Dundee United

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• Hibernian are unbeaten in five Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United (W2 D3), their longest run over them in the top-flight since going nine without defeat from March 2006 to September 2008.

• Both teams have scored in each of the last eight Scottish Premiership matches between Hibernian (16 goals) and Dundee United (14 goals) since the Tangerines won 1-0 in October 2022.

• Hibernian have lost 10 of their last 14 home games played on a Wednesday in the Scottish Premiership (W4), including four of five since the 2023-24 season.

• Dundee United have only won one of their last nine away league games (D5 L3), beating Livingston 3-1 in December.

• Dundee United's Luca Stephenson has scored four goals in five Scottish Premiership appearances against Hibernian, including three in two this season.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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There was little to like from a Dundee United perspective during their 3-0 home defeat to Hearts last weekend but there was one real positive – the performance of debut goalie, Ashley Maynard-Brewer.

Having arrived from Charlton Athletic – on an initial six month deal – just a few days before, the 26-year-old was thrown straight in at the deep end and managed to deliver an assured performance and produced a string of fine saves.

He faced 22 shots from the visitors, 12 of which were on target and 18 came inside his own penalty area. Hearts also created eight chances and had 43 touches inside the United box.

Maynard-Brewer made eight saves over the 90 minutes at Tannadice and his save percentage of 72.7% is already higher than now second choice goalkeeper Dave Richards and former United stopper Kucherenko.

What made his display even more impressive was the fact that his Tannadice outing represented his first match since the end of August last year.

That would suggest that Maynard-Brewer, who had a spell on loan at Ross County earlier in his career, will only get better.

United haven't had their troubles to seek in the goalkeeping department this season, troubles manager Jim Goodwin will now be hoping are in the past.

Dundee United have failed in their attempt to have Amar Fatah and Pan Camara's red cards overturned.

Both players will sit out Wednesday's Premiership game against Hibernian at Easter Road and the visit of Aberdeen seven days later.

A panel convened by the Scottish FA rejected wrongful dismissal claims against the pair following United's 3-0 defeat by Hearts on Saturday.

Fatah was sent off for catching Marc Leonard on the ankle midway through the first half and Camara was dismissed for motioning his head towards the same player off the ball.

The deadline-day arrival of 21-year-old Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Agyei from Israeli side Ashdod could help offset the absence of Camara.

United uploaded a video highlights reel of their new signing which showed his running power, dynamism and tough tackling.

Manager Jim Goodwin told United's website: "Emmanuel is a player whose energy and willingness to play forward quickly caught our attention.

"He's comfortable receiving the ball under pressure and has shown he can operate in different roles, whether that's sitting in front of the backline or playing in a more advanced, box-to-box position.

"Emmanuel has extensive experience of senior football in Ghana, having made in excess of 70 appearances back home in the top flight, while he has become a more polished and rounded midfielder during his time in Israel playing against strong European opposition.

"His career path shows a mental toughness and willingness to challenge himself in new environments, and that's exactly the type of character I'm keen to add to my existing group."

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Hibs could hand debuts to Felix Passlack, Ante Suto and Munashe Garananga while Josh Campbell returns and Miguel Chaiwa has shaken off a head knock. Grant Hanley (hamstring) drops out.

Dundee United are without the suspended Amar Fatah and Pan Camara after the club's appeal against the duo's red cards was dismissed.

New signing Emmanuel Agyei could feature. Vicko Sevelj (groin) and Isaac Pappoe (knee) miss out.

Paul McNicoll
Fan writer

Something feels off at Tannadice right now. A sense of apathy is creeping in among the support.

No United fan accepts defeat lightly, but when it comes, it no longer shocks.

That mood stems from the club itself. There is a growing disconnect, or at least it feels that way.

My own assessment of the season declines with each passing week. In August, recruitment appeared encouraging. Fourteen new signings arrived, largely unfamiliar but seemingly promising.

Fast forward to February and that optimism has faded. A handful of players have shown their value and some potential has emerged, but overall it has not been good enough. The league table tells its own story: 23 games played, five wins. By any standard, that is poor.

Responsibility inevitably falls on the manager, Jim Goodwin, and some of that criticism is justified. He has persisted with a defensive system that has looked ineffective and ill-suited to several players.

The backline lacks leadership and character, creativity is minimal, and goals are scarce, just 28 so far. From a supporter's perspective, it has also been difficult to watch. That said, the blame does not rest solely with him.

From the outside looking in at the club, it appears budgets have been tightened across the board. Recruitment has leaned heavily towards low-cost foreign signings and data-led decision-making. While this approach can work, it has not delivered this season.

The chairman has lost significant money since taking over, which is hardly surprising in Scottish football.

It is understandable he now wants to recover some of that investment, but United have been down this road before, and it did not end well.

If the ambition has shifted from building success to simply recouping losses, then serious questions must be asked about the future.

Should this approach continue into next season, fan apathy will only deepen and attendances will suffer, costing the club even more. These are difficult days at Tannadice.

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

With the transfer window now shut, we want to know if you think your team have made the right moves.

United bought midfielder Emmanuel Agyei on deadline day, adding to the arrivals of goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer and defender Neil Farrugia.

Are you happy with the club's transfer business? Are they now in good shape for the remainder of the season?

Tell us your thoughts here.

Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart disagrees with the decision to send off Amar Fatah in Dundee United's 3-0 defeat by Hearts on Saturday.

"I think it's soft. It's not endangering the opponent. Yes it will be sore, but can you imagine if Fatah doesn't challenge for that?

"There are occasions where you will get hurt and that isn't necessarily anyone's fault. A yellow was sufficient."

Watch the best of the action as table-topping Hearts ease to a 3-0 win at Dundee United, who finish with nine men. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on Dundee United's 3-0 defeat against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Ian: Jim Goodwin will hide behind the officials and the decisions, who were poor, but again his own decisions and formation are baffling. The season is just petering out to a relegation battle. We are aimlessly drifting to nothingness. I can't see where the next win is coming from. Pathetic.

Graeme: Our formation and team selections this season have contributed to our poor season. Consistently plays three centre-halves - who have been poor in the main - yet we concede goals every game and are chasing games. Majority of our goals scored are from set-pieces, with outfield goals being individual strikes absent of any team creativity or combinations. The insistence to continue with the formation and fitting players into this - who are not suited - has resulted in a season that started with optimism against Rapid Vienna to now looking like a team in freefall and the players frustration showed against Hearts.

Ross: Tempting as it is to fuel the debate about the important decisions, sadly the picture behind the controversy remains the same. Scottish refereeing is a disgrace, United are a bottom-six side locked in a dogfight until the end of a season where we have been consistently inconsistent. No surprise at all for yet another team to come to Tannadice and boss us all over the park.

Robbie: Week in week out we continue to field a team nowhere near full strength. Key players missing from the starting line-up and now losing Fatah and Camara through suspension is far from ideal. Only takeaway from the game was if it wasn't for the new keeper it could have been six. Other managers have been fed to the chopping block for their use of three at the back, when do we start calling out Goodwin for the same?

Sean: Terrible night for United, only consolation is that Maynard-Brewer looked more than competent and I would hope he helps bring stability at the back which will lead to better results in the future.

David: Goodwin has to go now. His tactics and team selection are abysmal week after week. Clearly out of his depth with not a clue how to fix the issues. Players don't want to play for him and the supporters are starting to stay away.

Crystal Palace are among a number of Premier League clubs tracking 18-year-old Dundee United defender Charlie Dewar. (Football Insider), external

Pierre Landry Kabore's double helped Hearts sweep aside undisciplined nine-man Dundee United and move seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Read the report

Have your say on the game

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin tells BBC Sportsound: "I don't think the fans are booing our players or the performance.

"I think they're as frustrated as we are. I can't afford a suspension so I have to be really careful with the words I use to describe the officials.

"It's a bad night for us. Absolutely everything that could have gone against us did.

"We'll have to look at the red cards and see if there's any chance of an appeal but I wouldn't hold out hope."

Dundee United have been in protracted talks with Kifisia to sell midfielder Julius Eskesen, but the Greek club could face competition from HamKam and another Norwegian club for the 26-year-old. (The Courier), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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New Zealand winger Jesse Randall will join Dundee United on a free transfer this summer when his contract with A-League side Auckland expires.

The 23-year-old has scored 11 goals and assisted four more in 37 appearances for Auckland since signing from Wellington Olympic in 2024 and helped them become A-League premiers last season.

He has agreed a two-year deal at Tannadice, with United also having the option to extend by a further 12 months.

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Dundee United are again without Vicko Sevelj (groin) and Isaac Pappoe (knee) but new goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer could be in the squad.

Hearts could hand a debut to Uganda forward Rogers Mato. Beni Baningime is suspended, while Cammy Devlin (ankle), Stephen Kingsley (groin), Lawrence Shankland, Calem Nieuwenhof, Finlay Pollock (all hamstring) and Christian Borchgrevink are out.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Jim Goodwin admits Dundee United have given themselves a "mountain to climb" in their quest for a second successive top-six finish.

United begin a potentially "season-defining couple of weeks" by hosting Premiership leaders Hearts on Saturday night.

The Tannadice men go into the game in eighth - three points behind Aberdeen and eight adrift of sixth-place Falkirk, although with a game in hand on both.

"This is the start of a really busy schedule for us," said manager Goodwin. "We have five games in the next fortnight and it could be a season-defining couple of weeks for us.

"We have to get going now, we are trying to chase down the pack above us in that top six and we have certainly not given up hope on it.

"We know we have given ourselves a bit of a mountain to climb in terms of that gap between us and sixth but it is certainly something we are capable of doing.

"We know how difficult it is going to be because of the form of the likes of Falkirk, who are having a terrific season under John McGlynn, but we have to believe we are capable of doing that."

Inconsistency has been United's main problem this season, a point illustrated by the fact they have yet to win back-to-back domestic games.

They can end that unwanted stat by following up their Scottish Cup win over Ayr with a victory over on-form Hearts, who beat United 3-2 at Tannadice in August with a late winner before a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle in November.

Goodwin said: "We have to believe, like we do going into any game, that we are capable of getting the result we want.

"Hearts are a really good team, Derek McInnes is a fantastic manager at this level and Hearts are deservedly top of the table.

"We know we are going to have to be at our best but we do take confidence from the previous two fixtures and we are going to have to be at that level again if we want to get that result."

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• Hearts (18) and Dundee United (14) are the top two scoring sides from non-penalty set-pieces in the Scottish Premiership this season. Six of Hearts' past 10 league goals have come from set-pieces (four corners, two free-kicks), while the Tangerines have six of their past eight from set-plays (four corners, two throw-ins).

• Only Dundee United (10) have recovered more points from losing positions in the Premiership this season than Hearts (nine), who twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Celtic last time out.

• Dundee United have lost their past two league games without scoring, last losing three in a row without reply in the Premiership in December 2021 (run of four).

• Hearts have won their past two away games at Dundee United in the top flight, last winning more in a row in the Premiership in October 2000 (run of four).

• The side playing away from home has won four of the past five Premiership games between Dundee United and Hearts, although the most recent was a 1-1 draw in November.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee United striker Owen Stirton says it's "a dream come true" to be playing for the club he supported as a boy and hopes he can be a role model like former Tangerines stars Gary Mackay-Steven and Nadir Ciftci were for him.

The 18-year-old, who grew up watching United, looks set to have a big part to play on the park for Jim Goodwin's side over the coming years after signing a deal until the summer of 2028.

"For the next few years my targets are to be that number nine for United," Stirton said.

"I have been a fan all my life and to be the number nine for United would be a dream come true for me and that is why I decided to stay and hopefully in a few years that will be me.

"Being a United fan you dream of playing for United and that is all I have wanted to do so I am happy to be able to do that just now.

"You have got to be patient and when I got the chance I feel I did myself no harm in the team."

Forfar-born Stirton has many happy memories following United from the stands as a little boy cheering on his heroes.

"They [the games] were brilliant, especially the derbies," he added.

"Both the 6-2 games, they were unbelievable memories and even the 2010 Scottish Cup final , I was there when I was three years old and hopefully this year could be another special year in the Scottish Cup.

"I was a winger back in the day and Gary Mackay-Steven was my favourite player, I loved watching him. And then probably Nadir Ciftci , he was another one of my favourites.

"It is a dream come to true to be honest and hopefully for boys growing up I can be their idol and they can look up to me like I did to the players back then."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Football can be all about momentum - either the lack of it, or being able to get some going.

After edging out Ayr in the Scottish Cup, Dundee United will have been desperate to try to register back-to-back domestic wins for the first time this season.

So the postponement of last weekend's Premiership visit of St Mirren was the last thing they wanted.

Next up is a Saturday night Tannadice clash with league leaders Hearts – where victory would be a real statement to suggest United's season is back on track.

While United haven't beaten Hearts at home for 10 years, they ran them close in both previous meetings this season, conceding in the 90th minute to lose 3-2 at Tannadice in August before a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle in November.

The stat about United - who are eighth in the table - still having to put together back-to-back wins highlights the inconsistency that has marred their campaign.

That inconsistency is shown by the fact they have won just five, and drawn 10 of their 22 league games.

While beating Hearts would suggest the Tangerines' ship has been steadied, a defeat would simply reinforce the stop-start nature of a season that has yet to catch fire.

Dundee United have agreed a pre-contract agreement to sign Auckland winger Jesse Randall, with the 23-year-old New Zealand international joining in the summer on a two-year contract with an option of a further year. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

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Dundee United have signed "terrific" goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer from Charlton Athletic for an undisclosed fee on an initial six-month deal.

Maynard-Brewer, 26, helped Charlton win promotion from League One last season but has made just one appearance this term.

The academy graduate spent almost a decade at Charlton and had various loan spells, including helping Ross county to a sixth-place Scottish Premiership finish in 2021-22.

Born in England and raised in Australia, Maynard-Brewer played at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with the Socceroos Under-23s.

He will compete with Dave Richards for the starting spot at United following Yevhen Kucherenko's departure earlier this month.

"He is a terrific young goalkeeper as far as we are concerned, he knows the league having spent a loan spell at Ross County four seasons ago," said United manager Jim Goodwin.

"He is a lot more experienced now for the opportunities he has had at Charlton and we believe we are getting a really good goalkeeper to come in and compete for that first-place slot.

"We were light in that department anyway, it is a position we have been working hard on since the beginning of the window. I am delighted to get Ashley over the line."