Dundee United v Aberdeen

Dundee United face the first of five successive home games when taking on Aberdeen at Tannadice tonight. Hamilton Academical are their next visitors this coming Thursday followed by Motherwell on Sunday, and subsequently Hearts and Inverness Caledonian Thistle; and all within a frantic thirteen-day period. This evening's game is all focused on the race for the top six, where both of these clubs would naturally expect to be come the end of the season.

"Aberdeen have been getting decent results in their recent matches, as have we," Dundee United defender Barry Douglas told the Dundee Courier. "We have two teams who are have been going well playing each other so it should be a cracker. The game is on TV and that always gives players a chance to impress. So I can't wait. Both Aberdeen and ourselves are aiming to finish in the top six and it would not be too much of a surprise for both of us to do so. There is a lot of work to do before we can achieve that, though, and we are taking nothing for granted."

"To get into the top six you need to go on a bit of a run. Hibs are currently on it," manager Craig Brown told Aberdeen's official website. "They are the form team from the bottom group but Dundee United have games in hand. It is going to be difficult for us to make the top six but until it is mathematically impossible we will keep trying for it. Dundee Utd have four games coming up in eight days which is a very demanding schedule but we are the first of the four. Hopefully we will get something from the game. Although a draw is acceptable if we have aspirations of making the top six we need to try and win the game."

Craig Conway should recover from a slight thigh strain but Jon Daly (hernia) and Garry Kenneth (knee) are still unavailable, in addition to defenders Mihael Kovacevic (knee), Darren Dods (knee) and Scott Severin (ankle).
Dundee United (from): Pernis, Dillon, Dixon, Van der Meulen, Watson, Douglas, Swanson, Gomis, Conway, Buaben, Armstrong, S. Robertson, D. Robertson, Conway, Goodwillie, Russell, Banks, Dow, Smith

Midfielder recently restored to the side after injury.

Chris Maguire serves the second of a two-game ban for the Dons while Peter Pawlett, Yoann Folly, Darren Mackie and Fraser Fyvie are also ruled out. Defender Zander Diamond hopes to recover from an ankle problem.
Aberdeen (from): Langfield, McNamee, Smith, Considine, Diamond, Vujadinovic, Milsom, Jack, Young, Aluko, Hartley, Vernon, Blackman, McArdle, Paton, Magennis, Anderson, Howard

Fifteen goals so far this season for the former Blackpool striker.

Dundee United had a good weekend with a couple of late goals earning them a 2-0 success at Inverness. Abereen come into the game on the back of successive scoreless draws against St Johnstone (A) and Hearts (H), which followed recent home victories over Hamilton (1-0) and Kilmarnock (5-0).

Dundee United - Hamilton (H); Aberdeen - St Mirren (A) SCQF

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