Ryan Edwards has held his hands up after a own goal nightmare and vowed he’ll ‘take it on the chin’ to help Dundee United bounce back.
The United captain has been outstanding for most of the season.
But he netted his second successive own goal in the 2-1 defeat to Livingston on Wednesday.
That followed a strike at the wrong end in the draw with Aberdeen as United dropped down to sixth place.
And with just four games until the split, Edwards knows United have to bounce back quickly to satisfy their top six ambitions.
“I feel very low,” Edwards told Dundee United TV.
🗣"I'm expecting that the characters and quality we've got on the pitch recognise the importance of getting ahead so quickly, and then go ahead and really put the foot on the neck of the opponent"
📺 Tam Courts and Ryan Edwards react to our defeat against Livingston tonight pic.twitter.com/n9Effqg2DA
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 3, 2022
“But, as captain of the team, it’s important for me to come out and speak.
“Fans don’t want to hear apologies and all that soppy stuff but all players have bad spells, bad scenarios or situations in games.
“I’ve had that now and it’s time for me to take what comes of it on the chin. I’ll do it no problem.
Ryan Edwards: Fans have right to shout and scream
“Everyone has a bad situation in a season or a bad couple of games.
“But you just get on with it.
“You don’t whinge about it or start all that rubbish by saying ‘sorry for this’ as if you did it on purpose.
“You just get on with it.
Livingston climbed up to fourth in the Scottish Premiership after a late Ryan Edwards own goal handed the Lions a deserved victory over Dundee United 📈 pic.twitter.com/qktg5Jcsgk
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 3, 2022
“That’s football. Stuff like that happens.
“We had opportunities to do something against Aberdeen and Livingston but failed.
“That’s down to us on the pitch.
“There was a great following at Livingston and the fans have the right to be shouting and screaming at us.
“We conceded soft goals and didn’t create an awful lot going forward.
“If we were on it like we were at the start of the season we would have gone on to win that 1-0.
“But there was a mistake by me at the end. I’ll bounce back and so will the team.”
Scott McMann targets starting slot
Meanwhile, United star Scott McMann has vowed to force his way back into the starting XI.
McMann hasn’t started since the 0-0 draw in the Dundee derby on February 1st, with on-form Ross Graham keeping him out of the side.
He came on for Graham in the Livingston loss and is keen to recapture his early season form.
“The boys have done brilliantly,” said McMann. “Ross has been outstanding. I have no complaints.
“But I have worked hard to get back in want to stay there.
“United are a massive club. When I first heard of their interest in me I was desperate to come.
“It’s everything I’d hoped it would be and I want to help the club achieve the first aim of getting into the top six.”
