Defensive progress gives solid platform

Dundee United have conceded 16 goals during the first third of the Championship season.

Only two of those have been lost in the four matches Robbie Neilson has managed, the other 14 coming during Csaba Laszlo’s eight games.

There are several reasons why United look revived under Neilson, and the defensive improvement is certainly one of them.

If there was going to be a test of the new-found resilience of the rearguard it would have been on Saturday.

United were facing the threat of Stephen Dobbie, Queen of the South’s brilliantly prolific goalscorer.

That was challenging enough, but they then discovered a few minutes before kick-off that they would have to rejig things at the back.

Frederic Frans, having been named on the team sheet, pulled up injured during the warm-up and substitute William Edjenguele was promoted to starter.

So strong was the unit, though, that Edjenguele slotted in without a problem and a second successive clean sheet was duly secured.

In contrast, the Doonhamers’ defence looked a bag of nerves whenever the ball was played in United striker Pavol Safranko’s direction.

A third clean sheet against Ross County on Saturday – combined with another accomplished display from Safranko at the other end – and the gap between United and the Staggies could be down to a single point.