Hearts and Hibs give Premiership boss hope for the season as he makes big money claim after capital showdown
Dundee United have come up against both Hearts and Hibs early on in the Premiership season.
A Premiership boss has been handed hope for his side’s season - as he believes facing Hearts and Hibs have provided room for encouragement.
Dundee United have come against both sides of the Edinburgh divide on Premiership duty this season. Their first battle was against Hearts, losing in painful fashion to a late Stuart Findlay goal at Tannadice in a 3-2 defeat. They then met Hibs on Saturday in what ended up a pulsating 3-3 draw on their travels to Easter Road.
Jim Goodwin believes his Dundee United side have been left in a good place after their meetings against the Jambos and Hibees. With reference to Hibs’ seven figure splash on striker Thibault Klidje in the summer transfer market, he reckons the games showed that United have the ability to mix it with the best in Scotland.
Dundee United manager on Hearts and Hibs
Boss Goodwin said: “When you look at the performances we have put in against Hearts and Hibs, it has to give us a huge amount of hope and optimism for what the season can hold. I said that to the players. As much as we are all disappointed because we didn’t win the (Hibs) game we can be proud of the overall performance, as a collective.
“As a group, you can see gradual signs of progress game after game. I thought we were the better team on the day, I really did. We went to a team who have spent vast amounts of money.
“They brought on a striker they spent seven figures on in the summer. A number of Hibs staff feel the same and probably feel they got out of jail a bit, given the goals we conceded.
Dundee United red card vs Hibs rescinded
“They didn’t have to work incredibly hard for the goals. It was a couple of mistakes and a penalty kick. It reminds me a little of the Hearts game a couple of weeks ago at Tannadice, where we conceded from two corners and a penalty kick.
“It is disappointing off the back of the Dundee derby where we defended so well and kept a clean sheet. We knew Hibs would be different with a different level of opposition and that is with the greater respect to Dundee. I thought defensively from open play we were very good. Kuch (Yevhenii Kucherenko) had to make a couple of decent saves, as you would expect playing against the quality they have in the forward areas.”
Meanwhile, Vicko Ševelj’s red card for handball against Hibs has been dismissed after an appeal, after he was marched off prior to Jamie McGrath’s levelling penalty. A statement reads: “Following a robust appeal process, Dundee United are pleased to confirm that our claim against the dismissal of Vicko Ševelj for denying a goal or obvious goal-scoring opportunity against Hibernian has been successful. As a result, the 24-year-old will now be available for selection ahead of our William Hill Premiership clash with Aberdeen on Tuesday 23 September. Dundee United thanks the panel for taking the time to listen to the reasoning put forward.”