Dundee United boss Jackie McNamara has confirmed Curtis Good will almost certainly miss next week’s eagerly-anticipated Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers.
The on-loan Newcastle defender played five times for the Tangerines after arriving at Tannadice at the end of January, establishing himself as a firm fixture in the starting XI.
However, that run of games came to a halt after Good injured his hip while on international duty for Australia in a friendly against Ecuador at the start of last month.
The 21-year-old had returned to his parent club for treatment and it looks highly likely he will not feature against Rangers.
McNamara said: “Curtis Good and Calum Butcher are struggling for the weekend. But apart from that everyone else is OK.
“We were hoping that Curtis might have a chance for next week against Rangers but that’s not looking like the case. He’s coming on slowly and is taking a bit longer than we hoped.”
Before next week’s game in Govan, there is the small matter of a lunchtime meeting with Premiership champions Celtic at Tannadice on Saturday to be negotiated.
McNamara insists his side will have to be at their best against a Hoops outfit that will not be slacking off, despite having the title wrapped up.
The manager said: “As always, we’re looking to get a positive result, especially at home. It should be a good game with an early kick-off and it’s one we’re all looking forward to.
“We want to give a good account of ourselves. Celtic have convincingly won the league with a lot of games to spare. But there’s still pressure there and demands from the fans who come to watch them every week. So we know we’ll need to be at the top of our game.
“You want to be part of it. That expectation will always be there at a club the size of Celtic. From their players’ point of view, they will want to be in the manager’s plans for next season.
“They drew at home to Ross County last weekend and there was the usual bit of a crisis. That’s just the nature of the beast. The players have to show they can handle it. It’s a mentality thing and they’re used to that.
“And that’s what players everywhere including ourselves have got to strive for in the long run.”