Ray McKinnon has highlighted the role his full-backs will play in making Dundee United serious promotion challengers.
And it’s why he’s delighted to have experienced left-back Paul Dixon back fit.
“He was up and down that flank all afternoon last Saturday — he must have been to the byline 20 times.
“For a player who’d been out injured for a while, his fitness was unbelievable.
“I thought Lewis Toshney did well, too, both defending and getting down that line.
“It’s easy to forget he’s missed a few training sessions and part of the pre-season because of injuries.
“The way we want to play the two full-backs have to be really fit because we want them getting forward throughout the 90 minutes.
“When Dicker is in the sort of form he was at the weekend he is excellent and he is a big player for us.
“It’s great we’ve got young Jamie Robson who can come in like he’s done for the past few weeks and we know we can rely on him to do a good job.”
Meanwhile, United have a mystery injury problem for the return to Championship hostilities at Dunfermline on Saturday.
Ray has confirmed one of his squad will be missing at East End Park.
“Ninety-five per cent of the boys are fine but we do have one injured and he won’t play.
“Right now I’m not going to say who it is and the rest of the squad is good, so I’ll have options.”
One of those will be attacker Tope Obadeyi, who is expected to return to duty.
The Englishman missed the weekend’s extra-time Irn Bru Cup win over Peterhead because of a back injury but will make the Champion-ship encounter with the Pars.
“Tope hurt it last week and that’s what ruled him out on Saturday but it’s nothing serious — and I expect to have him available,” said Ray.
United are still awaiting confirmation of when their Irn Bru Cup fourth-round trip to Stranraer will go ahead.
Ties are listed for the weekend of October 8 and 9, though the Friday evening is also a possibility for games being shown live on BT Sport.
With the teams from Northern Ireland and Wales entering the competition at this stage the chances of United being on the box look slim.
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