M’voto aims to keep up pressure, but does not expect repeat

Dunfermline central defender JeanYves M’voto suspects that the scoreline that shocked Scottish football may just be a one-off, writes Ian Roache.

M’voto will attempt to pile pressure on United by beating them at East End Park this afternoon but he certainly isn’t expecting the Tangerines to collapse to a 6-1 defeat like they did at Falkirk last weekend.

The 29-year-old Frenchman has come back with a bang into the heart of the Pars’ backline, helping them to clean sheets against Falkirk and Dumbarton.

Now he is expected to keep his place when United come calling and, while he is confident Dunfermline can get the three points, he doesn’t think the visitors will play as badly as they did seven days ago.

M’voto said: “We haven’t really spoken about what happened.

“Dundee United are a good team, though, so it could maybe be a one-off.

“I know it was a really bad one-off but I don’t think they are going to repeat that this time.

“I think maybe all of Scotland were surprised when they saw that score.

“They are a big club so it could be just about that one game.

“So I think we are going to see a strong team from United.

“That’s exactly why we need to be more cautious maybe than usual. “We need to be ready for that.” Nevertheless, M’voto feels there could be a vulnerability about the Tannadice men and he would love the Pars to get off to a flying start to see how Csaba Laszlo’s players react.

“I think they might have some nerves but it will still be a hard game,” he added.

“They will want to get the lead but if we score first, then the nerves might kick in.

“The first goal will be very important.

“If they do get nervous then that will be good for us.

“It is for us to show them that we are better than them and be ready for it.

“There wasn’t much between the teams the last time we played in Dundee.

“I think the pressure was more on us that time because we had to try to catch them.

“But now they have the pressure because they have been a bit up and down.”

M’voto is relishing being back in the side, having played only a couple of league matches this season before coming in for suspended skipper Callum Morris against the Bairns.

Now he wants to keep the jersey, saying: “Well, it has been a long time but when you win you enjoy it more than when you lose so I’m happy with the way things are.

“It has not been easy but the fact is that the others were doing well so I had to wait.

“Now it is just about playing and seeing what is going to happen.

“At times it was difficult training and then seeing the team play without you.

“You have to make sure you are ready if asked to play and that’s what I tried to do every week.”

M’voto stressed that he has not been the only one responsible for the two shut-outs, nor the fact that the Pars are now looking for their fourth win in a row.

“It is all about the team,” he said, “especially against Dumbarton last Saturday, I think we all fought to get the result because we needed it. “So I wouldn’t put all this on me. “I think it is about the whole team working really hard to get the clean sheet and the victory.

“I hope there is more of the same this weekend. Every game is different so we have to prepare well and get ready.”

Jean-Yves M’voto: hopes to keep his place in the Pars defence after coming in for Callum Morris.