Dundee United have three matches to ensure all their good work done in the first half of the season is properly rewarded.
The Tangerines have been flying high in the Premiership for the entirety of their return to top-flight football.
However, recent form has seen them slip down the division culminating in last weekend’s derby defeat.
It was a bad day for United, one they want to get over as quickly as possible.
They haven’t had nearly enough wins lately – since the derby win on January 2, United have won just twice and picked up only seven points.
It’s a run that has seen them not only fall behind Hibs and Aberdeen in the race for third but also start to look over their shoulder with concern.
Motherwell in seventh are only three points behind now.
So this weekend is as crucial as it gets for Jim Goodwin and his men.
Expectation
The successful first half of the campaign was superb but it also brought a risk later in the season.
Winning games brings expectation.
Since the turn of the year, Dundee United haven’t been able to live up to that expectation.
And that has allowed teams down the table to catch up.
The derby defeat must serve as a wake-up call. There had quite rightly been plenty of praise for United’s defensive solidity.
Goodwin had built a foundation and it was bringing results.
But against Dundee that foundation was shaken and raises questions for the games to come.
Can they rediscover the very thing that brought success?
It is a big test.
Winnable – but risky
These remaining fixtures before the split are all winnable.
All three opponents are below Dundee United in the table for a reason.
However, each of the trio are in far better shape now than earlier in the campaign.
Ross County this weekend is a match to be careful of. Don Cowie has organised his side well and they’ve been picking up good wins to creep up the league.
So much so that they are just six points behind United ahead of the weekend clash.
They are aggressive and strong so it will be a battle up in the Highlands.
Hearts after that are a step up in quality. They haven’t reached their potential this season but have players to watch.
Then St Johnstone may be bottom but they are a strange team – they dominate possession and play good stuff but without finishing teams off.
It’s another game to watch out for at Tannadice.
Avoid
But this is the business end of the season. United put points on the board nice and early, they were in a great position in the table.
Now they must avoid finishing the season on a downer.
In the cold light of day, a first season back in the top flight where you avoid relegation is the main job done.
It won’t feel like that, however, if they miss out on European football or even worst of all dropping out of the top six.
That’s the task for the Tangerines – get wins on the board over the next few weeks to ensure all that good stuff in the first half of the campaign was not for nothing.
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