Controversial VAR decision rules Sapsford goal out
A controversial VAR decision ruled out Zac Sapsford's goal for Dundee United, before he went on to score again eight minutes later - and did a VAR celebration.
Dundee United edge Aberdeen in five-goal thriller
Dundee United get the better of Aberdeen in a five-goal Scottish Premiership encounter (UK only).
United fans, we asked for your views after Saturday's 3-2 home win against Aberdeen.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Keith: Patience is a virtue. What a team performance. In a 50/50 game we came out on top because United, as a team, were together and everyone put in the effort required. We are playing great. Fantastic fast moves, fantastic attacks, fantastic defending, fantastic last ditch blocks and tackles. Loving it all. Sure it will be hard but keep it going United.
Tommy: I thought United deserved the victory. Lachlan Rose could've, and should've, had two himself before we even mention the VAR incident. I did think the game was going to end up 4-4 at one point though.
Lee: A thoroughly enjoyable game to watch in quite horrendous conditions. Full credit to the players. Our midfield three were excellent again, and Michael Forbes and Bert Esselink won everything in defence. Great to see Zac Sapsford back among the goals, and it should have been two.
Alan: A good performance from both teams on a driech day. I really thought Dundee United played well but did get frustrated with Daniel Bennie who was caught on his heels too often not anticipating the moves from his teammates. Harsh offside decision too but overall really happy with the three points and the goals were top class too.
Gordon: Aberdeen played as well as I've seen them, maybe they should get a "virus" every week. But United purred at times, played some lovely football and cut the Dons open easily. If Bennie could challenge and win the ball and look more interested then there'd be a player there. But Dylan Tait, Lyall Cameron and Zidane Iqbal look great and with Esselink and Forbes are knitting a formidable CB partnership. We live in hope, and dream.
George: Good game and good result. We seem to be moving forward every game. I'm getting excited about what this season will bring. Is a cup and Europe within reach? Why not?
Dundee United came out on top in a five-goal, rain-soaked, thriller at Tannadice with Zac Sapsford's brilliant header giving the hosts a Scottish Premiership victory.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "It was a terrific game, both sets of players deserve a huge amount of credit. No doubt Stephen Robinson and his players will be disappointed not to have taken anything on the day.
"They were very good at times, and certainly had their moments in the game. I'm just delighted in the manner we were able to win the game.
"The disappointment of the third goal being chalked off with Sapsford, which was a brilliant passage of play from us... I think it's harsh, to be honest. It's subjective.
"Credit to the group, they dug deep. Aberdeen don't mess about with the ball in the wide areas, they get a lot of crosses in, but our two centre-halves were outstanding. Michael Forbes was playing with a gash in his face, had to get stitches at half time and Bert Esselink has been kicked in the head a few times.
"That's what you need from your leaders at the back, to put their neck on the line. It's worth it at the end of the day.
"The goal we eventually got to win it was, again, brilliant. It was a terrific all-round performance in difficult conditions.
"The conditions played a part but I was delighted with the players' fitness levels, even the substitutes who came on and made a positive impact - Yoro, Farrugia, Lachlan Rose.
"There was a lot of good talent out on the pitch in both teams. Aberdeen are no mugs. Stephen Robinson and his players have been coming in for some unnecessary criticism, but they have a lot of talent there, and they cause teams a lot of problems.
"The three guys in the middle have been getting lots of plaudits of late and deservedly so. It's their composure and ability on the ball, that's why they're in there.
"At times, we didn't do the ugly side of the game well enough. We couldn't have started the second half worse if we tried and that invited wave after wave of pressure. Those three are influential though, in terms of how we want to be.
"Jesse Randall was a great outball for us all afternoon and caused their backline lots of problems. Lots of good individual performances again. It's a decent enough points return, although we still think we're three or four off where we think we should be. That's me being greedy though."
Dundee United striker Lachlan Rose has been passed fit to face Aberdeen after missing training with an ankle injury earlier this week. (Courier), external
Image source, SNSDundee United have a doubt over Lachlan Rose, who injured his ankle after coming off the bench against St Johnstone.
Mehdi Merghem (knee) is closing in on a return, while Will Ferry and Emmanuel Agyei (knee) are still out.
Aberdeen boss Stephen Robinson is set to make a late decision on his team after revealing several players have been affected by a virus this week. Kristers Tobers is still out as he recovers from injury.
Image source, SNSDundee United boss Jim Goodwin hopes his side can find that "final little piece" of their game again when they host Aberdeen on Saturday.
The Terrors have built some momentum in recent weeks and are now four league matches unbeaten after fighting back to draw 1-1 at St Johnstone with a late goal from Lyall Cameron.
Goodwin is confident his players can continue to work hard and bring everything together against the Dons.
"The message to the players has been very consistent from day one of pre-season really," he told DUTV.
"I think people can see that in what we are trying to do. Back to middle, we have been really good and even middle to front at times, we have been very, very exciting to watch.
"It is just that final little piece that, at times, has been missing throughout the course of the season, but we are not going to get too down about it. We just keep practising, we will keep working hard.
"We will hope that the strikers will find that finishing touch again, get a bit of confidence and a bit of self-belief and we will take it from there."
Aberdeen sit a point below United in seventh, and returned to form with a 3-1 home win over St Mirren last weekend.
"I know people maybe have been talking Aberdeen down a little bit, but I don't buy it," Goodwin said.
"They are still a team that is full of good experienced players with a real attacking threat at the top end of the pitch.
"So we have to give them the utmost respect, but as with any week, the focus has been on Dundee United.
"It is how we can improve, taking the learnings from the previous game, trying to ensure that we don't make the same mistakes again in the next one."
Dundee United are considering a collaboration with the Iraq FA with potential commercial and analytical benefits. (Courier - subscription required, external)
Lyall Cameron has scored (2) or assisted (1) in his past three league appearances for Dundee United, just the third time he has recorded a goal involvement in three successive Scottish Premiership outings, also doing so in both December 2024 and May 2025 for Dundee.
Aberdeen have kept a clean sheet in the past two league games against Dundee United (W1 D1), as many as their previous 11 prior.
Dundee United have only suffered one defeat in their past nine home league games against Aberdeen (W6 D2), losing 3-1 in March 2023.
Dundee United are unbeaten in four league games (W2 D2); only once since the start of last season have they gone 5+ without defeat, doing so in December last term (5).
Aberdeen have picked up four points in their past two away league games (W1 D1), twice as many as their previous 14 beforehand (D2 L12).
Forward Lachlan Rose's ankle injury has left Dundee United in a sweat over its seriousness but winger Mehdi Merghem could return at home to Aberdeen on Saturday. (Courier - subscription required, external)
Paul McNicoll
Fan writer
To have a cutting edge in football is to turn possession and chances into goals. Every team wants it, but not every team has it. Dundee United are lacking in this department. Badly.
This season's Jim Goodwin side is looking really promising at times. The football is a joy to watch and far more entertaining than some of his previous efforts. No offence to those sides.
Defensively, we've improved on last season, with new signing Michael Forbes proving an excellent addition and Bert Esselink enjoying a career redemption arc.
The midfield is the star attraction. Dylan Tait, Zidane Iqbal and Lyall Cameron are forming a formidable three-man partnership, creating chances and making things happen. Of course, we can get caught out, but it's risk and reward and I'm happy to live with that.
The problem is what happens at the other end. For all the chances we create, this United side lacks a cutting edge. We have three strikers - Zac Sapsford, Lachie Rose and Idjessi Metsoko - yet none have nailed down a starting place.
The trio have a combined goal tally in the Premiership of two - one apiece for Sapsford and Rose.
I liked the look of Metsoko early in the season, but that promise hasn't amounted to much yet. Rose gives you everything he's got, but so far the goals haven't followed.
And Sapsford? It feels like he's been out of form longer than he was ever in it. We've seen what he can do, and he can score goals, but he desperately needs to rediscover that version of himself.
The long and short of it is United are more than capable of a few heavy wins this season. The football is there, the chances are there, and the midfield is purring.
But without someone to put the ball in the net, all that lovely build-up risks becoming an elaborate way of getting everyone's hopes up before the inevitable disappointment.
Paul McNicoll can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external
Jim Goodwin insists Dundee United were "desperate" to bring Amar Fatah back to Tannadice and made the player a handsome offer. (The Courier), external
Dundee Utd midfield 'catalyst' for Goodwin's change in style
Dundee United's midfield trio of Lyall Cameron, Dylan Tait and Zidane Iqbal have been the "catalyst" for Jim Goodwin's change in playing style, believes Sportscene pundit Richard Foster.
Watch Sportscene highlights of the weekend's top-flight action
Watch all the highlights as St Johnstone and Dundee United played out a 1-1 draw in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday. Available to UK users only.
United fans, we asked for your views on Saturday's draw against St Johnstone.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Lee: A draw was the probably fair in the end but we have to be turning the possession and chances we have into three points. The front line is not quite performing as it should and we need to get it sorted asap.
Danny: Some excellent play from the team again, our play going forward especially. We need a 20-plus goalscorer and to cut out giving away avoidable goals. This team can surprise everyone and have a really strong season.
Lee T: United need a proven goalscorer. They're passing up too many gilt edge chances as proven against St Johnstone, a match they should have won. Idjessi Metsoko, Lachlan Rose and Zac Sapsford are not the answer. Maybe Owen Stirton should have been given his chance instead of being sent out on loan. I'd kill for another Sam Dalby right now.
Tom: Dominated the game and got a well deserved point! Wee bit disappointing I suppose but not a defeat at a tricky venue for us.
Mierse: We are so close to being a very good team, we just need an effective target man that can finish off the great work by our midfield and defence. Oh for a Sam Dalby or a Nadir Ciftci. Unfortunately it has to be said that Metsoko is not delivering the goods.
George: If we can get start taking the chances we are creating then we could be looking at a very good season. Keep the faith I'm sure it will click soon.
Dominant Dundee United rescued a well-earned Scottish Premiership draw at St Johnstone to stretch their unbeaten run to four games.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "I didn't think there was a great deal in the first half. St Johnstone get their noses in front and it's a really poor goal from our point of view regarding our decision making.
"We were relatively calm in terms of the play, we just needed to speed the game up. We allowed St Johnstone to get their shape back behind the ball.
"These are the challenges we are going to face through the course of the season. This is why we've done the recruitment that we've done.
"These players are more than capable of unlocking that low block, but the goal we concede is avoidable. It was a combination of errors from us, but great resilience from the players to respond and come from a goal behind and second half we had complete control. On another day, I think we would have won the game."
On Lyall Cameron he added: "Lyall has settled in brilliantly at Dundee United and he is just a terrific midfielder.
His goal was an excellent goal, a really well worked goal from us. I think he'll be disappointed though with the one he had after that. One defeat in our last six, and in the two draws in that spell I feel we should have had more to show for it."
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone will be boosted by the return of defender Cheick Diabate from suspension.
Dundee United have no fresh injury concerns following last weekend's win against Hibernian.
Left-back Will Ferry continues to be monitored having picked up a knock during the training camp in Portugal over the international break, while forward Mehdi Merghem and Emmanuel Agyei (both knee) continue their own rehabilitation.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Saturday's away game against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.
Here are the main points:
Goodwin says that he "couldn't be happier" with his team's "exceptional performances" in their last two games, and singled out goalkeeper Jack Walton for praise in particular.
"The only criticism I suppose from last Saturday would be that we didn't capitalise on some of the other really good chances that we had in the game," he added.
He revealed that this summer he wanted to recruit players that were "technically a little bit better on the ball" and to add pace in the final third, and believes that these attributes have played a big part in the club's last two wins.
Goodwin praised St Johnstone and "terrific" manager Simo Valakari and says they "certainly won't underestimate" them.
St Johnstone look "structured" behind the ball and acknowledges they will remain a confident side given how successful they can be following their Championship-winning campaign of last year.
Goodwin praised his players for their hard work in Portugal during the international break, calling it "one of the best" training camps he's ever been on.
Backing up their two consecutive wins is now their next task, he says, adding: "So as much as we are not getting carried away with the last couple of results, we are certainly enjoying it, and we certainly want to maintain it, the big question is, can we go and do it again tomorrow?"
Goodwin acknowledged how crucial the supporters will be tomorrow and thinks that it will "feel like a home game" with over 2,000 fans at McDiarmid Park tomorrow.
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has revealed he decided to pursue other targets when considered signing Ruari Paton permanently after his loan from Port Vale, but he is delighted the 26-year-old striker is now playing regularly in the Scottish Premiership with St Johnstone. (Daily Record, external)
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSSt. Johnstone's Josh Fowler is the top scorer in this season's Scottish Premiership, scoring five goals from just 10 shots (50% conversion), six of which have been on target.
Dundee United have won both of their last two league games, last winning three in a row in April 2025 – when the third win was over St. Johnstone.
After their 1-0 win over Aberdeen, St. Johnstone are looking to earn back-to-back victories in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since February 2025, and first time without conceding since March 2021.
Dundee United have won four of their last seven visits to St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L1) and could win successive trips to McDiarmid Park in the top-flight for the first time since April 2012.
St. Johnstone have lost each of their last three league games against Dundee United, their longest top-flight losing run against the Tangerines since a run of four defeats from May 2001 to January 2002.
