JIM GOODWIN | IT'S IN OUR HANDS

United Manager Jim Goodwin admits the foundations have been laid for a successful run of results following the cinch Premiership split however there is no room for complacency in the Tannadice camp with the table remaining tightly packed heading into the final six matches.

Watch the Gaffer's press conference from the High-Performance Centre in full below!

Momentum Building

After securing back-to-back victories for the first time since the turn of the year, the Terrors now sit in tenth position, as a vital three points at Fir Park allowed them to leapfrog both Kilmarnock and Ross County.

Kevin van Veen opened the scoring at the midway point of the first period, but second-half strikes from Ilmari Niskanen and Jamie McGrath saw United complete a sensational turnaround.

Reflecting on the impact of last weekend's victory, Goodwin began: "As you can imagine, there’s a very good atmosphere about the place given recent results.

"It was very important we did get that bit of momentum to show we can put a run of results together. We knew if we could do that it would have a positive impact on how the league table looked. The important thing for us now as a group is that it is very much in our hands."

The 41-year-old, long in the tooth from an illustrious playing career both north and south of the border, is now determined to ensure his side don't rest on their laurels at the business end of the season

"However, we can’t get carried away. As much as we’ve enjoyed the positivity, we have to keep working hard in training to make sure we don’t take our foot off the pedal.

"We have put ourselves in a good position to avoid relegation but I’ve been in the game long enough to know that one bad result can flip things on their head again. We just need to approach every game between now and the end of the season in the right manner.

"I spoke to the players on Monday to remind them we are still in a relegation dogfight and nothing has been achieved yet. We can’t start patting each other on the back until six games from now when the league is done and hopefully, we’re safe."

Restoring Belief

Goodwin inherited a squad who'd had their confidence sapped by a sub-par season, but has managed to lift them off the canvas in a short period of time.

From the exterior, he was left scratching his head as to why United found themselves rooted to the foot of the table for the majority of the campaign considering the calibre of player within the ranks.

He continued: "I recognised their quality prior to me accepting the job. There was clearly a lack of confidence and belief but I think we’ve managed to restore that.

"I can’t emphasise enough how good they’ve been to work with. I was concerned coming in because wasn’t sure what to expect and what the mood in the camp would be like - but they’ve been brilliant.

"Winning games of football breeds confidence and that is running through the whole camp. That's not just the players who start every week, there’s a really good, positive vibe throughout the whole group - that makes my job easier."

On Matchday 31, Ross County departed McDiarmid Park with maximum points, leaving many an Arab gnashing teeth upon glancing at the table with United five points behind the Dingwall outfit heading into a crunch clash with Hibernian a day later.

However, the Terrors held their nerve to record a vital 2-1 win over the Edinburgh outfit, courtesy of a last-minute Jamie McGrath spot-kick.

"We’ve gone some way in recent weeks to show the fans there’s a group here who really care. Going into the Hibs game we were five points adrift at the bottom of the table and everybody out with our group had written us off.

"It shows the spirit and character that they weren’t willing to accept that. They’ve fought extremely hard to get themselves into tenth in the table but there’s still a long way to go. We cannot take our eye off the ball. I won’t let that happen."

Pre-Split Finale

Our opponents for tomorrow's match have it all to play for. Only a win at Tannadice, coupled with favours from other teams around the country, will allow the Lions a place in the top six.

Goodwin faced the West Lothian outfit in his second game in charge - Aziz Behich's tidy finish on the volley earning United a hard-fought point in sub-zero conditions at the Tony Macaroni.

Touching on Livingston, he added: "It’s a big game for Livingston there’s no doubt about that. They are fighting for top six. Davie has had really good success in recent seasons and they’ve been up there in amongst it. I’m sure he’ll be disappointed if they don’t get there.

"They’ve invested heavily in the squad, probably more so than in previous seasons. By doing that, the expectations from the fans and the board are lifted."

Known for their conservative yet dangerous game plan, Martindale's men may have to deploy a different approach considering three points is a necessity, not a bonus. With United also with their sights fully locked on making it three wins on the spin, an expansive 90 minutes looks to be on the cards in the City of Discovery.

"They can’t come and sit off the game because a draw isn’t enough. Hopefully, it will make for a very open and entertaining game for the supporters. We’re not satisfied with just accepting a point so you’ll have two teams going at it trying to win the game.

"We haven’t changed a great deal in training this week in terms of our preparations prior to the Hibs and Motherwell games - there are high demands on the players throughout the week."

Bumper Tannadice Crowd  

More than 1,600 United fans travelled to a sun-kissed Lanarkshire last weekend to roar the Terrors onto victory. Tomorrow, Jim Goodwin's Tangerine Army is expected to be over 8,000 strong.

The Irishman heaped praise on the unwavering support his side has received in recent weeks, also sheepishly recounting a few previous Tannadice memories from his playing career.

"The fans have been brilliant. I wasn’t sure what kind of reception I would get because it wasn’t always a stadium, when I was a player, that I got a warm welcome at!

"I’ve been at clubs in the past where, when the team is going through a difficult time, the fans tend to stay away but the Dundee United fans have been magnificent.

"I hope we see an increase on the attendance this weekend, given the significance and importance of the game. But also there are hopefully some supporters there that enjoy what they see and get behind their team - we always encourage that."

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Rollercoaster Ride 

"It's been a rollercoaster ride for myself and the rest of the staff since I have come in because there’s been so much information that’s been thrown at the players" he continued.

The hard yards continue to be put in on the training pitch at the High-Performance centre under the watchful eye of Goodwin and his backroom staff. The recent upturn in results are a consequence of this according to the Gaffer.

'They’re pleased with what they’ve done in the last few weeks but they recognise why it has happened. It has happened by chance, it's because they’ve worked extremely hard in training.

"I know people will say that’s their job, but there really is a feeling within the group that they just want to go and make amends for what’s been a challenging season.

"A lot of teams at this point in the season start to wind down and the players have one eye on their summer holidays. We haven’t allowed that to filter into the group.

"As a manager, the easy part is putting on the training sessions and trying to relay the message to the players. The hardest part is for the players to go and implement those ideas and I’m just delighted they’ve understood what’s been asked of them."

Team News

This weekend's clash with Livingston comes too early for both long-term absentees Dylan Levitt and Glenn Middleton, with Peter Pawlett also continuing his rehab for a hamstring injury.

"We’ve still got one or two out injured who’ll miss this week's game but they’re making great progress. Once the split happens, hopefully, we’ll have one or potentially two back available. That’ll give me more competition for places."