The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tangerines now getting best out of fully-fit Mikkelsen
DUNDEE UNITED: Striker becoming key part of Tangerines’ play-off push
Dundee United manager Ray McKinnon is backing match-fit Thomas Mikkelsen to fire Dundee United to victory at Ayr.
The Danish frontman grabbed the only goal of the game in the 1-0 win over Dunfermline on Tuesday and will be leading the line again down at Somerset Park tomorrow evening.
It was Mikkelsen’s sixth goal since joining the Tangerines in January on loan from Odense and he looks to be right in the mood to get a few more as his team chases a second-place finish in the Championship with only four games of the regular season remaining.
McKinnon believes he is now getting the best out of Mikkelsen because the player has reached full fitness.
The United boss said: “The fact that Thomas is fully fit and at his peak has come at the perfect time for us.
“He has scored a few goals and is leading the line well. Simon Murray enjoys playing off him and he really has become a key player for us.
“We always knew he was a good player, it is just that he took a bit of time to get up to speed with his fitness.
“He is good at getting into the box, holds the ball up and has a bit of pace when he goes into the channels.
“The other aspect of his game is the physical side because he gets battered about but he is able to cope with that. He just gets on with it. So Thomas is enjoying his time here and has fitted in really well.
“He isn’t one to run about and shout at people but he has an inner toughness, which you can see on the park.
“He has hit form at the right time and so have a few others. It is no coincidence that we have picked up since Thomas got fully fit, William Edjenguele came back to form and Willo Flood got that spark back.”
All that adds up to something of a feelgood factor in the wake of the win over the Pars that took them into third spot, just a point behind Falkirk.
In and around their St Andrews training base, you sense a mood of optimism that they can carry on winning over these final few weeks.
McKinnon added: “I think there are loads of positives with which to go into the end of the season.
“I have a good feeling about things and I like the signs I’m seeing from the players.
“The reason we dipped was because we have relied on so many players constantly and couldn’t give them a break.
“But I think we’ve got the right recovery into them and they are on that upward curve again.
“We always believed we were in contention for second place and the last two performances have been good.
“A few of the lads are coming back into form at the right time and, fingers crossed, we will keep that momentum going.
“We are trying to finish as high as possible and of course second place makes it a bit easier because it means two less games to play.
“Hopefully, we can really push on now and finish the campaign strongly.”
United have gone 4-4-2 in their last couple of matches, with Mikkelsen and Murray the front pairing.
That has made it slightly difficult for Tony Andreu to have as much of an impact as McKinnon would like.
McKinnon, who confirmed Andreu’s loan deal from Norwich will cover the play-offs, said: “It doesn’t suit Tony playing out wide because his instinct is to drift into the middle.
“But in the last two games, with the way Falkirk and Dunfermline play, we wanted to go 4-4-2 and be more solid.
“Although I have said Tony doesn’t like being out there I still think he’s done really well. He is just a quality player.
“With Thomas and Simon up front I think we’ve looked a real threat so we will probably persevere with that.”
Murray, Mikkelsen and Andreu have all been sitting out training but that appears to be a precautionary move on McKinnon’s part and all three “will be fine” for Ayr according to the manager.