Striker on century trail, jokes Neilson

DUNDEE UNITED: Shankland’s strike rate has manager dreaming of ton of goals

Dundee United goal machine Lawrence Shankland is on course for a cricket score, manager Robbie Neilson has joked.

Wearing a broad smile, Neilson claimed Shankland will hit a century of goals for the Tangerines if he keeps up his current strike rate.

The Tannadice frontman has now netted four times against Inverness Caley Thistle, once against Partick Thistle and then twice against Dunfermline in the opening three Championship matches of the season.

That is a total of which England’s Ashes hero Ben Stokes would be proud.

It may have been in jest that Neilson suggested he was heading for a century but it is, nevertheless, a dream start for Shankland and, by extension, league-leading United.

Caley Thistle manager John Robertson feels his side can have a say in what is widely tipped to be a two-horse race for the Championship title this season.

Dundee United have made an excellent start to the campaign, winning all three of their matches so far, while city neighbours Dundee are also expected to challenge after relegation from the Premiership last season.

Although Caley Jags suffered a 4-1 opening day loss to United, Saturday’s 0-0 draw against the Dark Blues at Dens reaffirmed Robertson’s belief his side can contend, despite a raft of highprofile signings by the Tayside pair.

Robertson said: “People have said already that they feel it’s a two-horse race between the two Dundee teams. The likes of ourselves, Partick Thistle and Dunfermline will all try and tell you different.

“We are all good solid Championship teams who will fight for every point.

“With the greatest of respect to both Dundee and Dundee United, they have never said it’s a two-horse race.

“But other people do – the media, press, radio and television. I don’t think they will be far off the mark because of the budgets both teams are spending and the quality of players they are bringing in.

“You would expect both these two teams to be up there, especially with their big fanbases. There were 5,000 there again on Saturday.

“I would expect that, and I would expect them come January to bolster their ranks once more.

“You don’t have to be the best pundit in the world to think that, given the players they have got at their disposal, they are going to be there or thereabouts.

“You can’t throw it at the two clubs because they have never said it’s going to be between just them.

“It may well be the case, but there are another eight teams in the league who will tell you differently.”

John Robertson: Belief restored.