Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin spoke to the broadcast media to preview our William Hill Premiership clash with Rangers on Matchday 24.

The Gaffer discussed the necessity for a fast start against one of the league's top sides, his new additions, the visit of Mark Ogren and more!

ON LEARNING POINTS FROM MONDAY NIGHT’S DUNDEE DERBY

We didn't cover ourselves in glory in the first 45 minutes. We conceded early and gave ourselves a bit of an uphill task thereafter, but I thought the reaction in the second 45 minutes was brilliant and we completely dominated the second half. We'd done everything bar put the ball in the back of the net.

If we can replicate that performance in the second half and do that more consistently for longer periods in games, then we give ourselves a great chance of winning. 

Sunday is a different challenge again. The two fixtures that we've had against Rangers up to now have been very close and very tight.

Last time out at Ibrox, we managed to get a really valuable point, and way back in September here, Rangers ran out narrow victors, but again, it’s a game that we felt we could have taken something from. So we'll take the positives from the second 45 against Dundee and we'll try and build on what we've done up to now in the previous fixtures. 

ON WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR OPPONENTS AND THE POTENTIAL OF FATIGUE FROM EUROPEAN EXPLOITS

We know what it's like ourselves, having come through that busy period from Christmas into January. Only having 48 hours to recover in between games is a difficult task, no doubt, for the Rangers squad, but they've got some good strength and depth in their team. Some key players who missed out last night due to not being registered for the European competitions will be nice and fresh.

We try and focus as much as we can on ourselves. We know that Rangers are a good side and they've got some very good individuals within their team, but it's about us getting our game plan right. 

It's about us being brave on the ball when we get the opportunity to play and being more clinical in front of goal than we were in the second half against Dundee. 

ON GOING TOE-TO-TOE WITH THE TOP TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE ALREADY THIS SEASON 

The players are in a really good place psychologically. Obviously there's the disappointment of being out of the cup, but away back at the start of the season, the league was our priority. 

We spoke about trying to accumulate enough points to stay in the league - I think we have pretty much achieved that by now. We've put ourselves in a great position in the top six, so that's the next target, can we stay there? 

We recognise the fact that teams around us have strengthened and a number of them have spent a considerable amount of money in this window trying to catch us, but we've had a fantastic league campaign up to now and it's about just keeping that going. 

There are 10 games now before the split and we've given ourselves a great chance, but under no consideration are we thinking that it's guaranteed. We know that we have to work hard and that we have to earn the points to make sure that we secure that spot.

ON THE NEW ADDITIONS TO HIS SQUAD

We're delighted to get Lewis Fiorini and Ruari Payton in the door. Ruari came on in the second half on Monday night and was very unlucky with a chance he had cleared off the line. He just gives us that little bit of a different dimension at the top end of the pitch. 

Sam Dalby, Louis Moult and Jort van der Sande are all quite similar in terms of their strengths lies in playing with their back to goal, whereas Ruari gives us a different option and a bit more of an out ball at times when we want to try and penetrate the back line of the opposition.

Lewis is a terrifically talented midfielder that can play a number of positions in the central area of the pitch. He’s very comfortable in possession, which you would expect given the upbringing he's had coming through Manchester City’s academy and he’s already had some really successful loan spells. We're hoping that this will be another one of those and to get him some valuable minutes to help him continue with his development.

ON FURTHER JANUARY BUSINESS

The window is open for another week and we'll continue to see what options are out there. It's not a great window, any manager will tell you that. In January, you don't really want to be having to do too much business.

I think the business that we've done in the summer worked and those players have put us in a fantastic position. January is just about trying to strengthen in those key areas to make sure that we don't leave ourselves short. We'll see what else comes up, but I'm very happy with the players that we have available to us at the moment.

ON THE VISIT OF MARK OGREN 

I've got a great relationship with the chairman - it’s always great when he manages to make the trip over from the States. We've had lots of conversations in the last week.

Obviously, he's disappointed to have lost on Monday, his first derby defeat since becoming owner. But he's very pleased with the progress that the team has made, being promoted in the summer from the Championship and then for the club to have put themselves in the position that they're in, he's been very complimentary about that.

But he recognises the fact as well that the job is not done and that we have to make sure we stay focused and keep going. 

ON ANY BIDS FOR OUR PLAYERS

No, nothing that I'm aware of. 

ON TEAM NEWS 

We're not in too bad shape. Craig Sibbald has got a little bit to go in terms of his return to play after the lengthy spell that he's had out, and Ross Docherty will be touch and go for the weekend. 

ON RUARI PATON MAKING THE STEP UP TO THE TOP FLIGHT 

Ruari is a player that I've known for a long time. I've kept a close eye on him coming through the lower leagues in Scotland and his development has been gradual over the years. I thought he was excellent for Queen's Park last season and caused us a lot of problems in the games that we faced him.

I think Ruari is more than capable of making that step up from Championship football into the Scottish Premiership. We've already proven that with a number of players that have come up with us last season from the Championship, the likes of Kevin Holt and Ross Docherty in particular. 

Guys that have pretty much played a large spell of their career in the league below, and have never really been given the opportunity to play consistently at this level.

Kevin has been one of the best defenders in the league and Ross, when he's played, has been very comfortable and I've got no doubt that Ruari Payton will do the same. 

ON PLAYERS TAKING INSPIRATION FROM PATON’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE PYRAMID

I think it shows you the mentality of the boy himself. There are a lot of kids within academies in Scotland and all over the UK who unfortunately suffer the disappointment of being released and being let go. Some of them fall out of love with the game and find a different career path and others, like Ruari, don't accept it and show that character that's required to work your way back through the leagues. 

 

It's a great story and it would be a fantastic story if he was to be able to score goals in the Scottish Premiership and help us achieve that top six.

ON RANGERS’ PATCHY AWAY FORM

I know a lot has been made about Rangers away from home, but the only game I can look back on is the one where they beat us here at Tannadice in September. They're a very good side. I thought they gave a really good account of themselves at Old Trafford. I watched the game, they were up against a good Man United team. Philippe Clermont and his players will take confidence from that. 

They've had their struggles of late as well in the league, but it’s a team that's full of international-class players. As always, the focus for us in the build-up to any game is about where we can hurt the opposition.

We have to start the game in a better fashion than what we did on Monday. The players are well aware of that - we cannot be giving teams a one-goal head start.

It's about coming out of the blocks fast for us on Sunday, using that slight advantage that we have in terms of the recovery and hopefully that will pay dividends come Sunday.

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