Peter Houston is set to unleash a revitalised Prince Buaben on Raith Rovers this weekend.
The United boss gave Buaben a break against St Johnstone on Monday night — leaving him on the bench until the last 15 minutes.
He reckons the benefits of that will be seen on Sunday.
“Prince had been suffering from an in-growing toe-nail but that was fixed ahead of the Saints,” said Houston.
“However, he’d had a trying time of it with his father dying.
“And having seen the good being left out of the Motherwell game had done Morgaro Gomis, I decided it would be good to give Prince a rest.
“I didn’t want to use him at all at McDiarmid Park but Danny Swanson was getting tired so we put him on for the last wee while.
“He looked full of energy and was good to see because we are short of central midfield options with Davie Robertson and Scott Robertson being injured.”
Five United players — Paul Dixon, Dusan Pernis, Danny Swanson, Darren Dods and David Goodwillie — go into Sunday knowing that if they are booked and the Tangerines progress they’ll miss the final.
Only two Rovers players — Grant Murray and Allan Walker — are in the same boat.Casalinuovo eagerMeanwhile, Damian Casalinuovo has revealed that he heard all about Hampden while growing up in Argentina.
Now the Dundee United striker is dreaming of playing at the venue where Diego Maradona scored his first international goal and made his managerial bow with the Argentinian national side.
Maradona lit up the friendly with Scotland back in 1979 and our national stadium’s place in Argentine football folklore was cemented when 16 months ago he took charge of the current crop of players for the first time.
Casalinuovo revealed treading the Hampden turf on Sunday would fulfil a lifelong ambition.
“Everyone in Argentina was watching when Maradona had his first game in charge against Scotland,” he said.
“It is also where he scored his first goal for the national team so it is a special place in the history of Argentinian football.
“Back home everyone knows the name of Hampden and that it is a great stadium.
“For me to play in the same place as Maradona scored would be amazing.”