“We’ve just played Aberdeen twice and we’ve got Motherwell tomorrow, and credit goes to both of them for having good seasons. But, despite our league position, I don’t see any reason why we should not be up there next season,” said Ian.

“Right now, we are fighting for survival, but, if we can secure our SPL place, I think next season you will see us back fighting for a place in the top half of the table.”

He takes his team to Fir Park tomorrow accepting they need points and knowing that, for the first time since his arrival at Tannadice just over two years ago, there is daylight between the two teams in the SPL.

“Until now, we’ve had similar seasons since I came here. The first year we were 11th and they were 12th, then, last season, it was fifth and sixth.

“Even this season, we’ve both done well in the cup competitions, with them reaching the final of the CIS Cup and us getting to two semis. There is a gap in the league this time, and that is because they have achieved more consistency than we have and you take your hat off to them.

“We are still going there confident we have the ability to get a result in a one-off game and, if we do, it will not have been a bad week. We played very well and got a great result on Sunday and, although we then lost on Wednesday, we did not play badly.”

United are set to be boosted by the return to an injury-hit defence of David McCracken for the first time in a month. He will be a timely replacement for the suspended Paul Ritchie, who is serving an automatic one-match ban after his red card on Wednesday night.

“David will be OK to play and my only concern with him is that he has not had a game for a month now. However, he has recovered from his injury and is naturally fit.

“Given our situation, playing him is a risk we have to take.”

Meanwhile, it was hoped there would be a surprise inclusion in the squad for top scorer Jim McIntyre. An absentee since injuring an ankle against Inverness Caley Thistle in the middle of last month, he was not due back until next week’s trip to Kilmarnock, but had recovered more quickly than expected.

However, a throat infection has put paid to any chance the striker has of facing the Steelmen, while Derek McInnes remains a week away from a comeback.

“Derek is on course to be ready for next week and just seeing him getting close to returning is a boost,” added Ian

McIntyre’s deputy for the last couple of games, Jason Scotland, had to come off with a toe injury against Aberdeen on Wednesday night, but he is expected to be OK.