Huge gap between the clubs likely to be telling factor in clash

Dundee United and Aberdeen meet in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup on Sunday in a fixture that brings to mind a series of classic cup clashes between the “New Firm” sides over the years.

However, the 2018 instalment comes at a time when the sides’ fortunes have rarely differed more greatly.

We asked The Courier’s Ian Roache and Press & Journal sports reporter Paul Third for their assessment.

Ian Roache

It is hard to recall a match at Pittodrie that United fans will have dreaded more than this one.

While a heavy defeat isn’t guaranteed, it is extremely likely.

The gap between the clubs is currently as great as at any time in living memory but, of course, the old place used to hold no such fears for the Tangerines.

As a veteran of many a trip up the A90, I have fond memories of Paul Sturrock, Ralph Milne and Eamonn Bannon going toe-to-toe with the greatest-ever Aberdeen side before landing a few knockout blows.

Heck, it wasn’t even that long ago – well, actually it seems like a lifetime – that a certain Gary Mackay-Steven inspired United to a thrilling 3-0 victory in August 2014.

Since then, under the wily guidance of former Tangerines captain and one-time Tannadice managerial interviewee Derek McInnes, Aberdeen have confidently claimed their place as Scotland’s second-top team while United have fallen far.

Billy Dodds, a hero for both clubs as a player, even suggested this week that losing the cup tie may not be a bad thing for Csaba Laszlo’s men because they would then be able to focus solely on trying to get promoted.

One thing that may surprise some in the Red Army is that the Dons have, at times, been getting cheered on from down here in the City of Discovery.

There may be some rivalry left over from the days of the New Firm – a term I have never embraced – and the battle of wits involving those managerial giants Sir Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean.

However, I personally have wished them well in their bid to mount at least some kind of challenge to Celtic over recent years and I’m sure a few United fans would say the same.

All that goodwill will disappear when the whistle blows on Sunday, of course. In their heart of hearts, the travelling supporters will be fearing the worst and you really can’t blame them the way their team has been performing.

The confident, even arrogant, brushing aside of runaway Championship leaders St Mirren by the Dons in the previous round was noted with some trepidation.

Indeed, United’s best hope may be that there doesn’t seem to be any hope.

It will almost come as a shock if they take the lead, for example, and the Dons players may be as stunned as everyone else if that happens.

Still, the likeliest outcome is a repeat of what happened that day back in 2014. No, not a United victory, but a goal for a smiling and victorious GMS.

Paul ThIRd

The meeting of the second best team in Scotland against the second best team in the Championship. There should only be one winner. But cup football, and New Firm derby cup ties in particular, have had a knack of throwing up surprises in the last couple of decades but it would be a huge shock if Dundee United knock Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie on Sunday.

Clearly United boss Csaba Laszlo doesn’t see it quite that way with his comments in The Courier earlier this week suggesting the Dons are only doing so well because they’ve had it easy in the last four years.

I can guarantee that remark will be used by his opposite number at Pittodrie in Sunday’s pre-match team talk by Derek McInnes.

United have had an inconsistent campaign in the second tier but for the Dons it has been another solid season in the Premiership.

Promotion is the big prize they crave but there is no doubting they have players who can hurt the Dons if there is any complacency.

Scott McDonald has been a thorn in Aberdeen’s side for years and even though he turns 35 this year he remains a threat.

The problem at United is consistency.

I watched the Tangerines in Ray McKinnon’s final game in charge in October when Inverness Caley Thistle ran out 2-0 winners at Tannadice.

It’s no exaggeration to say it could have been five that day.

The 6-1 defeat at Falkirk reinforces when United have an off day they really struggle and they can ill-afford that on Sunday.