Dundee United will be looking to get their survival bid back on track when they host fellow strugglers Ross County at Tannadice Park on Saturday afternoon in the Scottish Premiership.

The Tangerines were defeated for the first time in four matches against St Johnstone last time out, whilst the Highlanders recorded a much-needed victory at home to Livingstone.

Match preview

Dundee United's three-game winning run came to a disappointing end last weekend as they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at McDiarmid Park against a St Johnstone team they could have leapfrogged with a fourth-straight success.

There was little to separate the sides in truth, but the contest was decided when the Tangerines failed to clear a long throw, allowing centre-back Liam Gordon to score his first goal of the campaign for the hosts in Perth.

Jim Goodwin's men had chances in the second period to salvage a point - most notably through talisman Steven Fletcher - but Charlie Mulgrew's red card for denying Melker Hallberg a goalscoring opportunity certainly hindered United's push for an equaliser.

Having been five points adrift at the foot of the Premiership table following a 2-0 loss at Rangers on April 1, the Terrors' ability to earn three wins in a row following the defeat at Ibrox means their first-tier fate remains in their own hands heading into the final four matches.

A sold-out Tannadice Park is expected to watch two of the division's bottom-three outfits battle it out on Saturday afternoon - United will be looking to get revenge for a 4-0 loss against Ross County back in February, which was the nail in the coffin for former boss Liam Fox.

Aziz Behich will be looking to provide a telling moment in the Tangerines' attack on the weekend, with the 32-year-old impressing with Australia at last year's World Cup in Qatar.

Ross County gave their hopes of staving off relegation a massive boost last Saturday by beating Livingston 2-0 at Global Energy Stadium, with headed strikes from Alex Iacovitti and Alex Samuel either side of the half-time interval making sure of the points.

Key to the success at Dingwall was the creative performance of former Swansea City man Yan Dhanda, with the 24-year-old providing both assists - the midfielder is beginning to show more regularly the reason why he was on the books of Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion as a youngster.

The Highlanders remain bottom of the Premiership standings despite their Livingstone maximum, but they are now just a point behind Saturday's host Dundee United who sit in the safety of fourth in the Relegation Group.

Malky Mackay has utilised his contacts from England this year - bringing in Wigan Athletic duo Gwion Edwards and Josh Stones - giving his Staggies side a fighting chance of extending their stay in the Premiership to five seasons.

With seven goals to his name, Jordan White's form will be a major factor in deciding whether County avoid relegation this term - the 31-year-old is enjoying his most-productive top-flight campaign to date.

Team News

Dundee United boss Goodwin did consider appealing Mulgrew's red card against St Johnstone, but the club decided against doing so, meaning the 37-year-old will now serve a one-match suspension.

Ryan Edwards will most likely replace Mulgrew in the Tangerines' defence, although the Englishman was used as an unorthodox attacking option in the latter stages of the defeat at McDiarmid Park.

The hosts will be without Wales international Dylan Levitt for the remainder of the campaign, with the 22-year-old suffering a knee injury during the loss against Aberdeen in March.

Ross County also have players who will not feature again this season, with Ross Callachan sidelined due to a cruciate ligament injury he picked up in April.

Eamonn Brophy is in a race to play a part for the Staggies in their final four matches as he continues to recover from a thigh injury sustained in the loss at St Johnstone last month.

Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Birighitti; Freeman, Ayina, Edwards, McMann; Harkes, Sibbald, McGrath; Niskanen, Behich, Fletcher

Ross County possible starting lineup:
Laidlaw; Watson, Baldwin, Iacovitti; Randall, Loturi, Dhanda, Cancola, Harmon; White, Murray

We say: Dundee United 1-0 Ross County

Dundee United suffered defeat at St Johnstone last time out but will be confident of beating Ross County in front of a sold-out Tannadice Park crowd on Saturday.

The Highlanders took advantage of a Livingstone team who have little to play for in the relegation group, but they now travel to the Tangerines, who will be desperate to avoid a repeat of February's scoreline between the sides.


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