| Having kept six clean sheets in their nine competitive games so far and, despite losing three to Gretna last week, United head west with the meanest defensive record in the top flight. For the likes of goalkeeper Gregorz Szamotulski, Prince Bauben, Willo Flood and Jordan Robertson, however, facing the Old Firm in Glasgow is going to be a trip into the unknown.
He will only know for sure how they handle it once the 90 minutes are up, but Craig Levein is backing them to take the occasion in their stride.
“They are all the right type of boys and I do not think that side of going to a place like Celtic will faze them too much,” he said.
“To be frank about it, they should be able to handle the atmosphere and they should be looking forward to it. If you don’t want to be performing on a stage like this, then you should not be a professional footballer.”
Craig was impressed by Dundee’s CIS Cup effort against Celtic on Wednesday, but knows the Hoops in their own back yard can represent a different proposition.
“Dundee did well and Celtic showed them great respect by fielding their strongest available side. But this is going to be a completely different game and they are an even more formidable side down there.”
With Barry Robson and Morgaro Gomis recovering from knocks picked up in the midweek CIS success over Falkirk, the manager has the option of fielding an unchanged side and Robson is expected to continue to fill in at left-back.
While that is an unfamiliar role for him, the skipper did well there at the Falkirk Stadium and was in that position when United came away from Glasgow’s East End with a 3-3 draw the season before last.
Craig, meanwhile, was reasonably happy with the CIS Cup quarter-final draw that paired his men with First Division leaders Hamilton — the tie goes ahead at Tannadice on October 31. “The big thing is that it is home, but it is not an easy draw. I’ve had them watched a few times because they have players I think can do a job in the SPL and I know they are a good side.” |
