Jim Goodwin hopes Dundee United’s clash with Aberdeen ‘lives up to expectation’

Jim Goodwin expects to see a throwback contest when Dundee United travel to Aberdeen in the William Hill Premiership on Saturday.

The Taysiders scored two dramatic late goals to beat Hibernian 3-2 at Tannadice last weekend to make it three games unbeaten and leave them in fourth place, one point behind Rangers.

The Dons came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with champions Celtic at Parkhead, leaving them behind the league leaders only on goal difference and still unbeaten this season under new boss Jimmy Thelin.

And with the league table looking like times during the 1980s when the ‘New Firm’ of United and Aberdeen were genuine challengers to the Old Firm, former Dons boss Goodwin said: “It’s a really exciting game for everybody to look forward to, for both sets of players and the fans, there’s a bit of a rivalry there anyway between the two.

“Both clubs have a rich history. You go back into the 80s and 90s of competing domestically, and Aberdeen at the moment are going toe-to-toe with Celtic.

“We’re sitting fourth in the table at the moment and that’s probably more than what most people would have imagined we would be able to do, being the newly-promoted team in the league. It’s a great fixture for everybody to look forward to.

“Pittodrie is a great venue, it will be a full house and a hostile environment for our players, but we have to use that to our advantage and try and quieten the crowd early on. Our away record has been excellent so far this season and we want to try and maintain that.

“Hopefully it’s a game that lives up to the expectation. Two good sides going at it. Aberdeen with this unbeaten record, ourselves with a very good away record – something’s going to have to give on the night.

“All games on the road are difficult and Pittodrie is a great venue to play football in. Saturday evening, under the lights, live on the TV, I think it’s got the makings of a really good game.

“Yes they’re unbeaten at the moment but those unbeaten runs do need to come to an end at some point and we’ve got to believe that we’re capable of being that team to do it.”