The Betfred Cup campaign was difficult and disappointing but Csaba Laszlo believes Dundee United are ready for the big kick off in the Championship.
The Tangerines never looked like qualifying from the group stages of the cup but did get a needed boost when they hammered four past Elgin in their final tie last weekend.
It is, though, the progress his new-look team has made over all four games that has persuaded the manager they can compete at the top of the second tier.
And the aim is to show that when in-form Dunfermline visit Tannadice today.
“It is always the same, if you win a game everybody thinks and says we are ready. If you lose the game you have big problems,” he said.
“But we have been working in games and training and, generally, I believe we are ready.
“This is the first league game and we have to keep the three points at home. This is our target and it is looking possible.”
What Csaba won’t do, though, is underestimate a Pars side that won all their Betfred outings, including an eye-catching win just over the road at top flight Dundee.
“Dunfermline are a good team and in the last two games they have scored a lot of goals,” he added.
“In the front they are dangerous. They have two new strikers who score goals and we must be very careful what we do in the pitch.”
United hope to be able to hand striker Craig Curran his debut after he missed all four Betfred games because of a dead leg.
A decision is likely to be made by the end of today on whether or not trialist Toni Vastic will be offered a contract.
The Austrian striker has been training with the squad for the past week.
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