Ian Harkes hopes Dundee United can take advantage of any fatigue St Johnstone may have when the two sides meet on Sunday.

While Tam Courts' side had a full week to prepare for the cinch Premiership encounter at McDiarmid Park, domestic double cup winners Saints were in Austria for the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-off tie against LASK.

Callum Davidson's men emerged with an encouraging 1-1 draw ahead of the return game in Perth next week.

"It is definitely going to be tough game," United midfielder Harkes, 26, told DUTV.

"St Johnstone are in good form from last season, getting top six, getting into Europe and doing well in the cup competitions.

"I think they will play with a lot of confidence.

"Hopefully they had a lot taken out of them in Europe and we can go into them with high pressure, high energy and hopefully get after them right away.

"Hopefully we can use that, get after them right away and play our game.

"But we have to give them the respect they deserve and it will be a tough game."

The former DC United player, who joined the Tannadice club in January 2019, helped the Terrors to a ninth-place finish last season on their return to the top flight and is looking for improvement from the club and also himself this season.

He said: "If you look at the way the table finished, us and a few other teams were just a couple of points away from top six.

"We know we could have done better and demand more of ourselves so that is the goal and aim for this club, to be in their (Saints) position next year.

"As a midfielder you have to be looking to add the goals, assists and final balls to your game.

"That is something I need to be better at and need to continue to work at, to improve.

"That is one of my goals and objectives for the season. I am always trying to improve and I think that is the mentality of the whole group."