Dundee United manager Ray McKinnon is backing his players to raise their game at Easter Road.
In the space of one result – the 1-0 loss to Dumbarton on Saturday – the Tangerines have gone from being in-form table-toppers to a side that needs to improve significantly if they are to beat new league leaders Hibs on Friday.
The eyes of Scottish football will be on the Hibees v United clash in the Championship, with the game getting plenty of attention as the Premiership takes its winter break.
The Tannadice men may have limped out of the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium a wounded team last weekend but they have to remind themselves that they are just one win away from climbing back to the summit.
McKinnon will make sure there is no Hogmanay hangover and he is backing his players to look more like their usual selves when they head to Leith.
“We just have to pick ourselves up,” said the United boss.
“We have to ensure the standard is back up in time for Friday.
“The occasion and atmosphere will be great at Easter Road and the boys know they have an opportunity to go back to the top of the league.
“So we are all looking forward to that match – definitely.
“I was critical of the players after the Dumbarton game because we dropped our standards but we can raise them again.
“The conditions were horrific and we were beaten again by a freak goal but I still expected better from them.
“As much as I was critical of the players, I do have to take into consideration that it has been blowing a gale the twice we have been at Dumbarton.
“We have then been undone by a nonsense goal.
“Listen, we wanted to play a certain way but it was just about impossible to do so in those conditions.
“I was disappointed with the fact that it took us to put a centre-half up front to be a goal threat (Mark Durnan). Even though he hit the woodwork twice that’s a concern.
“However, we were 14 matches unbeaten going into that one and if we can go on another run like that then I will be delighted.”
