Dundee United lifted spirits with a recent victory against Peterhead, providing Jim Goodwin with the momentum he needs to overcome Falkirk and maintain their slight hopes in the League Cup.
Their fall from the Premiership was followed by a dismal start to the new season under Goodwin’s leadership, marked by losses to Spartans and Partick Thistle in their initial two League Cup group matches.
However, the tide seemed to turn over the weekend. New recruit Louis Moult marked his arrival with a goal in a convincing 3-0 triumph over Peterhead at Tannadice, lessening some of the burden on United’s manager.
Meanwhile, Falkirk played out a 2-2 draw with Partick Thistle and subsequently earned the bonus point by winning the penalty shoot-out. This puts John McGlynn’s team in the second spot in the group, two points ahead of Dundee United, while also having played one game fewer.
A victory for Goodwin’s squad would propel them above Falkirk into the second position, although progressing to the knockout stages remains a challenge, especially as the Bairns have an outstanding game against Peterhead.
The focus this season for both teams is on the league, with Dundee United striving to reclaim their Premiership status and Falkirk aiming to break free from their stint in League One. Nevertheless, a successful cup run could boost morale, and currently, it’s Falkirk showing a stronger form after defeating Spartans and tying with Partick.
From the bookies’ perspective, despite their rocky season start, Dundee United are favored to win this match, with bet365 offering 29/20. Falkirk, however, appears undervalued at 13/5 with 88sport.
Looking at their past confrontations, the last time these teams battled was in the 2018/19 Championship season, with Dundee United remaining unbeaten and winning three out of the four matches. The Bairns have only triumphed once over the Tannadice team in their last 11 encounters, but that victory was a substantial 6-1 thrashing on their home ground in 2018.
