Preview: Dundee United vs St Mirren - prediction, team news, lineups

Dundee United will welcome St Mirren to Tannadice Park on Tuesday night in the Scottish Premiership.

The hosts are seventh in the table with 30 points from 28 games, while the visitors are 10th with 24 points from 28 league fixtures.

Match preview

Dundee United finished fourth in the Scottish Premiership in their first year back in the top flight last term, but Jim Goodwin's side have been unable to reach those same heights this term.

The Tangerines are currently seventh in the table with 30 points from 28 league games played, from six wins, 12 draws and 10 defeats.

Consequently, Dundee United find themselves a significant 12 points behind sixth-placed Falkirk, leaving the Tangerines needing a miraculous end to the campaign if they are to secure a top-half finish.

Although Dundee United have a game in hand over the teams above them, meaning they could close the gap to nine points, with just five matches left to play before the season splits, the Tangerines need to put together a winning end to the term and hope for results elsewhere to go their way.

However, Goodwin's side head into this meeting enduring a difficult run of form, winning just one of their last eight league games, including two draws and a defeat in their last three.

Despite that, Dundee United remain the favourites heading into Tuesday's fixture, with the Saints struggling towards the bottom of the standings.

St Mirren are 10th in the Scottish Premiership standings with just 24 points from 28 games, after five wins, nine draws and 14 defeats.

As a result, Stephen Robinson's men find themselves narrowly three points above the drop zone, although they have played a game fewer than the two teams below them.

Hoping to increase the gap to six points and further strengthen their survival hopes in the final fixtures before the league splits, St Mirren will be eager to claim all three points on Tuesday.

St Mirren have suffered three defeats and recorded only one draw in their last four matches, while they have been particularly poor on the road throughout this campaign.

The Saints have accumulated only seven points away from home in the Scottish Premiership, with just one win, four draws and nine defeats in 14 matches.

Dundee United Scottish Premiership form:

L L W D D L

Dundee United form (all competitions):

L W W D D L

St Mirren Scottish Premiership form:

D W L L L D

St Mirren form (all competitions):

W W L L L D

Team News

Dundee United are without Craig Sibbald and Isaac Pappoe for this match due to ongoing injury issues.

Off the back of a crushing 2-0 defeat to Motherwell last time out, Goodwin could make several changes to his side on Tuesday, meaning the likes of Kristijan Trapanovski, Emmanuel Agyei, Zac Sapsford and Amar Fatah could start.

Meanwhile, St Mirren will remain without the availability of Jonah Ayunga and Malik Dijksteel due to fitness problems.

St Mirren ended a three-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw last time out, and Robinson may decide to name a similar side as a result on Tuesday.

Dundee United possible starting lineup:

Brewer; Iovu, Sevelj, Keresztes; Strain, Stephenson, Agyei, Trapanovski, Naamo; Fatah; Sapsford

St Mirren possible starting lineup:

George; Fraser, Gogic, Freckleton; Richardson, Phillips, Baccus, O'Hara, Tanser; N'Lundulu, Mandron

We say: Dundee United 2-1 St Mirren

St Mirren have had a disastrous campaign on the road and are in lacklustre form heading into this game, leading us to expect hosts Dundee United to win here.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.