Mark McGhee confident Dundee can win their survival battle

Posted Sunday, April 10, 2022 by PA

Dundee manager Mark McGhee insists his side’s stunning derby comeback shows they believe they can win their battle to stay in the cinch Premiership after the 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice.

Dundee United had taken a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Nicky Clark and Charlie Mulgrew, but the Dark Blues hit back through Danny Mullen and skipper Charlie Adam to secure a point.

The result confirmed United’s top-six finish while bottom-of-the-table Dundee have now closed the gap on 11th-placed St Johnstone to five points.

And Dens boss McGhee is adamant that Dundee can beat the drop against all the odds.

The 64-year-old said: “There is a belief we can survive.

“Unless you have that you don’t get back into games like we did today.

“I think there is a spirit and a belief about them that one of these days they will win a football match.

“We didn’t feel sorry for ourselves when we went two goals down, we got back up again and fought our way back into the game.

“We are scoring goals again, that’s four in the last two games, and that’s massively important.

“Before there were games we thought we had to score first and when we didn’t you worried about how we would score.

“But now we have shown we’re capable of coming back, the belief is there and we feel we can get goals.

“We know we have to beat St Johnstone when we play them and win one more game than them, but it is only one more game and before today it was more than that.

“So it could be a really valuable point and means we go into the break before the split knowing we are in good form.

“We can take heart from that and we will come out fighting in the next five games.”

Dundee United head coach Tam Courts admitted he was frustrated despite his side securing a top-six finish.

The 40-year-old fully expected his team to extend their advantage against Dundee but instead had to watch on helplessly as McGhee’s men clawed their way back into the game.

Courts said: “At this moment in time there is frustration to go 2-0 up, with the experience, quality and know-how we have.

“I fully expected us to add a third and fourth but for whatever reason it wasn’t just the defensive line, the team retreated and thought it was job done.

“We had two of the best chances after that but I am still bitterly disappointed at this stage.”