Full-back Paul Dixon is adamant Dundee United can handle the pressure of being at the top of the Championship.
As he’s remoulded his squad since the summer, Tangerines gaffer Ray McKinnon has done a very good job of keeping his team out of the limelight and ensuring they’ve been able to go about their business quietly.
On the back of a 14-game unbeaten run and hitting the top of the league for the first time this term, that’s changed.
Their lofty position and a looming top-of-the-table clash with Hibs a week tonight means there’s been more media attention over the past few days.
The experienced Dixon, though, does not see that as a problem. He’s convinced no amount of extra attention will stop United doing what they’ve been doing.
“For a start, I’m not going to lie to you — it was a nice feeling to sit there on Christmas Day on top of the table, so I’ll take what goes with it,” he said.
“It has been nice to be able to go along fairly quietly and just get on with our business without too much attention being paid to us.
“But if it’s us who are in the spotlight just now we can deal with that. We have plenty experienced boys who’ve been in situations like this and they will handle it.
“We can pass that experience on to the younger ones and make sure they know how to get on with things and just fully focus on the next game and nothing else.
“That’s the way the manager and his staff go about things every week and that’s how it will continue for the rest of the season.”
Dixon also points out United’s status in the Scottish game and their current situation means the spotlight would fall on them at some point.
He’s just glad it’s come because the team are doing well.
“Don’t forget the expectation has been there since the start because we were the team that came down from the Premiership last season.
“It’s always the case — people look at that team to see how they’ll do.
“Good or bad it was always going to come at a club the size of United, so it’s better like this when we are going well.”
That looming date with the Hibees means there will be even more attention focused on the squad next week. Right now, though, that game couldn’t be further from his mind.
“All we’re thinking about is Dumbarton. That’s the more important game because it’s the one up next. Until it’s out of the way nothing else matters.”
And although he was missing when the Tangerines suffered a shock defeat at the Sons back in August, he knows the memory of that game means full attention will have to be paid to this clash.
“I was out with my early-season injury that day,” he explained.
“I was still recovering and wasn’t even there but it wasn’t great by all accounts.
“There are games where you maybe play and deserve something out of them and get nothing but, from what the guys told me, that was a game where we got what we deserved.
“The positive from it was everyone learned quickly and we have improved a lot since then.
“It’s places like this we need to go to and games like last Saturday against St Mirren that we have to be able to battle to victories.
“That’s what we’ve been doing well since the last time at Dumbarton.
“This is a game where we need to be strong at the back and shut up shop for 90 minutes.
“If we can do that and give the boys up front the service they need, I’m sure they’ll do what they’re paid to do and get the goals to win. But we know it won’t be easy, no Championship games are.”
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