Rachid Bouhenna may have only recently arrived but he already knows how vital a fit Fraser Fyvie can be to Dundee United.
Fyvie came off the bench to score a last-gasp equaliser for the Tangerines against Morton on Saturday, signalling his return to first-team action after a long-term knee injury.
That cameo role was enough to convince the midfielder’s new Algerian teammate that he will be hugely influential this season.
Bouhenna, who was making his debut for United in central defence said, “Fraser has the experience and when he came onto the pitch he helped us.
“He is good for us and I hope in the next game he can continue to help us if he is in the starting side or comes on as a substitute.”
United head to Falkirk to face the side managed by their former boss Ray McKinnon.
The Bairns currently sit bottom of the Championship without a point to their name and having chucked away a two-goal lead to lose at Ayr.
Nevertheless, this still looks like a tough test for under-pressure manager Csaba Laszlo and his struggling players.
Bouhenna agrees, adding: “Away from home it will be very difficult.
“You saw in the last game at Alloa that you can’t play because of a difficult pitch.
“Of course, for Dundee United the objective is to go to the top league, the Premiership, so we have to win these games at home and get results away.
“On Saturday we lost two points.
“We need to win the supporters back this weekend at Falkirk and I hope next year we will play in the top tier.
“After the game I thought it was a good match but we had many chances to score and didn’t take them.
“It’s good to come back to draw but for the next game we have win if we want to stay near the top of the Championship.”
Bouhenna’s debut was marred by his giving away the penalty that gave Morton the lead on Saturday but he thought he did well enough on his first start.
He said: “It was an OK debut, I think.
“There was only really the foul for the penalty – I can’t believe it.
“I don’t think it was (a penalty) as he did not have the ball and we are in a duel.”
