Dundee United Craig Levein has appealed to fans of both United and Motherwell to turn out in force as the teams meet to battle for a place in next season's UEFA Cup. Setanta agree with the managers of the sides that the game is the best on the schedule this Saturday and expect to served up a feast of football. Both teams have been leapfrogging each other, along with Hibs, in the race for European football. After spending the last few seasons at the wrong end of the SPL, Levein believes this season's experience has given the two sets of players new-found freedom to express themselves. He was pleased to see the numbers of fans in United's colours last Sunday at Hampden and hopes the majority of them will have seen something to entice them back on a regular basis.
He explained: "We're not going to get the same numbers but it would be great if plenty of the fans who came to the final also come to Tannadice this weekend. It's got the makings of a cracking game and we're hoping that Motherwell will bring quite a few fans as well. Their supporters have been starved of football for a wee while so I'm sure they will be up for it. As far as our supporters are concerned, I'd like to think that the performance in the final was enough to make them want to come and watch us again this weekend. This is a massive game for both teams and I'd agree that it's probably the best on the card this weekend. We're fighting for a European spot and we've both played good football this season so all the ingredients are there. It has been chosen for television as well, which adds to the occasion, and that in itself is a reflection on how the teams have done. Setanta have had a positive response from the games involving Motherwell and ourselves because we've given them good matches so far and I'm confident this one will be just the same."
Levein has no injuries worries to influence his selection so will have to select 11 players from the 20 he has available. Jon Daly, who has been out for most of the season with a knee injury, has returned to full training and is pushing striker Mark de Vries hard. Levein said: "Jon Daly is fit again and he's ready to go. We've got Mark de Vries in possession of the jersey now but Jon is breathing down his neck and that competition is good for the club."
