Craig Sibbald eyes Dundee United dream double over Rangers and Aberdeen to book Euro party

Daily Record

13-05-2025

United are fifth in the table but St Miren are chasing hard in the hunt for a shot at European football next term
Craig Sibbald wants Dundee United to finish on a high by wrapping up a European place in style starting with a dream double.
United sit fifth in the table and remain favourites to qualify for Europe, although chasing St Mirren have ramped up the pressure in recent weeks.
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Jim Goodwin's side head to Rangers on Wednesday evening and then entertain Aberdeen on Saturday and the midfielder believes his side should be going for glory with two wins.
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Sibbald stated: 'The boys are all confident. We've had a wee blip recently but every game is tough in the top six and we've been doing really well up until that.
'We just need to learn from the mistakes and try and put them behind us and learn from that and just try and get the three points against Rangers. It's just about finishing on a high.
'Obviously, we've not had a good start to the top six games but who's to say we can't finish on a high and get maximum points from the next two games?
'Yes, it's a close-knit team anyway so we're all right together until the final game.
'Hopefully, we can just put on good performances and learn from the mistakes that have happened in the last couple of games and finish on a high.
'We are disappointed with the result but like you said it's in our hands and we're sitting well on the table.
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'We just need to learn from our mistakes and try and implement those things going into the next game, to try to do better and get the three points.'
The Tannadice side has been in the top half most of the season and now the newly-promoted team has to finish the job it has started, so spectacularly.
The midfielder, who played in the last European game against AZ Alkmaar, acknowledged: 'There was a kind of pride within ourselves to get a result out of the next two games.
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'It's kind of down to ourselves and we want to finish the season on a high.
'Slightly, yes, but all in all I think we've had a really good season and we can be proud of where we are now.
'A team promoted from the Championship, it's not happened a lot to be sitting in the top six.
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'So we're proud of that and we just need to go into the next two games confident and believe that we can get something.'
Rangers finally got their first Ibrox win under caretaker Barry Ferguson as they dismantled Aberdeen at the weekend.
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The good thing for United is they got a draw there earlier in the season and Sibbald knows Goodwin will have them well-drilled again.
'They're (Rangers) obviously doing well at the moment,' the 29-year-old acknowledged.
'They got a good result on Sunday and they'll be confident going into the game against us.
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'So we'll need to be prepared for that and I'm sure the gaffer will have a game plan ready for us to try and get the three points for us.
'To be honest, we won't be thinking about them, we're thinking about ourselves and we just need to focus on our game plan.
'The gaffer will have a game plan for us and hopefully that can stand us in good stead for the three points.'
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United's squad has been patched up and is running on fumes but Sibbald is probably one of the players who is probably peaking at the right time.
He has come back from injury and is raring to go in this final week of what, personally, has been a frustrating campaign.
'It's been an up and down season for myself but I've kind of got myself back in the team and I'm feeling fit and that again,' the former Livingston player added.
'It's been good to get back out there and just kind of want to keep playing as the season's coming to an end.
'The boys have done well and we're just happy we're sitting in the top six.
'I'm feeling good and I'm feeling fit so I'm a bit fresher than the rest of the boys might be.
'So I'm just raring to go and hopefully I can help out in the next two games.'
United are without Ross Graham and others with minor issues will be assessed ahead of the game.