Dundee United

Paul McNicoll
Fan writer

A draw at Ibrox is never a bad day's work, even if Rangers these days are handing out points like leaflets on Buchanan Street.

To make things interesting, United didn't even bother turning up in the first half. They politely let Rangers go 1-0 up, then remembered football had actually started after the break.

The goals? Oh, pure quality. Kristijan Trapanovski, on the pitch for about 12 seconds, decided he'd quite like to be the main character.

A tidy cutback from his pal Zac Sapsford, one touch forward, then bang into the corner. Shirt-off celebration? Normally daft, but fair play to the lad. If you can silence Ibrox, you've earned a wee flex.

Then Craig Sibbald, the steady Eddie of Tannadice, suddenly thought he was Zinedine Zidane. From 25 yards, he curls one into the top corner like he's been hiding this party trick his whole career. An absolute screamer. Probably the best goal he's ever scored.

So, a 2-2 draw, a strong second half, and everyone went home relatively happy. But this weekend? St Mirren roll into town. Big, physical, athletic and not shy about letting you know it.

If United play like they did in the first half at Ibrox, they'll be in trouble. If they play like they did in the second half, well, we might just have a game on our hands.

Batten down the hatches, folks, it's going to be a bruiser.

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

Manager Jim Goodwin puts Dundee United's dropped points this season down to inexperience. (Courier - subscription required), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Dundee United's four-goal thriller ended in a drew at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon, one of Jim Goodwin's goalscorers makes my team of the week.

Thelo Aasgaard's goal for Rangers just shades it for me, but there was no disguising the quality of Craig Sibbald's 75th minute strike to put United 2-1 in front, bending from outside the post and into the net past Jack Butland.

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Craig Sibbald's goal against Rangers.

Mark Birighitti says he was scared to leave his house during Dundee United's relegation season of 2022-23. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Monday's gossip.

Watch all the highlights as Dundee United fight back to draw 2-2 with Rangers in Scottish Premiership

We asked for your thoughts after Dundee United's 2-2 draw with Rangers.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Ally: I was furious at half-time. Stood off and made a fragile team look good. Great reaction which felt like a defeat the way it panned out. Still lots to be encouraged about this team, but definite areas to improve as well. The league is tight, we can still go either way.

Kieran: You'll be hard pushed to find any other game this season with the quality of goals scored. Draw was a fair result in the end. Again started slow in the first half and lucky to go in at 1-0, we need to break this habit. Whatever Jim Goodwin said within that 15 mins worked a treat. More attacking impetus topped with a Craig Sibbald screamer.

David: Goodwin has to get a settled first XI and stop chopping and changing things. He needs to put the best out from the start. He says he has a strong squad, shame he doesn't know how to pick the best of them.

Jamie: A season of glorious failures goes on. We come close to massive results that could be huge to our season, but fall at the final hurdle. Yes we're in the top six, but we're also only four points off bottom. Goodwin has to sort out our first half performances. They are killing us.

Stephen: Rangers had a chance of getting something out the game, to be fair their first half performance was better than any other this season, but they weren't anything special. As soon as Goodwin adapted United were clearly on top and should have been safe. Ibrox really holds no fear anymore for teams, it's just another ground. Disappointed not to take the three points back to Tannadice.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "Rangers were by far the better team in first 45, we were second best all over the park. We looked as if we were half a yard off it.

"Second half we carried [the game plan] out a lot better. We have built a really strong, competitive squad.

"Unfortunate thing is we haven't had the whole group available. We're starting to get numbers back and there's real competition.

"We need to make sure we start games like we did in the second half. That's three games in a row where we've been poor in the first half but really good in the second. We can't let first halves pass us by.

"We definitely deserved at least a point, but to not hang on is extremely disappointing.

"The Scottish Premiership is probably the strongest it's been for a number of years. It's going to be a real battle for the top six and European places."

Managerless Rangers' wait for a first home Scottish Premiership win of the season continued after a four-goal thriller with Dundee United ended in a draw at Ibrox.

Have your say on the game here.

Read our match report here.

Image source, SNS

Mohamed Diomande is the only absentee from the Rangers squad which drew with Falkirk. Long-term absentees Rabbi Matondo (knee), Dujon Sterling (Achilles) and Kieran Dowell remain out.

Dundee United have no fresh injuries. Owen Stirton has stepped up his recovery from an ankle problem while Ross Graham, Max Watters (both hamstring) and Isaac Pappoe (knee) remain out.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United's Nikolaj Moller says the side's "healthy" competition for places can drive them back into Europe for the second season in a row.

Jim Goodwin's Dundee United secured a shot at European qualification with a stellar campaign last year, but failed to qualify for the Conference League.

Moller reckons the side are fully capable of once again targeting a shot at continental competition this year.

"We all feel like we can do something this year, for sure, to compete for European spots, that's what we all strive for," he said.

"We all feel that we have a really, really good squad, good players in every position, a lot of competition in every position.

"There's another good player who could play, this is what you want in a club, it's really healthy.

"We're striving to come as high up in the table as possible.

"We don't fear any team, I would say."

Summer signing Moller is relishing his side's trip to face embattled Rangers on Saturday.

The Swedish forward, who arrived from Swiss top-flight side St Gallen on an initial two-year deal in August, reckons it will be the biggest crowd he's ever played in front of.

"Tomorrow for sure, it's going to be difficult, it's difficult to beat," he said when asked what the biggest crowd he's played in front of so far in his career.

"[I am] excited, you have to view it positively, it's going to be a really cool experience for us players that haven't played in such an atmosphere.

"But you have to go there with no fear and believe that you can win the game, but at the same time enjoy the atmosphere.

"And I'm sure we'll have a very good fan base travelling as well, that will be behind our backs.

"So we're all coming there with no fear and excited, and we believe we can go out there with a win."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin is warning that Saturday's opponents Rangers are in a "false position" in the Premiership and that the Ibrox squad is "full of quality."

United sit fourth in the table but just one point ahead of Rangers in eighth place.

The hosts will be seeking a first league win of the season under the guidance of Under-19s coach Steven Smith as they seek a replacement for the sacked Russell Martin.

"I'm always disappointed to see anyone lose their job but I think Rangers are a team that are full of quality," said Goodwin.

"They've got some very, very good players. I think they are in a false position at the moment.

"We only need to think back to last year when Hibs around about this time were sitting bottom or second bottom in the league and went on an incredible run of results from November onwards and finished the third best team in the country.

"We know Rangers are capable of doing that. They're a bit of a wounded animal.

"Supporters no doubt will be buoyant because they got what they wanted in the end which is a change of manager and we're expecting a completely different type of atmosphere as to what it might have been like a couple of weeks ago."

United have dropped points at home in recent weeks, losing to Kilmarnock and drawing with Livingston, and Goodwin is looking for improvements in defence.

"There's been a number of mistakes that we need to eradicate and we need to make sure we do that quickly," he said. "It's just decision-making in the moment and that's something that the players will learn from.

"The defensive structure is always a big part when you go to places like Ibrox and Parkhead but at the same time, I look at the players that we have in the forward areas and I really believe that if we're performing to the levels that we're capable of then we can most certainly cause Rangers a few problems.

"Of the signings that we made in the summer, the big draw is to come and play at places like Ibrox and Parkhead. That's the reason why a lot of them have come to Scotland. To raise their profile, to play against big teams and to perform well.

"I suppose it could be a positive to the point where there's not that fear factor because I think 12 or 13 of the 14 players we signed have never played at Ibrox before so they don't know what to expect. I think there's a real sense of excitement to go and play in that type of environment."

Image source, SNS

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media ahead of his side's trip to face Rangers on Saturday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Goodwin reckons the Scottish Premiership is "a lot more competitive this season" and challenges his side to find consistency in their performances against other sides.

• The manager feels United have been "a little bit inconsistent" and should have amassed more than their current tally, but says that is down to "their own mistakes" that need to be eradicated.

• Thirteen of the fourteen summer signings United made have never played at Ibrox before, with Goodwin adding: "The signings we made in the summer, the draw was to play at places like Ibrox and Parkhead."

• On their new signings, Goodwin adds that he is pleased with how they have "taken to the culture" they are trying to build at Tannadice.

• Goodwin says this weekend's opponents, Rangers, are in a "false position" in the league - currently eighth - and are a "team full of quality" that United can't afford to "gift the opposition chances like we have done".

• He compares Rangers' current position with that of Hibernian 12 months ago, and where the Easter Road club ended the season at the top end of the league table.

• United have no fresh injury concerns for the trip to Glasgow.

Image source, SNS

• Rangers have won eight of their last 10 league meetings with Dundee United (D2) since a 0-1 defeat in August 2021 under Steven Gerrard.

• Dundee United have only won one of their last 21 away league games at Rangers (D3 L17), losing 10 of their last 11 (D1) since a 3-2 victory in April 2011 under Peter Houston.

• With just eight points in seven games (W1 D5 L1), this is Rangers' poorest start to a league season (assuming 3 pts/win all-time) since 1978-79, when they had seven points in their first seven. Only in 1964-65 (9), 1978-79 (8), and 1989-90 (9) have they ever had fewer than 10 points from their opening eight matches of a league campaign.

• Dundee United are yet to lose an away league game this season (P3 W1 D2), scoring 2+ goals in each of them. Indeed, their seven away goals is a joint-high in this season's Scottish Premiership (level with Hearts).

• James Tavernier has made 319 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, with only three players – Callum McGregor (355), Marcus Fraser (330), and Stephen O'Donnell (324) – making more since the competition rebranded in 2013. Tavernier is Rangers' top league scorer this season with three goals.

Jim Goodwin has had to change his Dundee United masterplan for the weekend trip to Ibrox. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

New emails undermine the timeline of Dundee United's claim for more than £1.2m in relief from HMRC, according to a tax expert who warns that the Premiership club could face a massive financial penalty over the saga. (The Courier), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin hopes to help Australia defender Ryan Strain realise his World Cup ambitions. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

We reporters often ask football managers whether the international break has come at the right or wrong time.

Well, this one has come at just the right time for Dundee United.

It seems ludicrous to suggest that a team who are flying high in fourth in the table - just one point off third - are having a wobble.

But that is exactly what has happened in their past two games.

Home encounters against Kilmarnock and Livingston would have been fixtures United fans expected their side to win.

So a return of just one point from a possible six is well below expectation.

For all that there has been to like about United this season, the Tangerines are in danger of undoing their early good work.

They may be well placed in the table at the moment, but teams are starting to bunch up behind them, with just five points between United in fourth and bottom side Aberdeen.

There is an added pressure that comes with games you are expected to win, and for all the undoubted talent that is in this United squad, they need to find a way of dealing with that pressure to fully deliver on their early season promise.

Image source, SNS

Will Ferry has earned a first Republic of Ireland call-up for World Cup qualifiers against Portugal and Armenia.

Panutche Camara joins up with Guinea-Bissau as they face Ethopia and Egypt in World Cup qualifying.

Iurie Iovu is part of the Moldova squad for a friendly with Romania and World Cup qualifier against Estonia.

Dundee United forward Amar Fatah has withdrawn from the Sweden Under-21 squad. (Courier - subscription required), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip