Dundee United and Kilmarnock could have been forgiven for growing sick of the sight of each other during the Tangerines’ last season as a Premiership club.
The sides squared off a remarkable SIX times over the course of the 2022/23 campaign.
From the competitive curtain-raiser to the lamentable evening at Tannadice that effectively confirmed United’s relegation from the top-flight.
Throw in a couple of meek cup exits and the first visible protests aimed at the club’s former sporting director Tony Asghar, and it becomes apparent that this fixture helped to define a miserable season.
As the teams prepare to renew hostilities at Rugby Park, Courier Sport looks back at what became a very familiar showdown.
Great expectations
Jack Ross’ first competitive match as United head coach came at Rugby Park, with the Arab army descending on Ayrshire in big numbers with great expectations.
With the likes of Dylan Levitt, Steven Fletcher and Glenn Middleton in the starting line-up – as well as two-time A-League goalkeeper of the year Mark Birighitti (what could possibility go wrong?) – the recruitment seemed relatively solid.
And Levitt underlined why United shelled out six-figures to make his loan from Manchester United permanent, slamming home a sensational opener from the edge of the box following a sumptuous flick by Fletcher.
However, Ian Harkes’ second-half red card changed the flow of the game, before Ash Taylor headed an injury-time leveller beyond Birighitti. Frustrating, sure. But not a hint of the capitulation that was to come over the next nine months.
The Killie cup hoodoo
By the time United returned to Rugby Park on October 18, Ross had been dismissed – 7-0 and 9-0 defeats against AZ and Celtic marking the nadir of his 10 weeks in charge – Liam Fox was at the helm.
A place at Hampden for the Premier Sports Cup semi-final would have been a welcome boost for a fanbase gradually seeing their hopes of a successful season turn to dust.
Instead, Danny Armstrong lit up the quarter-final, tormenting the United backline and ultimately notching the winner in a 2-1 triumph after Kyle Lafferty and Middleton had shared goals in the first period.
Not content with dumping the Terrors out of one competition, Killie arrived at Tannadice on February 11 to do the double.
Kyle Vassell – along with Armstrong, a constant menace in the meetings between the sides – scored the only goal of the game, while Loick Ayina was dismissed in the closing stages. United left the field to a cacophony of jeers.
Between the two cup fixtures, United hammered Killie 4-0 in the league – but to say that proved a false dawn would be an understatement.
‘Asghar Out’
Rugby Park saw the most overt sign of dissension towards United’s ex-sporting director Asghar.
With the game taking place on February 1 – mere hours after the closure of a dismal transfer window, during which the Tangerines failed to address several glaring problems with the squad – the travelling fans made their feelings known.
A large banner reading “Asghar Out” was unveiled. Anger had moved from social media and messageboards to the real world. A couple of weeks later, he would be gone, along with head coach Fox.
On the pitch, Fletcher fluffed a great chance to give United the lead when his first-half penalty was missed, allowing Armstrong to score the only goal of the game. The season was spiralling.
Relegated by Kilmarnock
United technically went down courtesy of their 3-2 defeat at Motherwell on the final day of the season. That’s what the record books will show.
But make no mistake, Kilmarnock relegated a haunted-looking Terrors side at Tannadice four days earlier.
The fans did their part, with 10,406 punters packing into the old place, but the players succumbed to a 3-0 reverse. Vassell bullied a woeful United, scoring two first-half goals to effectively end the game as a contest.
Innes Cameron completed the scoring on the break to secure Killie’s safety and, in the process, all-but-mathematically condemn United to Championship football; three points adrift of Ross County and eight goals worse off with one game to play.
What will 2024/25 bring?
Even after successive defeats to Rangers and Motherwell, this is a very different United side.
While there is unarguably room for improvement, this Tangerines’ side has a strategy, fight and – on their day – players who can create opportunities.
Kilmarnock, meanwhile, sit in 11th place in the league, with one win from 12 competitive fixtures this term – none of those in the Premiership.
So, can Jim Goodwin’s men make some happier memories from this fixture?
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