Dundee United defender Garry Kenneth looks like losing his battle to be fit to face Slask Wroclaw.
Manager Peter Houston has finalised his plans for Thursday and it now looks like the Tangerines are set to take the field without their giant centre-half.
Kenneth picked up a hamstring injury in the pre-season game in Ireland against Bohemians and has also felt pain in his knee.
He has been having further treatment on the joint but the signs are not good.
Houston said, “Garry is getting a scan to check the nerve behind his knee. To be honest, we have done our planning and done a lot of our work. We have worked on our formation and how we are going to play, so I would say he is very doubtful for the game.”
The likely absence of Kenneth will be compounded by not having fellow casualties Danny Swanson and Scott Robertson available.
Despite being depleted, Houston insisted the Tangerines will still try to take the game to the Poles.
“We are down to the bare bones numbers-wise,” he said. “I have a set of experienced players who will all be involved but there will be a few kids on the bench who the fans won’t even know.”
He added, “We do have a good side that we can put out on the park, though, and we are going there to look for a good result. The aim is to get something to bring back to Tannadice.
“We won’t be going there to camp on the edge of our box because you just invite trouble doing that. Of course when we lose the ball we will need to defend properly but we will go there looking to score goals.”‘Our fans will be heard’United will take just under 500 supporters their full allocation to Poland and Houston is banking on them giving his players a lift during the game.
He said, “Our fans will be heard. Whether it was at Oban last week or over in Ireland earlier on in pre-season, they always created a good atmosphere and got behind the lads.
“It is great they have sold out all the tickets and we are expecting great support from them on Thursday.”
The forecast for the match is for sunny spells and temperatures rising close to 30C. With the kick-off being 4.45pm local time (an hour earlier back home), the Tangerines could be sweltering during the game.
Houston said, “If it is going to be hot then we will just have to make sure we are full of fluids and take care of that side of it.”