Louis Moult produced an attacking masterclass as Dundee United demolished Arbroath 4-0 on the opening night of the Championship season.
Moult notched THREE assists in the opening 37 minutes at Gayfield, teeing up Glenn Middleton, Mathew Cudjoe and Craig Sibbald.
The former Motherwell hero then made it 4-0 before the interval, smashing a clinical finish into the roof of the net following fine work by the excellent Cudjoe.
The Lichties were lamentable and were ultimately flattered by the score-line, given Sibbald and Scott McMann both rattled the woodwork.
A flying start
Having built some burgeoning momentum — three victories on the spin against Peterhead, Falkirk and Carlisle United — United unsurprisingly fielded the same side that impressed at Brunton Park.
Arbroath, embarking upon their fifth successive campaign in the Championship, replaced David Gold with skipper Thomas O’Brien in the only alteration from the starting 11 that swept Montrose aside 3-0 six days prior.
There was a sign of things to come in the early stages, with Joao Balde forced to clear a McMann effort off the line. Derek Gaston then thwarted a low Moult drive.
However, United would not be denied for long.
Balde inexplicably played a wayward pass straight to Moult, allowing the striker to scamper forward on the break. He slipped a fine ball across to Middleton and the winger — exactly one year on from downing AZ Alkmaar — finished superbly.
Dundee United are up and running in the Scottish Championship!
Glenn Middleton drills the ball into the bottom corner for the opening goal! ⚽️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/hMRwdqOXLB
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) August 4, 2023
Cudjoe doubled United’s lead, racing on to another Moult through-ball and producing a cool, sumptuous chip beyond Gaston; a nerveless way for the 19-year-old to score his first ever senior goal.
Three-sy does it
A very brief Lichties foray forward saw Jack Walton clutch a deflected Ryan Dow effort, before Sibbald rattled the bar with a curling shot in response.
However, Sibbald did ripple the net when he hared through on goal following a Moult head-flick, shooting clinically beyond Gaston.
Craig Sibbald makes it 3-0! ⚽️
Some flick-on from Louis Moult to set things up! 👏#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/7q5i1slSJU
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) August 4, 2023
Moult notched his fourth goal contribution of the night — this time finding the net himself — when he unleashed a ferocious drive into the roof of the net following a slick Cudjoe reverse pass.
Not a bad league debut for Moult as the 3,225 travelling Arabs serenaded their new No.9.
United were inventive, energetic and confident. But Arbroath were truly abject; utterly statuesque as the visitors cut them open. THREE half-time substitutions by Dick Campbell illustrated that point.
Mercifully for the hosts, the barrage somewhat relented after the break.
McMann did rattle the upright with a fizzing shot from 25 yards, while Declan Glass fired wide of a gaping goal after some super build-up play by the outstanding Ross Docherty.
However, the damage was done in the opening 45.
Star man: Louis Moult (Dundee United):
Simply a Moult masterclass.
He was inexplicably afforded the freedom of Gayfield to wreak havoc — but he took full advantage, illustrating his creativity and clinical touch.
His first-half assists for Middleton and Cudjoe were perfectly weighted, while the clever flick-on for Sibbald’s strike was pin-point.
Moult got his own name on the score-sheet prior to the interval, lashing home following an incisive Cudjoe pass.
On this evidence, a fully fit Moult could run riot in the second tier.
Arbroath (4-4-1-1): Gaston 6; Steele 5, Little 5, O’Brien 5, Stewart 5; Dow 6, Slater 5 (Jacobs 62), Balde 3 (Gold 45, 4), Hylton 5 (McKenna 45, 4); McIntosh 5 (Dunnwald-Turan 45, 5); Bird 6. Subs not used: Welsh, Allan.
Dundee United (4-2-3-1): Walton 6; Grimshaw 6, Gallagher 7 (Graham 80), Holt 6, McMann 7; Sibbald 7, Docherty 8; Cudjoe 8 (Thomson 76), Watt 7 (Meekison 62), Middleton 8 (Glass 76); Moult 9 (MacLeod 76). Newman, Denham, Freeman, Duffy.
Att: 5,558
