Jackie McNamara has had much to consider going into the biggest game of his managerial career.
However, I believe the Tannadice boss will go with the team that most United fans would pick in the familiar 4-2-3-1 formation.
Starting from the back and moving forward from goalkeeper Rado Cierzniak, we encounter McNamara’s most problematic area central defence.
Despite the undoubted talent of young John Souttar, I feel the manager will go with experience and play captain Sean Dillon and Gavin Gunning as his pairing.
Dillon knows how it feels to be a cup winner having lifted this very trophy in 2010 and should get the nod ahead of Souttar, whose day will come in the not-too-distant future.
PFA Scotland’s young player of the year Andy Robertson is a shoo-in at left-back, while Keith Watson another who kissed silverware four years ago will be on the right of the defence ahead of Mark Wilson, who started the semi-final against Rangers.
The two anchormen in midfield pick themselves – Paul Paton and John Rankin – although Morgaro Gomis will be a useful man to have in reserve given the great game he had at Celtic Park last Sunday.
United’s three attacking midfielders, who quickly tranform themselves into frontmen when the Tangerines have the ball, are likely to be the outstanding Stuart Armstrong in the middle flanked by Gary Mackay-Steven on the left and Ryan Dow on the right.
Of course, that would mean no starting jersey for teenage star Ryan Gauld.
I get the feeling McNamara would love to find a place for the wee man but Dow’s recent form has probably secured him his spot.
The out-and-out striker will be Nadir Ciftci, of course, with the Turk having been the star of this cup campaign. He is someone capable of surprising and delighting in equal measure you only have to recall his pre-goal celebration at Ibrox to confirm that.
So that would be: Cierzniak, Robertson, Watson, Gunning, Dillon (captain), Paton, Rankin, Armstrong, Dow, Mackay-Steven, Ciftci. Subs: McCallum, Souttar, Wilson, Gomis, Gauld, El Alagui and Graham.
That is a team full of pace, trickery and invention going forward. The defence is a concern but McNamara knows that better than anyone and will have the need for concentration drilled into his players.
United will have to perform a lot better than they did in their last three matches against St Johnstone if it is to be a second Scottish Cup success in the space of four years.
Nevertheless, it is a side well capable of taking the trophy back to Tannadice.