Sam Stanton vows not to use injuries as excuse as Dundee United eye bounce back

Posted Monday, January 01, 2018 by PA

Dundee United midfielder Sam Stanton vowed not to use injuries as an excuse as his side look to make up ground on Ladbrokes Championship leaders St Mirren.

United have lost Fraser Fyvie and Scott Fraser to long-term injury in recent days with the latter needing surgery to correct a broken foot suffered during Friday's 2-0 defeat by St Mirren, who moved five points clear.

Another two midfielders, Willo Flood and Paul McMullan, both went off in Paisley after sustaining knocks with Lewis Toshney and Jordie Briels still on the treatment table, although Stewart Murdoch could return for Tuesday's visit of Brechin.

Stanton told Arabzone: "There's a lot of injuries and it's just part of football unfortunately, and we are getting them all at the same time it appears.

"But it's no excuse. We've got good players who can come in. We have won without (key) players in the team before so we are not using it as an excuse."

United have experienced trouble against Brechin this season, needing an 80th-minute Scott McDonald goal to settle the bottom club's previous trip to Tannadice before seeing City claim one of their three points in a Glebe Park draw.

Stanton said: "It was very disappointing on Friday night but luckily we have a game on Tuesday where we can get some points back. There is plenty of time to get the points back."

St Mirren hope to have Gavin Reilly back in their squad after illness for the Renfrewshire derby at Cappielow.

Morton had a free weekend when their trip to Dumbarton was called off but boss Jim Duffy claimed he would rather have played.

"You want games played," he told his club's official website. "Ultimately, I might have had to utilise the squad a bit more, but that's what it's there for and that's what you do.

"Obviously St Mirren played against Dundee United on the Friday and got a terrific result, and that gives you an advantage because you're playing a game and you've won it and your confidence is high.

"That's a better way to go into a game than not having a game - but from our point of view, it doesn't make too much difference.

"When it comes to the game, to a derby against St Mirren, then all that stuff doesn't matter anyway."

There will be added spice to the derby between Dunfermline and Falkirk at East End Park after Bairns pair Joe McKee and Kevin O'Hara both received lengthy bans for taunting Pars midfielder Dean Shiels over the loss of an eye.

The pair complete their suspension on Tuesday but Shiels is one of four players sent off in the fixture this season, three of them from Dunfermline.

Dunfermline goalkeeper Sean Murdoch said: "Dean is a senior pro and has had a fantastic career but we just need to focus on the game now. We need all 11 men on the park, we don't want (one) wound up by what happened in the past."

Elsewhere, Queen of the South host Dumbarton and Livingston travel to Inverness.