Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Dundee United v Rangers

Saturday 9 January 2027, 15:00 · CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park · Round 23

Forecast

Dundee UnitedRangers
Expected goals1.051.84
Win21%55%
Expected Points0.861.90
Clean sheet16%35%

Dundee United 21%Draw 24%Rangers 55%

Most likely score 1–1, 11%. Both sides score 55%.

Rangers goalsDundee United goals0123456+0123456+6%6%3%1%5%6%3%1%3%6%5%3%1%1%2%2%1%10%9%11%10%

From the forecast as it stood on 11 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

Form

Dundee United

  1. W1–010 OctHibernian (H)xG 1.68–0.77
  2. W3–019 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 1.60–0.99
  3. D1–15 SepFalkirk (H)xG 2.66–1.27
  4. L0–32 SepMotherwell (A)xG 0.16–2.39
  5. W4–029 AugKilmarnock (A)xG 3.42–1.13
  6. L0–222 AugDundee FC (H)xG 1.19–1.43

Rangers

  1. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  2. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  3. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  4. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  5. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00
  6. W1–030 AugAberdeen (A)xG 2.10–0.35

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

Dundee UnitedRangers
Position6th2nd
Played88
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠2–⁠36–⁠1–⁠1
Points11 (1.38 per game)19 (2.38 per game)
Expected Points per game1.492.06
Goals10–⁠1111–⁠5
xG per game1.62–⁠1.462.17–⁠1.02
Home: points, xG per game1.25, 1.79–⁠1.232.25, 2.60–⁠1.20
Away: points, xG per game1.50, 1.44–⁠1.682.50, 1.73–⁠0.84
ManagerJim Goodwin (96)Derek McInnes (8)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.0League average 1.34AttackDundee United1.25, 6thRangers1.92, 2ndDefence (lower is better)Dundee United1.43, 6thRangers0.97, 2nd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctDundee United attack: 1.25Rangers attack: 1.921.921.25RangersDundee UnitedDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctDundee United defence: 1.43Rangers defence: 0.971.430.97

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

Dundee UnitedRangers
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play−24%+17%+42%−46%
Counter-attacks+57%−71%+20%+14%
Set pieces+64%−23%+42%−33%
Penalties−40%−40%+20%−40%
Headers+1%−39%+40%−50%
Left side−18%+12%+17%−14%
Centre+3%−2%+66%−31%
Right side+43%−21%+20%−59%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Dundee United attacking

Dundee United createdRangers concededLeft side−18%−59%Centre+3%−31%Right side+43%−14%Open play−24%−46%Counter-attacks+57%+14%Set pieces+64%−33%Headers+1%−50%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdDundee United concededLeft side+17%−21%Centre+66%−2%Right side+20%+12%Open play+42%+17%Counter-attacks+20%−71%Set pieces+42%−23%Headers+40%−39%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

Dundee UnitedRangers

1.62xG2.17
1.46xG against1.02
50%Possession55%
16.1Shots20.1
15.4Shots against9.5
5.4Shots on target6.2
2.4Big chances2.9
30.0Touches in the opposition box38.1
398Passes449
78%Pass accuracy80%
6.2Corners7.4
46%Field tilt60%
39.0Final-third entries47.5
14.0Box entries18.6
12.2Passes per defensive action11.4

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

Dundee United

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level241.931.19
Ahead291.741.14
Behind361.301.89

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level442.191.33
Ahead351.960.69
Behind112.750.87

xG by period

Dundee United

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.230.383–3
16–300.160.160–1
31–450.490.235–1
46–600.210.300–3
61–750.250.220–3
76–900.280.172–0

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.340.203–1
16–300.480.061–0
31–450.410.272–2
46–600.350.151–0
61–750.260.191–0
76–900.330.153–2

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Dundee United

GKRBCBCBLBCMCMCMRWSTLWWalton 8Rawlins 7Yoro 1Esselink 8Forbes 8Ferry 5Ciubotaru 3Camará 4Sevelj 3Iqbal 2Tait 6Agyei 4Cameron 3Yoro 2Randall 4Merghem 4Metsoko 3Sapsford 3Rose 2Bennie 6Randall 1Sapsford 14-3-3 in every start

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 8Sterling 6Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 8Godfrey 1Makhanya 6Rommens 1Penrice 6Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 6Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 5Diomande 1Curtis 3Kim 2Naderi 1Kim 3Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 7Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 34-2-3-1 in 6 of 8 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-4-1-1 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
31 July 2026Dundee United1–1RangersxG 1.64–1.46
4 April 2026Rangers4–2Dundee UnitedxG 3.96–1.81
3 December 2025Dundee United2–2RangersxG 1.38–4.79
18 October 2025Rangers2–2Dundee UnitedxG 1.62–0.87
14 May 2025Rangers3–1Dundee UnitedxG 1.69–0.78
26 January 2025Dundee United1–3RangersxG 1.05–1.30

18 league meetings since 2020/21: Dundee United won 1, Rangers won 12, and 5 were drawn. Goals 15–37 and xG 0.77–2.26 per game.

Key players

Dundee United

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Randall5506220.360.35
Bennie6457110.450.09
Tait6610000.090.15
Forbes8720100.120.04

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi4456410.770.18
Gassama7556020.340.17
Raskin6505000.220.12
Sterling6496000.010.28

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.