Dundee United

Former Manchester United midfielder Zidane Iqbal believes he can show his true self at Dundee United. (Courier), external

Read the rest of Wednesday's Scottish gossip.

Paul McNicoll
Fan writer

This column is usually filled with bad takes, daft footballing opinion and poor attempts at humour, but today I want to be a little more serious.

The gaffer, Jim Goodwin, is going through a health issue at present. And for his own and his family's sake, I hope he can return to full health as soon as possible.

As a player, Goodwin was never my favourite, in fact, he likely wasn't anyone's favourite. For a start, he was always in the opposition, but I'll concede, he played the game in an honest and often robust manner.

He'd tell you himself he wasn't the best player to pull on a pair of boots, but he made the most of 'what he had'. That in itself is admirable.

Since becoming Dundee United manager, it's been clear to see he's a passionate, amiable, well-spoken, determined, thoughtful and proud man, who has represented our club wonderfully well and given his absolute all.

Through no fault of his own, he's had to build four teams in his time at Tannadice. With those teams he has achieved, I would imagine, most of what was asked of him, albeit this season is still in its infancy.

He has fronted up every week, regardless of result, and taken the full force of flak and blame when there are also others at fault when things haven't gone well. Yes, I'm looking at you lot upstairs.

Far be it from me to speculate what Goodwin is going through, but he and every other manager in the league must experience some amount of stress on a near daily basis.

Yes, football managers are in a relatively privileged position, but we need to remember they are human. They have good days, they have difficult days. They also suffer from ill health at times, and when that happens, football tends to pale into insignificance.

So from myself and many, many others, I wish you well, Jim. Haste ye back to health and the dugout.

Paul McNicoll can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Scott Bain (Falkirk): Will he be Sebastien Pocognoli's Scotland number one? He did himself no harm against Dundee United.

Dujon Sterling (Rangers): Strong showing from the versatile defender in the weekend win over Motherwell.

Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic): Another impressive display at the back, winning 12 of his 14 duels in the victory at St Mirren.

Michael Forbes (Dundee United): Big goal to earn a point against Falkirk at Tannadice.

Jordi Altena (Hearts): A fine display at Tynecastle. Brave on the ball and at his best getting forward in the comeback win over Dundee.

Dan Neil (Rangers): Maybe his best game for Rangers since joining the club; good on and off the ball.

Jason Holt (St Johnstone): A 95% passing completion rate from the evergreen midfielder against Hibernian.

Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic): Another goal to underline his growing importance to this Celtic side.

Camilo Duran (Celtic): Perhaps the signing of the season so far - the Colombian always makes things happen and proved his worth again in Paisley.

Josh Fowler (St Johnstone): Both goals to sink Hibs from the former Queen's Park man; on another day he could have had a hat-trick.

Djeidi Gassama (Rangers): A tremendous display overall from a player who might finally be finding consistency at Ibrox.

Watch all the highlights as Dundee United leave it late to snatch a point at home to Falkirk. Available to UK users only.

United fans, we asked for your views after Michael Forbes' late goal rescued a point at home to Falkirk.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Ross: Don't get me wrong, the opening period was horrendous on every level. Lack of effort, desire, structure and skill. The players deserved criticism but booing them off at half time, just 1-0 down is hardly motivating. Recent results really aren't good enough but let's not make Tannadice toxic.

Lee: The first 30 minutes were a shambles. The players looked like they'd never met or trained together. We at least kept battling and worked our way back into the game, a point was the least we deserved and probably should have won it. We can't afford to start games that slowly.

Marc: United made mistakes all over the park in first 30 minutes. End of the first and second half were excellent. The team needs confidence, the fans need to help them. Constant negativity being shouted from the stands needs to stop, fans need to support the team on the park.

Ross M: A jigsaw with pieces still missing. Horrendous opening period, particularly at home. Players off the pace, looking lost and short on basic skills and ideas. Nervous and no composure on the ball. Truly painful to watch. Much, much better second half with more belief and passion and really should have beaten Falkirk in the end. Special mention to Lyall Cameron who looked like he wanted to make things happen. The pieces are there but not sure if, or when, the puzzle will be solved

John: A game of two halves. Too many misplaced passes and poor first touches in the first half. We showed real resolve and dominated the second half. We need that from the start. Zidane Iqbal looked very good when he came on and Lachlan Rose's work rate was, as usual, excellent. Cameron was impressive. There is hope.

Keith: I hope every United "fan" who booed at half time realises that all the players are putting in the effort. What they really need is encouragement to help them gain the confidence to really express themselves and take the points they deserve. Stop the booing, keep encouraging. The players made loads of chances, and with encouragement, I hope they will take them.

Dundee United full-back Will Ferry has suffered a groin strain and could remain out for their trip to St Mirren, having missed Saturday's draw with Falkirk. (Courier), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.

A stoppage-time Dundee United equaliser prevented Falkirk from claiming their first Scottish Premiership win of the season in a hard-fought contest at Tannadice.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

Image source, SNS

Dundee United assistant manager Lee Sharp tells BBC Scotland: " I thought the first half an hour we were too passive, we weren't at it at all, and it took us that length of time to get going. I thought the last ten minutes of the first half we started to come into it and created a few chances. The goal was poor from our point of view defensively. We built into the game after thirty-five minutes, we were just far too passive in that first instance.

"Second half I thought we dominated the game, right from half time, and I thought we should've went on and won the game to be honest, the chances we had second half and I don't think [Falkirk] had a shot on goal second half and the goalkeeper has had a few good saves, so disappointed in the end to only come away with a point.

"Character was great, we made changes and freshened it up as the game went on and the guys that came on made a real impact, the character was there, the fans could see that and even once we scored there were only minutes left and we were pushing to get the winner so you could see the disappointed at the end of the game from the players.

"He had two or three really good saves in the second half and it was important that we just kept that momentum and kept going to try and get that equaliser to then have enough time to go on and win the game. Ultimately, we didn't have enough time, but the character the guys showed was fantastic.

"If you watch it back, and you'll no doubt see it on the TV, there is definite contact, they were quick to make the decision, I don't see how that was and certainly if it was against us we'd have expected a penalty to be given there, so really disappointed in that. I thought it was definitely a stonewall penalty for us.

[Jim Goodwin] came in yesterday to training, today he wanted to come along to the game. He's still recovering, but he was there in some capacity and in contact with us throughout the game."

Image source, SNS

Dundee United will include new signing Zidane Iqbal but Emmanuel Agyei is suspended after the club failed with an appeal against his midweek red card at Fir Park.

Falkirk are set to be without Conor McLeod (knee), Keelan Adams, Ethan Laidlaw (both foot), Aidan Nesbitt, Finn Yeats (both ankle) and Craig Sibbald (hamstring), but Joe Gardner is pushing for a return.

Owen Eames could make his Bairns debut after agreeing a loan move from Derby County on deadline day.

Image source, SNS

Dundee United's appeal against Emmanuel Agyei's red card has been dismissed and the midfielder will now face a two-game suspension.

The 21-year-old was sent off after just 13 minutes of Wednesday night's Premiership defeat at Motherwell when he caught Alex Lowry a few yards outside the penalty box.

United chose to contest the decision in an effort to have Agyei available for Saturday's visit of Falkirk but he will now miss that game and their trip to St Mirren on 19 September.

Image source, SNS

• Both of Falkirk's Scottish Premiership goals this season have been own goals. The Bairns have seen their players attempt 38 shots without scoring in the competition this season.

• No side has attempted fewer shots in the Scottish Premiership this season than Falkirk (38, level with Aberdeen), who have lost three of their four league matches in 2026-27 (D1).

• Dundee United have just four points from five Scottish Premiership games this season (W1 D1 L3). The Tangerines have finished bottom of the league in both of the least two top-flight campaigns in which they have had four or fewer points at this season: four in 2015-16, and one in 2022-23.

• Falkirk's 3-0 win over Dundee United in November 2025 ended a five-game winless run away to them in the Scottish top-flight (D1 L4) in which they had scored just one goal.

• Dundee United have only lost one of their last 10 top-flight meetings with Falkirk (W6 D3), although that was their last at home, going down 0-3 in November 2025.

Image source, Dundee United FC

Dundee United have signed Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal from Utrecht, with manager Jim Goodwin hailing him as a player of "real pedigree" who "is off the back of a successful World Cup".

‌The 23-year-old, who came through the youth ranks with Manchester United, had a year left of his contract with the Dutch club and has signed for two years with the Tannadice club, with an option of another 12 months.

"We feel he adds something different and can occupy different positions within our midfield ranks," Goodwin told his club website.

Iqbal, who has 28 caps, made his first-team debut for Manchester United as a late substitute in a Champions League match against Young Boys in December 2021.

But that was his only appearance for the Premier League club and he moved to Utrecht in 2023.

He made only seven appearances last season and has been a second-half substitute in two of their four matches this season, the latest being Sunday's 6-1 home thrashing by PSV Eindoven.

Iqbal became the first player of Pakistani heritage to appear in a World Cup finals when he came on against Norway this summer.

He is an international team mate of United right-back Dario Naamo, who missed out on a place in the World Cup squad in the summer.

Iqbal said: "My conversations with the manager have been positive and I'm excited to meet my new teammates and the rest of the staff.

"Me and my family have seen the stadium and training ground today and that gives you that extra feel to the place and where I'm going to be playing every week."

United fans, we asked for your views after Wednesday night's 3-0 defeat to Motherwell.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Lee: The game was over as a contest when United had a good penalty claim turned down and midfielder Emmanuel Agyei was sent off for what looked like a slip rather than a bad tackle. The poor quality of refereeing needs to be looked at. It's ruining our game.

Dave: Becoming obvious this season that there is a lack of commitment, desire and battling qualities to this side. Closing down players, winning 50/50s, getting into the box to help the forwards. It never happens. They are good, however, at finding excuses when losing, like we played well, we hit the woodwork lots, harsh sending off. These excuses, and more, will be used all the way to relegation.

Ross: Another season of total squad overhaul, another season of total inconsistency. It's a broken model. Spend bigger on fewer, higher quality players in key positions and bring the talented academy players through. The current set-up is like ordering lots of late night online packages, then sending half of them back because they don't fit.

Ian: Short lived optimism again. We just gave up after the red card and waited on the inevitable. Teams have won matches with ten men. Again we've showed a team far too much respect.

Thomas: Motherwell play good enough football but the referee not giving us the clear cut penalty on Mehdi Merghem around 12 minutes was poor. Agyei puts in a rash challenge, a booking at most, and is sent off. Motherwell score on 17 minutes and we are doomed by that five-minute spell. Infuriating.

Watch all the highlights as Motherwell beat 10-man Dundee United 3-0 at Fir Park after an early red card for the visitors. Available to UK users only.

Image source, SNS

Dundee Utd assistant manager Lee Sharp tells BBC Scotland: "I thought we started the game well, the first ten or twelve minutes and then the red card obviously kills us. Having to play that length of time with ten men puts you up against it. I thought the boys were excellent and worked really hard and tirelessly in that time, again it was just unfortunate.

"I didn't really see [the red card] properly, there were a lot of bodies in front of me and I've not watched it back, the club will obviously review it and have a look and make a decision.

"In the final third, I think we could've done a bit better. Our message at half-time was just to keep it as tight as we could and be compact and organised and if we keep it at 1-0, we will get a chance at some point.

"[Jim Goodwin] is back home and he's desperate to get back in, he's waiting on instruction from the doctors and the experts in that area, so we'll wait and see what happens. It will be great to get him back so the quicker he is back, the better."

Dylan Levitt's debut goal helped classy Motherwell end their four-game winless run with a comfortable Scottish Premiership victory against 10-man Dundee United.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Dundee United winger Mehdi Merghem says the players want to win for absent boss Jim Goodwin, and has vowed their new look squad is getting better game by game.

Goodwin missed their 4-0 weekend victory at Kilmarnock because of a health issue and will be absent from the dugout for United's midweek trip to Motherwell.

"We want to win for him," Merghem said of the absent boss.

"We hope he comes back soon but taking care of himself it is the most important thing, so we will win for him."

The victory at Rugby Park was United's first in the Premiership this term.

It ended a run of three defeats in all competitions, a sequence which included two 4-0 losses as well as a 2-0 one to city rivals Dundee.

Merghem was asked if the result in Ayrshire can be a real launchpad going forward.

"Yes, we take more confidence now," he added.

"We didn't lose confidence before but now we have more confidence and we will go in to the game with some power, better than before.

"I think we have had a difficult beginning of the season but we did good things in the last game so we continue to follow our plan and hopefully it works for us and I believe we will have more wins in the future like at Kilmarnock.

"Time will do its job. A lot of new players so it takes time to build the confidence between everyone so we will be better every game after every game and every training session we see we are better."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Dundee United signing Lyall Cameron on a season-long loan from Rangers has really caught my eye.

Cameron may only be 23, but this feels like a really important move for him.

Not so long ago the attacking midfielder was tipped to be one of Scottish football's big prospects – after a number of standout performances for Dundee.

During his time at Dens Park he made 120 appearances and was capped for the Scotland Under-21s.

He certainly earned his big move to Ibrox but things have stalled since then. He only made 10 appearances for the Ibrox side, half of those coming from the bench.

A loan spell at Aberdeen didn't really deliver what he would have wanted and perhaps expected either.

So the move back to the City of Discovery, this time in the colours of United, represents a chance to remind us about what he can do.

There is no doubt Cameron is a top talent, he just has to go out and show it.

If he can get back to his best, then the Tangerines could have one of the signings of the summer.

It is an opportunity the player has to grasp. At this stage of his career he can ill afford another campaign where his game time is limited.

Image source, SNS

Motherwell could hand a debut to former Dundee United midfielder Dylan Levitt against his old club on Wednesday in the Scottish Premiership after his arrival from Leyton Orient.

Johnny Koutroumbis, Oscar Priestman, Paul McGinn, Callum Hendry and Jordan McGhee remain out through injury.

United could give a debut to Lyall Cameron after the former Dundee midfielder joined on loan from Rangers.

But United boss Jim Goodwin is set to be absent from the dugout again as he recovers from illness, with assistant Lee Sharp taking the reins.

Image source, SNS

Lyall Cameron has headed back to Tayside, with the former Dundee midfielder joining city rivals United on a season-long loan from Rangers.

The 23-year-old was a youth with United before switching to Dundee, where he made 120 first-team appearances, winning international honours with Scotland Under-21s.

But he has played only 10 times for Rangers, half of those as a substitute, since signing for the Glasgow club last summer and spent the second half of last season on loan to Aberdeen.

United manager Jim Goodwin told his club website: "He's no stranger to this city and has tasted a lot of success here in his career to date, but he comes from a family of United fans and wants to make his mark in a Tangerine shirt.

"We think he will really complement our midfield options and also add that know-how of the club and of the area that he can pass on during his time here."

Cameron, who had loan spells from Dundee to Peterhead and Montrose, made 17 appearances for Aberdeen, all but four of them starts, but has not played since his return to Ibrox this summer.

Now, promising to "create chances and score goals and hopefully get the fans off their feet", he is excited about the prospect of making his United debut in Wednesday's Scottish Premiership visit to Motherwell.

"It's no secret my family are United fans, so I'm looking forward to be playing at Tannadice in front of the home supporters soon," he added.

Image source, SNS

• When the two sides last met in Premiership action, Motherwell triumphed 2-0 at Fir Park last season. Tawanda Maswanhise scored in the 37th and 46th minute.

• Motherwell are unbeaten in the past three Premiership matches against Dundee United. A win for the Tannadice outfit would be their first against Motherwell in the league since February 2025. During that period, Motherwell have outscored the Tangerines with four goals for and zero against.

• Hosts Motherwell played to a draw in their only previous Premiership contest at Fir Park this season. Well are looking to reverse a five-match Premiership home winless streak dating to March 21 against Hibernian. Dundee United have one win and one loss away from home this season in two league contests.

• In three league matches this season, Motherwell have one win and two draws. Dundee Utd, meanwhile, have one win, one draw, and two losses in four games.