Ryan Edwards was gutted to miss the chance to top the Scottish Premiership – but insists it underlines how far Dundee United have come this year.
United could have moved into first place in Scottish Premiership had they taken their chances in the games with Livingston and St Johnstone last week.
Despite dominating both ten-man Livi and double cup-holders St Johnstone, United walked away with just one point from six.
They remain in a commanding position at joint third with Saturday’s opponents Hearts.
But Edwards admits the Tangerines, who will be backed by a huge travelling support at Tynecastle on Saturday, have raised the bar this season.
“It hurts because we could have been top of the league if we’d got results in the last two games,” said Edwards after the draw with St Johnstone.
“There’s a new expectation we have brought to the fan base, the stadium and the club.
“Aberdeen apart, we have gone toe-to-toe with every team we’ve played.
“There’s not a single game we have looked out in place in. We have no-one to fear. Look at how we performed at Celtic Park.
Highlights of the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United 👇 pic.twitter.com/frHNxRXbUn
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) September 27, 2021
“The expectation levels have gone through the roof.
“But it’s not just from the fans. It’s from the standards we have set for ourselves and the levels the manager and Liam Fox are expecting.
“The fans demand winning games but they are also astute enough to know when we have performed.
“Their reaction at the end of the St Johnstone game said it all about how we performed.
“If we’d had carried on the second half the way we played the first we would have been booed off – and they would have been right to boo.
“But we reacted and the support from our fans is massive.
Ryan Edwards: Dundee United fans deserve great away day at Hearts
“They’ll enjoy their trip to Hearts as this is many people’s favourite away day.
“That says something when you consider you play at Celtic Park and Ibrox in this league.
“We have a great fan base and it will keep on getting bigger and bigger if we keep on performing and getting results.
“We have only lost three times in 12 games so it’s not the end of the world.
“But it feels like a bigger kick in the teeth because we know where we could have been.”
