Peter Pawlett feels the time is right for runaway Championship leaders Dundee United to test themselves against top-flight opposition.
The Tangerines welcome Premiership side Hibs to Tannadice tomorrow for what looks to be the tie of the William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round.
A cup clash between top of the second tier and a club in the division above will always attract interest.
There is perhaps added fascination given the fact United are so far ahead – 17 points better off than second-placed Inverness Caley Thistle – that they already appear to be a Premiership team in waiting.
While the visitors are the bookies favourites there isn’t much in it. That is a compliment to how well Robbie Neilson’s team have performed this season.
Also, they will carry major momentum into the game, having beaten Partick Thistle 4-1 at Firhill on Saturday and not lost since October 19.
United also have Scotland international Lawrence Shankland, who netted a hat-trick against the Jags and is attracting attention from other clubs.
It all adds up to an intriguing contest and Pawlett, who came off the bench to lay on Shankland’s third strike last Saturday, is looking for United to meet the considerable challenge that faces them this weekend.
He said: “This is massive for us as a team and for the club.
“We have done very well at this level but we need to step up and test ourselves against a Premiership team.
“Hibs are a top side so it will show where we are.
“Hopefully, we can do OK and show we are capable of playing at this level.
“This is also a chance for us to show the manager we are good enough as a team to compete in the league above.
“A lot of the boys have done it in the Premiership in the past but there are a few who haven’t so everyone has a point to prove.”
Pawlett, who has plenty of top-flight experience himself, was asked if he thought there was a big gap between Championship and Premiership.
He replied: “I’m not sure but there could be.
“I suppose we will find out the answer on Sunday because this is our chance to test ourselves.
“It’s an opportunity for everyone here to show the manager and the supporters we are ready to play at a higher level.”
Sometimes when a team is pushing for promotion, cup football can be viewed as an unwanted distraction.
Going up is, of course, the be all and end all for United.
However, their massive points advantage over ICT will maybe enable them to place more emphasis on a cup run than if it had been nip and tuck in the league table.
Pawlett said: “We can go for it and the cup is never a distraction as far as I am concerned.
“I’m not saying we’re going to win it but I won the League Cup with Aberdeen and that was massive for that club. It would be the same here.
“I guess we just want to go as far as we can and do well.
“Last season was disappointing because we lost to Inverness in the quarter-finals when we thought we had a really good chance of going through.”
United are undoubtedly relishing this match but you also get the feeling that they know they will be facing formidable foes.
Pawlett, who is a candidate to replace broken ankle victim Nicky Clark, added: “We are looking forward to it but Hibs will be very tough opponents.
“I have watched them on TV a few times and they are a good side.
“They have some quality players.
“It is going to be difficult but we are at home and our record at Tannadice has been very good.”
The Tangerines also have striker Shankland, who has found the net no fewer than 24 times in 24 matches for his club this season.
Pawlett, who was at Aberdeen with a young Shankland, sees his teammate as the “finished article” and expects him to be carefully watched by the Hibs defence.
He said: “Shanks always had that quality, even when he was very young at Aberdeen.
“You could always see the ability he had in front of goal but, like anyone, there were parts of his game he needed to improve.
“You can see here that he has done that through experience and he has so much class.
“He is a finished article now and the quality he has is unbelievable.
“It’s a physical and mental thing because he is older and stronger now plus he has experience.
“He has the confidence now that when he has a chance in front of goal he will score it.
“As a teammate you benefit from that, just as I did against Partick.
“That is because you can put a ball into the box that you don’t think is your best but he finishes it anyway.
“So he can make you look good too!”
