We will also have to improve without a key component being available in the midfield as Steve Jennings is now suspended. Moving Hateley into his position and returning Saunders to right back would seem the natural switch. It is also hard to see Stuart McCall leaving out Craigan after shipping three goals last time though it remains to be seen who will drop out. Hutchison, Gunning or Hammell are all viable candidates for the bench.
The attack is also not so clear. Should we try to use Humphrey and Murphy out wide to get some width or does clogging the middle of the park with a diamond make more sense? Murphy could play in the most advanced midfield role behind Sutton and Jeffers but then again perhaps he'd be better off as an actual striker? And does Ross Forbes, whose inconsistency presently typifies the whole team, merit a place and if so where? He has shown occasional glimpses of being able to handle things in the engine room but not many and he struggles out left. Would employing him as a trequartista bring out the best of his game or would we be playing with a man short?
In fairness United do not have their problems to seek either. Defenders Kenneth, Severin, Dods and Kovacevic are all injured, as is striker Daly, and winger Conway is a doubt. Furthermore they have been enduring a pounding run of re-arranged games which included a fixture at home to Hamilton on Thursday night.
Our last visit to Tannadice on Scottish Cup business was in 1997 and brought about a 4-1 quarter final defeat. Before that in 1994 we survived thanks to John Philliben's magical equaliser but made a mess of the replay. Of course we all remember 1991 but it is doubtful many with personal knowledge of our last cup win at Tannadice – in 1939 – will be travelling on Sunday. That year we went on to reach the final but while our ambitions may not quite be so grand now, hopefully we can still dream a little if we return home with a 0-0 draw.
