Jim Goodwin takes charge of Dundee United for the first time this Saturday evening against Aberdeen, the club that showed him the door barely a month ago.
Liam Fox's time in charge of Dundee United was ended with a 4-0 loss against fellow strugglers Ross County last weekend while Aberdeen, who still have caretaker boss Barry Robson at the helm, prepared for this unlikely reunion with a 1-0 win over Livingston.
Match preview
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Goodwin described his final few days at Aberdeen as "one horrendously bad week" as the Dons were thumped by Hearts and Hibernian either side of a humiliating Scottish FA Cup exit against sixth-tier Darvel.
Craig Levein was the favourite to succeed Fox at Dundee United but ruled himself out of the race, paving the way for Goodwin to take on the daunting task of preserving the club's top-flight status.
Dundee United were flattered by the 4-0 thrashing Ross County dished out last weekend, consigning the Tannadice club to a sixth consecutive defeat and prompting the second managerial departure of the season, with Fox following in the footsteps of Jack Ross.
The Tangerines are rock-bottom and four points behind the relegation playoff spot - although, they do have a game in hand on 11th-placed Kilmarnock.
As well as suffering the heaviest European defeat of any Scottish side ever - the Tannadice club shipped seven without reply against AZ Alkmaar while Ross was still in charge in August - Dundee United have conceded the second-most goals in the Premiership this season, behind only Aberdeen.
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Despite keeping a clean sheet against Livingston last weekend, the tally of 51 goals allowed this term is the largest the club have recorded in a single season since 2011.
Robson has won two of his four games in temporary charge since taking over from Goodwin, sending the Dons back into the top half of the table with just six games left before the fixture split.
Aberdeen have not won a match outside of Pittodrie since October, losing all nine away games since and failing to score on the road in six hours of league football.
The personnel turnover has not been restricted to the dugouts of each club as Dundee United's sporting director Tony Asghar followed Fox out of the building while Alan Burrows is poised for his first match since taking a similar post at Aberdeen.
This was a clash between the nation's footballing powerhouses in the 1980s, with both clubs reaching the latter stages of European competition as well as claiming Scottish league titles - lofty heights beyond the ambitions of either team this term.
Dundee United have not lost at home to the Dons since 2016 when Robson was patrolling Aberdeen's midfield rather than the technical area.
Team News
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Goodwin was only appointed as Tangerines boss on Wednesday, 33 days after leaving Aberdeen and barely 72 hours before facing his former employers with a whole new squad to assess.
The likely absence of Ian Harkes, son of the former English Premier League player John Harkes, at least removes one option from Goodwin's myriad of decisions.
Fox had ditched his favoured 3-4-2-1 system in a desperate search for points which did not come in his final two matches - this may tempt Goodwin to revert to a formation his new team are more familiar and comfortable with.
Robson has the most junior squad in Scotland at his disposal, with Aberdeen responsible for the seven youngest lineups in the Premiership this season.
Connor Barron has not started a league game for Aberdeen in 2023 and is not expected to break that streak while he continues to nurse a groin problem.
Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Birighitti; McMann, Mulgrew, Edwards; Smith, Djoum, Levitt, Niskanen; Middleton, Pawlett; Fletcher
Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Gorter; McCrorie, MacDonald, Pollock, MacKenzie; Shinnie, Clarkson, Ramadani; Duncan, Miovski, Duk
We say: Dundee United 1-0 Aberdeen
Dundee United owner Mark Ogren highlighted Goodwin's "knowledge of the league and opposition" as a key factor in his appointment - this insider information will never be more accurate than for Aberdeen's visit.
Coupled with the new manager bounce and Aberdeen's dire away form, we are backing Goodwin to get one over his former employers this weekend.
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