Dundee And United Face Tough Weekend Tests

[News Bot]

This weekend sees Dundee take on Aberdeen at Dens and Dundee United play Falkirk at the Falkirk Stadium in what are likely to be the city clubs’ biggest tests to date.

Here, the Tele previews where these games could be won or lost.

DUNDEE v ABERDEEN

Dundee’s Darren O’Dea closes down Aberdeen hitman Adam Rooney during a Premiership game in January last season.

Dundee’s league record against the Dons doesn’t make for good reading — but such records are made to be broken.

Paul Hartley’s men will be looking to get three points to keep themselves in the top six and get their first win in the league at home this season on Sunday.

This, of course, will be no easy task and, given they will probably go into the game against Aberdeen with a new central defensive pairing, it will be made all the more difficult.

The Dons haven’t set the heather alight at the start of the season but you shouldn’t be fooled by this.

They’ve made good additions to this squad in striker Jayden Stockley, who was most recently at Bournemouth, and wide-player Wes Burns, brought in on loan from Bristol City.

If you couple this with Niall McGinn, Kenny McLean and Adam Rooney, all regulars for the Dons over the past few years, you can see why they shouldn’t be underestimated, even though they probably believe their team should have more points on the board at this stage of the campaign.

The Pittodrie club has added a bit more physicality to the team and Dundee will have to cope with this, otherwise they will get steamrollered.

On the plus side, two of their most influential players may be missing.

The early-season central-midfield partnership of Ryan Jack and Graeme Shinnie are doubtful due to injury, with Jack being sorely missed for the past few weeks.

Aberdeen have conceded six goals in their five league games and mistakes in the back four is something Dundee must capitalise on if they are to take all three points.

A tough game is in prospect but one that is winnable for the Dee.

FALKIRK v DUNDEE UTD

John Rankin and three other ex-Dundee United players are in the Falkirk squad to take on the Tangerines on Saturday.

This will be a big test for Ray McKinnon’s Tangerines. Falkirk are a team on the up after a relatively-slow start to the season.

With four ex-United players in the Bairns’ ranks and boss Peter Houston having managed at Tannadice, you might expect a feisty encounter.

Falkirk are unbeaten in three games, with United undefeated in four, so it looks like they are evenly matched — but the outcome might be dependent on how well both defences cope with the opposing strikers.

David McCracken has come back into the Falkirk team and has steadied the ship using his experience to help a young defensive unit.

It will be interesting to see how they cope with the movement of Tony Andreu and the link up he has with whichever striker is played up top.

Defensively for the Taysiders, the new partnership of Frank van der Struijk and William Edjenguele looks to be a successful one.

They coped well with the Dunfermline strike-force last weekend — but will they be able to handle the pace and work rate of Falkirk front two, John Baird and Bob McHugh?

Even if they aren’t scoring, with the likes of Lee Miller and John Rankin to come off the bench, you can see the strength in depth Peter Houston has acquired.

This will definitely be a test for United and, if they make any mistakes on Saturday, then they will definitely be punished where they weren’t last weekend.

An important game for both teams, they won’t want to lose any more ground on unbeaten leaders Hibs.

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Edited 16 September 2016 by JoeCovenant
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