Jim Goodwin hails Dundee United reaction after hitting back to beat Motherwell

Posted Sunday, April 16, 2023 by PA

Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin believes his team are moving in the right direction after registering back-to-back victories in the cinch Premiership.

The Tannadice side recovered from going a goal behind to defeat Motherwell 2-1 at Fir Park.

Their latest success moves the Terrors off the foot of the table and they now sit above the relegation play-off spot in 10th place.

“I’m really pleased, I thought we played well today and were better in possession of the ball than we have been in the five games since I came in,” Goodwin said.

“The reaction was really pleasing, the atmosphere in the dressing at half-time was positive and there was still a lot of belief in the group.

“The mindset after we got the equaliser wasn’t to be content with taking a point. We really believed that Motherwell were there for the taking.”

United will now look to league leaders Celtic to do them a favour when they visit Kilmarnock tomorrow.

Goodwin’s side hold a slender goal difference advantage over Killie, having played one more league game.

“I think physiologically the result will have a really big impact on the group, the big thing for me is that it’s now in our own hands,” Goodwin added.

“Obviously, Kilmarnock are capable of causing an upset tomorrow, especially at Rugby Park on that pitch, but if Celtic go there and win we end up in 10th which is a very positive step in the right direction in our own view.

“If we can finish this campaign on a positive note and continue on the good run of form we are on then we can take ourselves completely out of the drop zone – we don’t want to be involved in the play-off in the summer.

“We aren’t going to get carried away, we don’t think for one minute that we are safe, we’ll be back to work on Monday and work just as hard as we have in recent weeks.”

Motherwell led at the break through Kevin van Veen’s goal, but were undone in the second half by an Ilmari Niskanen finish and a Jamie McGrath equaliser.

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell felt his side fell below their best.

“We had plenty of chances in the game, certainly had lots of opportunities, I just felt between the two penalty boxes we were a little bit lethargic, we certainly didn’t have the same levels of energy that we have recently,” he said.

“I felt we were the architects of our downfall in stages, just by being loose in possession and making a couple of poor choices.

“I’m not having a knee-jerk reaction to losing a game at home or changing my message to anyone – we still need to win games of football.”