Jim Goodwin insists he’ll be shocked if Dundee United’s main central defensive pair are not named in the Championship team of the season.
The centre-half pairing of Declan Gallagher and Kevin Holt has been the foundation for much of the table-topping Terrors’ success so far in this campaign.
Gallagher did miss five games at the start of this year due to groin surgery with Ross Graham deputising.
However, once the Scotland international had recovered, he was reunited with Holt and United have now kept clean sheets in their last two games.
Goodwin said: “We were very strong in that department at the start of the season.
“I think we only conceded something like seven goals in the opening 15 or 16 games.
“I do think Gallagher going out of the team played a part in the shape of the team.
“Nothing against Ross Graham who did excellently in his position but you miss the leadership qualities sometimes of those senior players and Gallagher certainly brings a calmness to the situation.”
Goodwin added: “The two boys have been key in terms of the season we have had up until now.
“We have not lost many games or conceded many goals and they have played a huge part in that.
“They have real leadership qualities between the two of them and give us great balance as well within the team.
“I will be surprised if both of those players weren’t in the Championship team of the season because they have been outstanding.”
The nail-biting Championship title race continued on Tuesday night with United’s title rivals Raith Rovers beating Partick Thistle 1-0 at Firhill.
The result moved Ian Murray’s men back to within one point of the Terrors with both sides having played the same amount of games.
However, Goodwin insists his full focus is on Friday night’s clash with Dunfermline at East End Park.
The Irishman said: “I watched the game and I expected Raith to win and it panned out that way.
“Of course we are aware of how well Raith are doing but we are in control of our own situation.
“So we will just focus on the next game.
“Any time we have played Dunfermline they have been really tight games and we are expecting the same on Friday night.”
United will be without the injured David Wotherspoon.
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