Motherwell travel to Tannadice on Wednesday in search of a first league win in 2022. Can they bring three points back to Lanarkshire?
Graham Alexander’s team has already shown an ability to recover following a drubbing. A win in Aberdeen followed a 1-6 loss to Rangers earlier this season and if the increasingly loose hold on fourth place is to last another bounce back will be needed against Dundee United.
A successful trip will probably require a return to a more attacking formation than that fielded on Sunday. The burden placed on Kevin Van Veen as sole striker needs to be lifted and a return to a three man forward line seems likely.
Joe Efford, Kaiyne Woolery and Ross Tierney were pitched at half-time against Celtic and they will likely be under consideration for starting places on Wednesday.
The return to five possible substitutions has widened options for the manager but the choice of the initial eleven remains crucial.
Dundee United, despite recording only one league win in the last eleven attempts, will overtake Motherwell (with the help of goal difference) should they win. The form of Tony Watt, taken from Motherwell in the winter break, will probably be an important factor in the game. The crowd in the Fair Play stand will let him know how they feel about the move but the result will be determined as much by Motherwell’s ability to score as by the threat from one of the opposition.
Previous meetings this season have favoured the home side. United won the first 2-1 and Motherwell took the second 1-0 in a Fir Park deluge. Watt scored for Motherwell in both games.
Maybe it’s time for a draw, 1-1.