend after next.

So there is plenty of work still to do, but Jim Goodwin will be optimistic that with the momentum and confidence they have built, his side can go on and banish any fears of the drop.

And perhaps also start to lay a few foundations for what they hope will be a much better season after the summer.

Image source, BBC Sport

Ronny Costello, Dode Fox Podcast, external

Alexa, play the Great Escape theme.

Dundee United were five points adrift of 12th-place Ross County as the full-time whistles sounded on Saturday, 8 April, prior to facing Hibs the following day at lunchtime. A couple of weeks later, we are four points ahead of County.

Three wins on the bounce has seen us move up to 10th, alongside Killie who picked up their first away win of the season.

Saturday's match started with a brilliant tifo from the display team, and we were bang at it from the first minute. We took control of the game and were deservedly ahead as Ian Harkes teed up Jamie McGrath to make it 1-0 before the scorer limped off with a groin injury on the half hour mark.

Immi Niskanen had a brilliant chance to put us two ahead but his shot was matched by a good save. The visitors were always going to throw everything at it in the second half but they were caught up the park as young Kai Fotheringham robbed Cristian Montano and played in Steven Fletcher, who made no mistake in wrapping up a third win on the bounce.

A first shut-out since the start of the year as well for keeper Mark Birighitti, who has not been without criticism this season, should do wonders for his confidence.

A word also for the brilliant partnership that has been forming at centre-half with Loick Ayina and Charlie Mulgrew. Kieran Freeman and Scott McMann were solid, Craig Sibbald and Ian Harkes were excellent in midfield as Aziz Behich and Niskanen worked the channels for 90-plus minutes with Fletcher outstanding up top.

There has been lots of humble pie served up at Dode Fox Podcast HQ for the work Jim Goodwin has put in since becoming manager. He was animated on the touchline, nearly squared up to David Martindale and took a yellow card for kicking the ball away.

He is getting a tune out of a squad who for much of this season have not been performing well. He reacts to what is happening, makes tweaks when things are not working, and is not scared to make big decisions. A proper manager.

We’re not out of it, not yet, but we’re now playing with aggression, a bit of dig and working very, very hard. Every player is leaving everything on the pitch, defending for their lives. That comes from the manager. Our manager.

We can’t get carried away… but we’ve given ourselves a massive chance of staying in this league.

One of Dundee United's pairings in the post-split fixtures has been reversed in order to ensure every Premiership club has 19 home and away fixtures.

Jim Goodwin's side make their third trip to Motherwell in the final game of the season.

Five pairings were switched in total, with Kilmarnock playing St Johnstone at Rugby Park for a third time.

In the top six, Aberdeen visit Celtic for a third time and the Dons welcome St Mirren for a third Pittodrie meeting, while Hibernian host Rangers for a third time.

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• Sat 6 May: St Johnstone v Dundee United (15:00 BST)

• Sat 13 May: Dundee United v Ross County (15:00)

• Sat 20 May: Livingston v Dundee United (15:00)

• Wed 24 May: Dundee United v Kilmarnock (19:45)

• Sun 28 May: Motherwell v Dundee United (15:00)

Dundee United striker Steven Fletcher has backed Jim Goodwin to land the manager's job on a long-term basis after they claimed a third successive victory by seeing off Livingston at the weekend. (The Courier), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart believes that Dundee United could finish in the top six next season should they take their recent momentum forward.

United have won their last three games in the league, and Saturday's victory over Livingston took them four points clear of bottom club Ross County.

"The quality is there. Next season, if they are still in the top-flight, there's no reason why they shouldn't be aspiring to be in the top six," Stewart said on Sportscene.

"I don’t think anybody doubted the quality in the side, it’s been the desire, the determination, the character that’s been questionable. Getting on a run like this is timed perfectly.

“The nine points they have picked up in the last three games have transformed their season, because going into the game against Hibs they were bottom of the table, confidence was at an all-time low, Jim Goodwin hadn’t won a game yet, but they got the last minute penalty and have kicked on from there."

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