Scottish Championship: Dundee Utd close to title but why so little fanfare?

Dundee United are tantalizingly close to a right away return to the Scottish Premiership, with around 10,000 fans expecting their team to successfully win the title against Ayr United on Saturday.

United were already five points ahead of their city rivals once they won the title last season – with three games remaining – but Tannadice hasn’t all the time seemed a completely satisfied place.

Three defeats in six games in February and March didn’t help, but they seem to be small specks on an otherwise impressive record. So why hasn’t it all the time been this manner?

Manager Jim Goodwin said on Friday he didn’t expect “too many pats on the back” because Manchester United is “where everyone would expect us to be.” But upon closer inspection, they got there in some style.

Dundee United? Or Real Madrid?

Championship veteran Ryan Stevenson compared United to Real Madrid A podcast about Scottish football.

And while Manchester United have a 100% success rate against Barcelona, ​​Stevenson was actually referring to the flexibility of Carlo Ancelotti’s side to emerge at key moments of the season. Much like Goodwin’s fate.

Just when things were starting to get ugly within the Championship – with Raith Rovers just a degree down and with a game in hand – United found an additional boost to improve their already impressive season of statistics and get back on the right track.

• They scored 11 goals within the last three matches, including two within the victory over the title rival from Fife
• Goodwin’s men conceded just once during this time, and their tally of twenty-two goals is healthier only than SPFL’s Falkirk
• This puts them on pace to beat their best end in the Championship within the last decade – 25 points scored by Hibernian within the 2016-17 season
• United scored 68 goals, a tally last bettered only by Rangers within the 2015/16 season
• Apart from the Old Firm, only Falkirk have scored more goals this season
• Attacking quartet Louis Moult, Tony Watt, Kai Fotheringham and Glenn Middleton have 44 goals within the league – a combined total greater than six other teams have scored
• Manchester United won a club record 12 away games this season

The indisputable fact that Raith has managed to sustain with the team for so long is a testament to the strong season that Ian Murray’s side have had.

Perhaps the lack to shake off the Fifers played its part within the unrest that clouded United for much of the term. It’s the same story with disappointing cup exits to League 1 teams.

Two defeats in direct meetings with title rivals and one other one the acute opposite in Fife against Dunfermline Athletic last month allowed Raith to stay in contact. Just like A humiliation of the home by the people of Airdrieon At the identical time.

However, Murray’s men were equally poor on the time, culminating in a 2-0 defeat at Tannadice that gave United a lift.

“My players were able to withstand the level of scrutiny we faced,” Goodwin said Friday. “It shows the character that can survive this difficult period and finish the season strong.”

Rovers’ 1-0 win away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Friday means United cannot officially secure the title the subsequent day, but their goal difference is such that another win will do the trick and won’t depend on on further mistakes of the team from Kirkcaldy.

United might be looking to do it in style and on their very own, but a more in-depth take a look at the numbers shows their campaign has been hugely impressive.