Dundee United’s next three games are make or break — there’s no getting away from it.
It has been said about the Tangerines’ fixtures for the past few weeks but if they don’t turn the corner over the next three games they will be driving straight down to the Championship without passing Go.
Six points adrift and having played a game more than 11th-placed Motherwell, Mixu’s men gear up to face Partick on Saturday followed by Caley Thistle — on the same points as the Maryhill side, eight ahead of United — and then home to the Steelmen.
Instead of concentrating on the gloomy negative side of the situation the Tannadice club find themselves in, I reckon it’s a perfect chance to kickstart the comeback.
There are signs Mixu Paatelainen’s methods are beginning to aid the team on the pitch.
Having watched them in the flesh for the first time this season last Saturday, I could see plenty to encourage the 490 travelling fans.
After a dreadful start where United’s three centre-backs failed to mark Killie’s one striker, Kris Boyd no less, inside the six-yard box, the Tangerines really should have gone on and taken the three points from Rugby Park.
It was actually a really enjoyable match despite the horrible weather and the poor form both sides are in.
Paatelainen’s side were just so frustrating as they passed up chance after chance — and I’m not just saying that because they bust my St Johnstone-United double at the bookies.
Yes, I actually fancied them to win at Kilmarnock and put my money where my mouth was — not my best punt in hindsight but I’ll happily back them again this weekend because I think they’ll win.
I saw a team that, if they take the opportunities they create, can pull themselves out of the mess they’re in.
And from his debut performance alone, it looks like the signing of Florent Sinama Pongolle could be the inspiration needed to dispel the gloom around the tangerine half of the city.
Partick may be in good form having won their last two but a win for the hosts is all that’s needed to boost their confidence and a rapid-fire set of results against the teams immediately above them will quickly close the gap.
It’s up to them, though, to take the chance or they’ll be seeing the Premiership disappearing in the rear-view mirror.
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