Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Calum Woodger
Another saga sorted, let’s see Utd focus on football
IF you feel like you’ve read this column before it’s probably because I wrote something strikingly similar last week.
Then the saga was United, finally, sorting out wage cuts among their playing squad which was supposed to allow them to focus on the football.
They managed to do so in a highly-entertaining 2-2 draw with St Johnstone on Tuesday night, Saturday’s frozen pitch call off aside, ominously pondered in these pages, but it’s the same old story again this week as matters off the pitch took precedence in the build up.
Speculation rivals Dundee were targeting a swoop for United’s top scorer Nicky
Clark saw the focus shift from today’s Premiership trip to Hamilton to a potentially sensational and entirely unexpected transfer story.
As suspected, a pre-contract agreement to see Clark move across the road to Dens never came to pass, with Tangerines boss Micky Mellon reacting quickly to tie down the 29-year-old to a new two-year extension.
It’s good business for the Terrors, clearly.
Hitman Clark is in his prime and in his scoring pomp this season, netting eight goals in the league and 10 in all competitions to help propel United into the top six.
Perhaps, the Tannadice hierarchy were at fault for letting such a prized asset run into the final six months of his deal, leaving Clark free to speak to other clubs, but what’s done is done.
He’s a United player until 2023 and you feel he will be pivotal to any success the club have now and in the future.
Starting this afternoon at New Douglas Park, they’ll want to build on what’s been a decent run of late.
Mellon’s men have only lost once in their last six, however, they’ve only registered one win in that time as well.
Turning those draws into wins is what’s going to be the difference between a great season finishing in the top six and a decent season where United end up in the bottom half after the split.
Certainly, in the games ahead, with the likes of St Mirren, Motherwell, Ross County and Livingston on the horizon, the Terrors should be targeting a healthy points total.
At the top end of the pitch they’re looking fluid and confident again with Lawrence Shankland firing in rockets from 50-plus yards and Louis Appere looking back to his old self after some time spent patiently waiting for his chance on the sidelines.
A struggling Accies side should hold no fear for United, even away from home and on a notoriously-difficult astroturf pitch.
Pure and simple, the Tangerines have better players and should win through.
However, if the last few weeks, or 10 months amid the coronavirus pandemic, has taught us anything it’s to expect the unexpected.
Speaking to a few people at the club this week, I don’t think there are any concerns of complacency creeping in but United must be wary in these, the strangest of times.