Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
All the permutations as Tangerines near title crowning glory
IN the words of Dundee United’s official account on X: “Within our grasp.”
The Tangerines could officially secure their immediate return to the Premiership on Saturday.
Indeed, they could be de facto champions as early as Friday night.
As a gruelling, but ultimately impressive, campaign approaches its finale, the job is almost done.
Here, Tele Sport runs through every permutation for the coming week as Raith Rovers face Inverness on Friday before United host Ayr United the following day.
If Raith Rovers lose to Inverness
In real terms, United’s promotion would be assured before they next kick a ball.
It would leave the Rovers six points behind the Tangerines with only two games left and a realistically insurmountable goal difference to overcome.
That currently stands at +36 in United’s favour and, by definition, would increase in the event of an Inverness victory.
Jim Goodwin’s men would only need a draw against Ayr to make their title win official, albeit they will be going all out for a victory in front of what promises to be a packed, expectant crowd at Tannadice.
If Raith Rovers draw with Inverness
United would need a victory to mathematically secure the title, taking their lead to an unassailable eight points with two games left to play for each side.
Matching Raith’s result would effectively see them claim top spot, barring the farcical prospect of a 36-goal swing in the final two matches.
A defeat for the Terrors would keep things alive, albeit Rovers would remain almighty underdogs; charged with overcoming a fivepoint deficit with only six points left to play for.
If Raith Rovers beat Inverness
The only result that is likely to give United any pause for thought, albeit the Tannadice outfit have been steadfast in their stance that Rovers’ fortunes are an irrelevancy to their focus.
The Terrors would be unable to officially win the league, but a victory would all-but seal that crown due to the aforementioned chasm in goal difference.
Goodwin’s side could then mathematically secure promotion by avoiding defeat at Airdrieonians on April 26.
A draw would bring the gap down to four points, while if United fluff their lines and lose to the Honest Men, then it would be back to three points; a nervy prospect.
Raith’s final two fixtures (Morton away and Arbroath at home) are far more inviting than the Tangerines’ (Airdrie away and Partick Thistle at home), so Goodwin will be keen not to offer any lifelines this weekend.