Match Preview: Dundee United
MORTON versus Dundee United
Saturday 6 May 2017
Cappielow Park, Greenock
Kick-off 3pm
Match Preview
Morton host Dundee United at Cappielow this afternoon as they bring down the curtain on the 2016/17 Ladbrokes Championship league campaign.
It is not an end to the Ton’s season, however, with the quarter-finals of the Premiership promotion play-offs taking place on Tuesday and Friday of next week.
Coincidentally, Jim Duffy’s men could potentially face today’s opponents in that showdown, taking their head-to-head meetings to three in the space of six days and seven for the campaign in all competitions.
That, though, will all depend on both this afternoon’s outcome and the result between Dumbarton and second-placed Falkirk, as Dundee United could still finish ahead of the Bairns and enter the play-offs at the semi-final stage.
The Greenock men’s league placing cannot change and so today’s encounter will be all about aiming to score a morale-boosting win on home turf as a springboard for the play-offs.
Manager’s Thoughts
Jim Duffy told gmfc.net: “It’s the final game of the official calendar and it’s a good game to finish with. Dundee United are on the top clubs in the country with a terrific squad of players. It’s always good to play these types of games.
“It might be the case we play them again next week. We don’t know that yet, and I suppose it all depends on how today goes with Falkirk having a say in that too.
“In terms of today’s game it’s unusual circumstances because we have the play-offs the following week and it could well be against the same opponents.
“So there’s an element of looking at the game slightly differently then you might have had if it was the official last game of the season.
“The fact is we’re going to have at least another two games, and we’ll do what we did last week, which is assess the squad and we’ll change a few players and give boys an opportunity to hopefully enhance my options for the play-offs.
“You’ve got to get the balance right between being competitive and making sure that you go about your jobs and understand that there are big games ahead in the following week.”
Team News
Long-term absentees Jai Quitongo and Conor Pepper are the only players who have been ruled out of today’s match through injury. However, manager Jim Duffy may took the opportunity to fresh things up ahead of the play-offs.
Current Connections
Striker Kudus Oyenuga spent two seasons at Tannadice between 2013 and 2015, making one first-team appearance for Dundee United before going out on loan to Boreham Wood and Cowdenbeath.
Recent Meetings
Tue 20 Sep 2016: Morton 2-1 Dundee United (League Cup, quarter-finals)
Sat 24 Sep 2016: Dundee United 2-1 Morton (Ladbrokes Championship)
Sat 19 Nov 2016: Morton 0-0 Dundee United (Ladbrokes Championship)
Sat 25 Feb 2017: Dundee United 1-1 Morton (Ladbrokes Championship)
Last Time Out
Skipper Lee Kilday gave the Greenock men the lead with a thumping header from a Ross Forbes corner, but a fortuitous Mark Durnan leveller rescued a point for the Tangerines.
Officials
Referee: John Beaton
Assistant one: Anthony Cooper
Assistant two: Liam Butler
Supporters Notes
Entry is pay at the gate and admission prices are:
Adult – £18
Concession – £15
Child aged 12 to 16 – £5
Child under 12 accompanied by an adult – Free
Image: David Bell
