Ross County and Dundee United face off in Dingwall on Saturday afternoon in a crucial relegation battle between the Scottish Premiership's bottom two.
Malky Mackay's hosts currently sit 11th in the relegation playoff spot, one point above rock-bottom Dundee United, who have the benefit of a game in hand.
Match preview
© Reuters
St Mirren's Declan Gallagher thundered in the only goal of Ross County's 1-0 defeat last weekend before Owura Edwards was shown a stoppage-time red card.
County have claimed just one victory from their last 12 matches across all competitions, drawing three times and losing as many as eight since November.
The reverse against St Mirren was County's 15th loss of the season, two more than they suffered en route to a fifth-placed finish last term.
This steep decline has undoubtedly been influenced by the summer departure of last season's top scorer Regan Charles-Cook, with the Staggies ranking as the Premiership's lowest goal-getters in the absence of the Lewisham-born Grenada international.
© Reuters
Dundee United were eight minutes away from ending a four-game losing sequence at home to St Johnstone last weekend until goalkeeper Mark Birighitti was caught dawdling in possession by Stevie May, who tackled the ball into the net of the red-faced custodian.
Liam Fox, Dundee United's 39-year-old manager, may have underplayed his side's plight when describing the club's situation as "a wee bit difficult" last weekend.
United have only earned one league victory away from home all season, beating St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park in January courtesy of a goal from Tony Watt shortly before the striker joined St Mirren on loan last month.
Fans of the Tangerines made their less-than-flattering opinion of the coach abundantly apparent last weekend and at the club's AGM on Tuesday but Dundee United owner, Mark Ogren, backed the team "to come together and figure this thing out".
Ross County are winless in their last six matches against Dundee United and have not won a league game at home to the Tangerines since 2015.
Team News
© Reuters
Mackay could have few complaints about the late red card Edwards was shown in the closing stages of County's defeat to St Mirren last weekend, earning the 21-year-old a weekend off.
Ben Purrington and Ben Paton are also expected to miss out until March while they nurse ankle and knee injuries respectively.
Gwion Edwards could make up for the absence of his suspended namesake after the on-loan Wigan winger produced a bright cameo off the bench against St Mirren.
Dundee United goalkeeper Birighitti endured a calamitous error last weekend but the team's undisputed number one will be a huge absence if he fails to recover from an injury sustained in the defeat to St Johnstone.
Fox rejigged his side into a 4-3-3 for the first time since August last weekend as United dominated possession and were unfortunate to trudge away empty-handed.
The increasingly scrutinised manager may stick with the more positive approach but can scarcely afford another defeat in this all-important relegation scrap.
Ross County possible starting lineup:
Laidlaw; Watson, Iacovitti, Baldwin; Edwards, Kenneh, Loturi, Harmon; Dhanda; Murray, White
Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Birighitti; Smith, Ayina, Mulgrew, Behich; Sibbald, Djoum, Levitt; McGrath, Fletcher, Fotheringham
We say: Ross County 1-0 Dundee United
In this tussle between two desperate strugglers, Ross County may just edge out their poor visitors, piling even more pressure on Fox as Dundee United are threatened with their first relegation since 2016.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Grey Whitebloom
