Dundee United vs St.Johnstone 01/08/20

01 August 2020

Newly-promoted Dundee United entertain St. Johnstone at Tannadice Park in the opening match of their 2020/21 Scottish Premiership season.

Dundee United returned to the Premiership after a four-year absence following an impressive Championship campaign. Indeed, the ‘Terrors’ had a 14-point lead over second-placed Inverness before the coronavirus pandemic halted proceedings in Scotland. However, Micky Mellon’s men have endured a torrid time going into this season. They’ve picked up only one win from their last nine matches across various competitions (D5, L3), netting under 1.5 goals on six of those occasions. Although this will be their first H2H meeting in four years, St. Johnstone’s visit could stir some painful memories. Dundee have lost four of their last six competitive H2Hs (D1, L1), conceding precisely two goals in each of those defeats.

Meanwhile, the visitors finished seventh in the Premiership last year, avoiding defeat in the final seven league matches of the season (W3, D4). Four of those games featured under 2.5 goals, which has been true in three of their previous four trips to Dundee (W3, L1). The ‘clean-sheet’ theme remains quite significant, though, as five of St. Johnstone’s eight top-flight wins last year saw them shut out their opponent, which has been the case in seven of their previous eight away H2H results (W4, L4). Also, St. Johnstone’s hopes of landing three points will hinge on their ability to open the scoring. The ‘Saints’ failed to secure a triumph in all seven of their away Premiership games in which they shipped the opener last season (D3, L4).