Ross Graham is unlikely to play again for Dundee United again this season and fellow Tannadice central defenders Emmanuel Adegboyega, Declan Gallagher and Sam Cleall-Harding are carrying knocks going into Saturday's visit of St Mirren. (Courier - subscription required), external
Ronny Costello
Fan writer
Well, that was a tough watch.
Heading into Easter Road, there was cautious optimism in the air – a real chance to push for fourth, maybe even higher.
But what we got was a first half that simply wasn't good enough. No urgency, no bite, and far too passive for a team with so much still to play for.
Hibs came flying out the traps and we just never matched their energy. That early goal from Martin Boyle was a right kick in the you know whats.
Heads dropped, and it felt like deja vu from some of the flatter performances earlier this season. The shape wasn't right, we lacked composure in midfield, and too many players just didn't show up in that opening 45.
Second half, fair play, there was a bit more about us. We got a foothold, asked a few questions, and grabbed a goal that gave us a glimmer. But again, lapses at the back killed us, and conceding late on made the scoreline as sore as the performance.
It's not the result, it's the manner of it. In a game of this importance, that first half was criminal.
And now? It puts huge pressure on this weekend's showdown with St Mirren, who have had two excellent results since the split and would love nothing more than to leapfrog us in this run-in. They'll fancy it too, especially if we don't wake up from the first whistle.
The boys owe us a reaction at Tannadice. With Europe on the line and our rivals breathing down our neck, there's no more margin for error. Let's hope this was the wake-up call we needed, before it's too late.
Ronny Costello can be found at The Dode Fox Podcast, external
Sportscene analysis: 'Balanced Hibs gave no encouragement to Dundee Utd'
The Sportscene panel analyse the performance of both Hibs and Dundee United after the Edinburgh side ran out 3-1 winners at Easter Road.
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Watch highlights of Hibs' 3-1 win over Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership
Watch all the highlights from Hibs' 3-1 victory over Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.
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We asked for your views on Dundee United's defeat to Hibernian on Saturday.
Here's what some of you said:
Eddie: Setting your team up not to lose isn't the same as setting your team up to win a game. Far too often Jim Goodwin has had to change the team and system at half-time due to him setting up the team far too defensively.
Alex: A back three doesn't work against teams like Celtic or Hibs who use the width well, Vicko Sevelj's best position is centre mid. If you play two centre forwards - you need wingers to supply, also forced Jack Walton to kick long & his kicking can sometimes lack quality. We have not been the same hard, resilient team during 2025 - losing Kevin Holt and injuries to Ross Graham & Luca Stephenson & Craig Sibbald have not helped - plus David Babunski has not reached his potential. I really enjoyed watching United before New Year but the record so far this year is not good - unfortunately we may lose several players over summer and have to re-build again
David: I think it was the wrong decision from the manager to tell players their contract was not being extended before the season was finished. Players are less likely to give 100% and risk injury if they think they'll have to find another club when the season is over. I think that was evident with Declan Gallagher yesterday. He's been great all season but made some glaring mistakes yesterday.
Lee: United were woeful in the first half especially in defence but after a transformation in the second half, they deserved something from this game. Since Holt left and Goodwin naively told Declan Gallagher with five games to go he wasn't getting a new contract at the end of the season showed poor man management. The defence has been a shambles with the normally reliable Gallagher making an uncharacteristic schoolboy error for the first. United lack the depth in their squad to stay competitive with injuries to key players Ross Graham and Luca Stephenson not helping.
Gordon: United need to win against St Mirren. Just break this dreary run. We have the tools just need to put a performance together, we cannot be as poor defensively as we were at Easter Road. Onwards and definitely upwards!
Denis: Another poor team selection by the manager. The January signings have all been very disappointing. When we reached the top six we were in a strong position to finish third but are now looking over our shoulder at St Mirren who can beat us to fifth. Hopefully we don't see a repeat of zero wins after the split. Some serious recruitment required.
Image source, SNSMartin Boyle scored his 12th goal of the Premiership this season, more than any other Hibernian player. The forward has contributed to goals in his last five home games in the Premiership (three goals, two assists).
Hibernian have avoided defeat in their last 13 matches when scoring first in the Premiership, since a 1-4 loss to Dundee on 23 November 2024. They are also unbeaten in their last 27 Premiership matches when leading at half-time (W20, D7) dating back to 18 March 2023 against Celtic (L1-3).
David Gray's side have stopped the opposition from scoring a first-half goal in 21 of their 35 games, only Celtic (25) have done this more often in the Premiership this season.
Nicky Cadden has assisted his sixth goal at the Premiership this season, no Hibernian player has more.
Hibernian have scored 16 goals via substitutes in the Premiership this season, only Celtic (22) have scored more.
Dundee United have failed to win any of their last six matches when conceding first in the Premiership, since a victory over Dundee on 2 January 2025.
Jim Goodwin's side have failed to score a first-half goal in 23 of their 35 games, only St. Johnstone (25) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.
United fans, did you make the trip to Edinburgh or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the game. How disappointed were you with the first half performance? What do you think went wrong for your side?
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We got off to the worst possible start.
"It was a mistake ultimately, you can't do that against that level of opposition. The second goal was a poor one, the third one was a free header in the middle of the six yard box. When you analyse the goals back, they are situations we have to manage better. We didn't do the basics in those situations well enough and that's why we were on the wrong end of the result.
"I don't think there was a lack of effort or commitment in the first 45 minutes but we definitely lacked a bit of energy and pace at the top end of the pitch. Hibs are a very atheltic team and are always a real threat on the counter-attack.
"At 2-1 we were very much in the game and you could sense that bit of anxiety around the stadium but I thought Hibs ran out worthy winners in the end.
"Right now we're all a little bit flat because that's two defeats back to back but I have to keep reminding myself of the position these players put us in in the first place. I'm not going to stand here and throw anybody under the bus because the players have been fantastic.
"We can't allow the season to peter out now, a great result for St Mirren today, they'll still believe they can catch us. We have to have the mindset that we're capable of catching Hibs and Aberdeen above us.
"I think everybody out there with a connection to Dundee United would have accepted top six before the season started but now we're getting a little bit greedy and we're thinking about European places. I think the main priority for us now is to secure fifth and if we do that let's see how high up the table we can get."
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSWell, where do you start with this Jekyll and Hyde United performance? Horrendous in the first half. Tremendous in the second.
The mistakes they made in defence in the opening quarter of the match were as glaring as they were completely unexpected. Normally organised, disciplined, defensively strong and hard to beat, they were none of those things before the interval and this was not the ground to put in one of their poorest 45 minutes of the season.
Credit to the manager, though. He made a double change at half-time, hauling off Jort van der Sande and David Babunski and replacing them with Kevin Trapanovski and Glen Middleton. They affected quite the transformation, with Trapanovski almost immediately reducing the deficit from close range.
Their chances of third place are now a long shot but regardless, they've been a welcome addition to the Premiership and on the evidence of the second half, their season is far from over.
Plymouth Argyle head of data Ross Goodwin is expected to join Dundee United as head of recruitment. (Courier - subscription required), external
Ryan Strain, 28, is eager to secure European football with Dundee United after leaving St Mirren following their qualification for this season's Conference League. (Record), external
Image source, SNSHibernian pair Elie Youan and Lewis Miller are back in contention after injury, but captain Joe Newell (groin) and Kwon Hyeok-kyu (ankle) are set to remain sidelined.
Dundee United are without Ross Graham (hamstring) and Luca Stephenson (hernia) but Lewis Fiorini could play some part.
Image source, SNSA first Premiership defeat of 2025 for Hibernian at Pittodrie last weekend has opened the door for Aberdeen and Dundee United in the race to finish best of the rest.
With four games remaining, just three points cover the trio, so this is a biggie at Easter Road.
Did the pressure of extending their unbeaten league run to a club record 18 games get to Hibs last time, or was it overconfidence in their game management?
Either way, David Gray's side appeared cautious away to the Dons and were undone by a special goal from Kevin Nisbet.
Expect the approach to change this time as Hibs aim for a seventh successive home league victory, something they haven't done in more than seven years.
Those six previous matches on their own turf have yielded 16 goals, with a mere three against.
A highly dubious VAR-awarded penalty late in the game earned Jim Goodwin's side a third consecutive draw at Easter Road in November and United have lost just one of their past 14 top-flight trips to EH7, winning five of those.
A forensic VAR intervention at Tannadice in February denied United a second goal, with Hibs making the most of that lucky escape with two late goals in a 3-1 win, so maybe it's true what they say about decisions levelling out across the season.
United's thumping by Celtic has extended Hibs' handsome goal difference advantage, so a home win here could leave the visitors with too much ground to make up.
Goodwin's side are seeking a third away win on the bounce and kept three successive clean sheets before the champions turned it on for their title party.
The visitors have already exceeded the expectations of a promoted side and much of that success has come from a defensive stodginess.
United may be guarded after shipping five goals to Celtic, but that doesn't mean they can't mix it.
And, with five of the 11 goals these two have dished up in this season's three prior matches coming on or after 90 minutes, don't even think about leaving early to beat the traffic.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSDundee United defender Vicko Sevelj doesn't believe their recent heavy defeat to Celtic will knock them off their stride.
United were thrashed 5-0 at Tannadice last time out as the Hoops sealed the Premiership title.
Sevelj insists that home humbling wont derail what has been a positive season for the fifth place Tangerines and he feels their remaining schedule of games could give them the edge in the battle to finish as the best of the rest behind the Old Firm.
"We now have four games, four finals, until the end of the season," Sevelj said.
"The opponents we are playing are not such quality like Celtic because they are the champions of the league. On Saturday we can show the real Dundee United again."
The 24-year-old Croatian has earned rave reviews after a string of fine performances since he arrived from Slovenian side NK Radomlje last summer.
"I have enjoyed it," he added.
"It is a long season here, that is the first time I have experienced that without any big break.
"I have enjoyed it and I think my game has developed in every aspect of the game, because I am playing in the toughest league in my life so I think my development has been good."
After their 3-1 win in February, Hibs could pick up back-to-back top-flight victories over Dundee United for the first time since winning three in a row over them in 2006.
Dundee United have only lost one of their past 14 away top-flight trips to Easter Road (W5 D8), going down 2-1 in November 2012.
Hibs have won their past six home league games, their longest run in the Scottish Premiership since winning seven in succession from January to April 2018 under Neil Lennon.
Dundee United have won their past two away league outings, last winning more in a row in the Scottish Premiership on their travels in August 2020 (four). However, the Tangerines are winless in 16 away games in the competition against the four sides currently above them in the table (D6 L10) since a 3-0 win at Hibs in October 2021.
Hibs remain unbeaten in their past 16 top-flight home games against newly-promoted opponents (W6 D10) since a 1-0 defeat to Ross County on Boxing Day 2012.
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin has had "really positive conversations" with the Dundee United board as he seeks a bigger budget next season.
The Irishman has produced a team that has delivered on the park despite having to go through a period of financial belt tightening off it.
United have impressed on their top-flight return and currently occupy fifth, just three points off third-place Hibs, who the Tannadice men face this weekend.
"I think it has been well documented in terms of when the team was last in the Premiership, the overspend that was there within the squad and the changes that we had to make to make things a bit more sustainable," said manager Goodwin.
"We have done that with a lot of hard work, not from me but from the chief executive and the board and the owner in terms of cutting costs to make things a bit easier.
"But I am not sitting here pleading poverty. I don't think we have got as big a budget as the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen but I would imagine we have a bit more than others in the league.
"But I think, to continue to move the club forward, of course the budget needs to grow with it in order to bring in the better quality of player. That is ultimately what we all want and we want to do that in a really sensible fashion."
A win at Easter Road on Saturday would move United move level on points with the capital club. Aberdeen sit fourth, behind Hibs on goal difference.
"I am pretty sure the majority of people out there will probably see us as the underdogs in this fight for third place," said Goodwin.
"I think Aberdeen are close to £3m this year in transfers and Hibs will probably be in excess of £1m. So the fact that with the resources we have had available to us this season, that we are able to go toe to toe with these two teams, it is great credit to the squad and the backroom team that we have been able to stay in the fight.
"But I don't mind the underdog tag. I think it certainly does relieve some of the pressure but at the same time we have got every faith and belief in the group that we are capable of getting a result on Saturday and putting ourselves right back in it."
Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premiership trip to face Hibs.
Here are the key points:
On Wrexham loan striker Sam Dalby, who is a free agent in the summer, Goodwin says "we have had loads of discussions" and will "do all we can to try and make sure he is here for next season".
He insists United have moved on from their 5-0 defeat to Celtic and "our season won't be defined" by that result.
On whether the result could knock United off their stride, Goodwin says his side wouldn't be fifth in the table if they lacked a "strong mentality".
He is happy for the Tannadice men to be seen as "underdogs" in the battle for third with Hibs and Aberdeen.
Goodwin praised the "remarkable job" David Gray has done at Hibs but insists United are determined to get back to winning ways.
On whether his transfer budget for next season is already in place, Goodwin says he has been having "really positive conversations" with the club hierarchy and adds: "To continue to move the club forward the budget needs to grow with it."
Dundee United boss believes on-loan Sam Dalby could find himself a casualty of a Wrexham spending spree if he were to extend with the Welsh club, which has been promoted to the Championship. (The Courier), external
"I've definitely got a few more goals in me, that's for sure," says Louis Moult, with the 32-year-old striker open to staying in Scotland once his Dundee United contract expires at the end of May. (Daily Record), external
Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.
Image source, SNSIt will come as little surprise to anyone that the latest attempt at reconstruction of the Scottish Premiership has failed to get off the ground.
A change from the current 12-team set-up to one of 10, 14 or 16 were the options being discussed but the SPFL said "there was no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus".
Maintaining the status quo is a consequence of there being "no perfect option" for change, according to The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, McGowan said: "If you look at the options for expanding the Premiership, for 14 you would have to have probably a top six and a bottom eight and a different number of fixtures. So that's less than ideal.
"Look at the 16, which is the one that supporters really want. But Neil Doncaster has been saying consistently that you would then have to find a way to still preserve your four Celtic v Rangers games because Sky sports are not a charity. They're a subscription network who want to get the biggest numbers for games. So they want more Celtic and Rangers games.
"So it's how you square that circle with the 16 that's the problem. So it's not so much I don't think there's no great desire for expansions. There's no such thing as a perfect option and one that they can all vote for. That's the problem basically."
Former Scotland defender Maurice Ross, meanwhile, has accused Premiership clubs of "self-preservation".
"If they're going to remain the same, okay, let's put two clubs [automatically] down then and have a third-place play-off," said Ross.
"And we'll see what the reaction is of the clubs in four or five years' time. Then they'll want reconstruction."
Paul McNicoll
Fan writer
Saturday was a good day to be a Dundee United fan. That's right, you read that correctly. You might want to re-read it just to be sure, because I can hardly believe I'm typing it.
Yes, our beloved team were put to the sword by Celtic, for the umpteenth time, but here's the real victory... it's the last time we have to endure that for at least four glorious months.
Small mercies, people. Small mercies. Okay, all joking aside, there's searching for positives and then there's talking complete mince. I think we all know which side of that line I'm currently tap dancing on.
United may have been absolutely skelped on the day, but the team need to get that one out of their system, and fast. Preferably faster than the away fans cleared the stands at full-time.
There are just four games left before the lads can swap football boots for flip-flops and start their summer holidays. But there's a lot at stake between now and then.
On paper, at least, none of the teams we've still to face are as terrifying as the newly-crowned champions. Which, in theory, should make things easier. In theory. In practice? Well, we are Dundee United, so buckle up.
Next stop, Easter Road, where United face Hibs in what promises to be a cracker. Hibs are three points ahead of us right now and have a far superior goal difference.
I don't want to say it's a must-win game, but it is definitely a must-not-lose, must-not-embarrass-ourselves, must-not-go-missing-during-the-90 minutes type of game.
The carrot is dangling. Win, and you give ourselves a massive boost in the race for third place. Draw, and we're still in the race, but hoping for Aberdeen slipping up. Lose, and third place is gone.
Over to you, boys. No pressure. (Okay, a wee bit of pressure).
Paul McNicoll can be found at The Dode Fox Podcast, external
Jim Goodwin will hold talks with Richard Odada and Meshack Ubochioma over their Dundee United futures as the duo continue to struggle out on loan. (Courier), external
Watch as the Sportscene team discuss Dundee United's mentality heading into a huge game against Hibernian next weekend.
