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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Sunday's derby away to Dundee in the Premiership.
Here are the main points:
- Goodwin has relished having a free midweek: "We've been able to get a bit of energy and freshness into the squad."
- After having to play nine games in five weeks, due to rearranged fixtures, Goodwin feels "things could have been managed better by the league".
- And while the United boss admits that "sounds like excuses", the break has been "worthwhile" for his side.
- United are two points ahead of their city rivals in the table and the manager is hopeful "we can extend that gap at the weekend".
- While United only have the faintest of top-six hopes, Goodwin says "we've still got an outside chance" and will "keep fighting".
- The United boss isn't "overly pleased with sitting seventh" and insists the club "want to be a consistent top-six team and we believe we have the infrastructure and the fanbase to do that".
- On the derby occasion, Goodwin stresses "we all know what this fixture means to the supporters" but he warns it is a "different" Dundee side to the one they beat at Dens in August.
- He knows "it will be a battle, it will be 100 miles per hour at times" but insists United are "ready for it".
- While Goodwin expects "a blood and thunder game", he says "nobody in football wants to see the kind of scenes we saw last weekend" when the Old Firm derby was marred by fan disorder.
- After Dundee boss Steven Pressley admitted he doesn't enjoy derby fixtures, the United boss says: "I love being involved in these big games… you've got to look forward to these types of games."
- After their Scottish Cup exit to Falkirk last week, Goodwin's side "want to restore a bit of pride" and "the best way to do that is go and win your next game".
- The 44-year-old feels "these games are ultimately decided by the team that does the basics better". He has "no concerns about creating chances" but is looking for his side to have "a solid base defensively".
- There are no new injuries for United.
