We'll face a stern test at Tannadice against a United side buoyed by their fine win in Aberdeen at the weekend. By all accounts the loss of Gauld and Robertson did nothing to prevent Jackie McNamara's side steam roller over the team that is (according to the cognoscenti) likely to take the Best of the Rest title. The Dons had not lost a league game at home since.....ah, yes - Motherwell mugged them at the end of last season!
Hammell wore the armband last time at Tannadice
United's ability to counterattack at speed is one of their main weapons and, given our tendency to leak goals from attacking positions, that's sure to be one part of McCall's thinking. Taking care of Ciftci will be another. The striker has scored a few against us in the past and our makeshoft defence will have to be on guard to keep him out.
They fielded a refreshed back four on Sunday but unlike Motherwell that was not a forced change. Morris and Fojut were the new central defensive pairing.
Motherwell's starting eleven was not determined until a couple of hours before kick-off on Saturday. Late fitness tests rather than tactical indecision held up our selection. Wednesday's game may have come too soon for Hammell, Ramsden, Vigurs and Lawson and another makeshift tea-sheet may appear around 6.45pm.
Lee Erwin will be keen to earn his second league start and he'll provide some welcome support in attack for Sutton. There has been no news of any further knocks so it could be that a similar formation is pitched in to the fray.
In three visits to Tannadice last season we earned only one point with an aggregate of 10-4 to the home team. Any chance of improvement on that poor rate of return in this campaign will depend on a tight defence and clinical finishing. If we come home with a point it will be seen as a good result but we might have to be at our best for a 1-1 draw.
Remember our last visit to United? (Scary stuff!)