Dundee United captain Sean Dillon has defended manager Jackie McNamara’s decision to make wholesale changes the last time they played St Johnstone.
UPDATE: Match postponed due to waterlogged pitch
The Tangerines welcome the Perth men to Tannadice tonight, looking to get out of a slump that has seen them fail to win in their last six matches.
Although a loss at St Mirren preceded United’s visit to McDiarmid Park on December 29, it is that 3-0 defeat in Perth that has been viewed as the one where United’s slide really began.
McNamara surprised everyone outside the United dressing room with his team selection that day, making eight changes to the side that started against the Buddies.
One of those who came back in was Dillon, but he couldn’t prevent Saints storming to victory against United, who had Calum Butcher sent off.
More than 3,000 fans had travelled along the A90 to back United and they were left frustrated, disappointed and just a little bit bemused.
The selection was noted elsewhere in Scottish football, with Aberdeen pair Peter Pawlett and Josh Magennis both mentioning it in the aftermath of the Dons’ win at Tannadice three days later.
Pawlett suggested that “maybe they didn’t show enough respect to St Johnstone”, while Magennis accused United of being arrogant.
But Dillon insisted neither claim was true.
He said: “The guys said there was a bit of arrogance, but I don’t see it. Different people will see it different ways, though.
“There were so many games over Christmas and the manager wouldn’t want to play the same team in all of them.
“The hope was that the players would go in against St Johnstone and show that they wanted to get into the team.
“Unfortunately the results didn’t go the way we wanted, but it’s not an arrogant thing.
“We never get too up when we win and we never get too down when we lose. We’ve not won (for six games) but we need to keep our heads up and not get too down.”
Dillon added: “If you look at it and you say we were showing an arrogance by not playing our strongest side then that in itself is having a pop at the players who did play that day.
“I wasn’t playing previously and I came in and for me that’s like saying I’m not one of the better players.
“The boys who came in against St Johnstone are good players. They are all top players and should have been good enough to win the game.
“I don’t see it as showing any disrespect to St Johnstone. It wasn’t like we put out six or seven under-18 players in order to rest the first team. So I don’t see it as arrogance at all.”