Dunfermline manager Allan Johnston believes the pressure will be on Robbie Neilson and his Dundee United side when they visit East End Park.
The Pars have been struggling to find goals and form at home but Johnston insists it is the Tangerines who will carry the greatest burden of expectation into tomorrow’s Championship clash.
He said: “Robbie has come in as a new manager there and it always helps when you get a win in your first game (against Partick Thistle).
“They then got a frustrating draw last weekend against Inverness so they will be desperate to go and get the three points.
“I would say they have started well since he has been the manager but there is a lot of pressure on United.
“The expectation is that they need to come up.
“They have spent a lot of money this year so I think there is a lot of pressure on them.”
The Pars, of course, got the better of Csaba Laszlo’s United side in the league opener at Tannadice but Johnston feels this game will be a very different proposition to that 3-2 win, particularly as the Tangerines now pose more of a goal threat.
“I think it’s a different United team,” added Johnston.
“They have good players and I really like the look of their striker (Pavol) Safranko.
“He looks a top player and a real threat in and around the box.
“We will have to cut off the supply to him because if we give him half a chance he looks like he will take it.
“The big striker is a totally different option as they never really had anything like that at the start of the season.
“So, it’s going to be a totally different game.
“It has always been a good game, any time United have come here.
“It’s been close but it would be nice to come out on top, especially at home.
“I think it will be more of an open match than we have had of late.
“Both teams will want to go and win it, rather than in the last couple of games where teams have just sat in and made it difficult, hoping for one chance from a set-piece or a long ball over the top.
“United are different.
“Their fans will expect them to go and attack and try to win the game.
“As I said, they have aspirations to try to win the league so we know it’s going to be a difficult game.”
Johnston wants his players to be much more ruthless in front of goal having lost to Queens despite dominating possession.
“We have to start punishing teams, especially at home, because that’s been our problem,” he said.
“The home form, for whatever reason, is not good enough.
“Away from home, we have actually done quite well.
“In the four games we’ve played in the league, it’s two wins, a draw and a defeat.
“But at home it’s just not been good enough.
“We are not scoring enough goals so we have to get back on track.”
Meanwhile, Kallum Higginbotham is getting closer to a return and played 70 minutes in the reserves this week.
However, Johnston added: “I don’t think Lewis Martin is going to be available.
“He missed the reserve game with a back spasm and he’s still struggling a wee bit from that.
“Other than that, I think we’ll be fine.”
