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 goals1.071.81
Win22%54%
Expected Points0.891.87
Clean sheet16%34%

Dundee United 22%Draw 24%Rangers 54%

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

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

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

Dundee United

  1. D1–117 OctSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.02–1.29
  2. W1–010 OctHibernian (H)xG 1.68–0.77
  3. W3–019 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 1.60–0.99
  4. D1–15 SepFalkirk (H)xG 2.66–1.27
  5. L0–32 SepMotherwell (A)xG 0.16–2.39
  6. W4–029 AugKilmarnock (A)xG 3.42–1.13

Rangers

  1. D2–217 OctDundee FC (A)xG 1.80–1.77
  2. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  3. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  5. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  6. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00

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

Season to date

Dundee UnitedRangers
Position6th2nd
Played99
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠3–⁠36–⁠2–⁠1
Points12 (1.33 per game)20 (2.22 per game)
Expected Points per game1.451.98
Goals11–⁠1213–⁠7
xG per game1.55–⁠1.442.13–⁠1.10
Home: points, xG per game1.25, 1.79–⁠1.232.25, 2.60–⁠1.20
Away: points, xG per game1.40, 1.36–⁠1.602.20, 1.75–⁠1.03
ManagerJim Goodwin (97)Derek McInnes (9)

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

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackDundee United1.24, 6thRangers1.90, 2ndDefence (lower is better)Dundee United1.43, 6thRangers1.00, 2nd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctDundee United attack: 1.24Rangers attack: 1.901.901.24RangersDundee UnitedDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctDundee United defence: 1.43Rangers defence: 1.001.431.00

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−30%+6%+41%−42%
Counter-attacks+56%−64%+8%+3%
Set pieces+53%−13%+29%−16%
Penalties−43%−43%+14%−43%
Headers−5%−36%+26%−26%
Left side−26%+9%+14%−22%
Centre−2%−4%+56%−28%
Right side+34%−28%+18%−41%

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−26%−41%Centre−2%−28%Right side+34%−22%Open play−30%−42%Counter-attacks+56%+3%Set pieces+53%−16%Headers−5%−26%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdDundee United concededLeft side+14%−28%Centre+56%−4%Right side+18%+9%Open play+41%+6%Counter-attacks+8%−64%Set pieces+29%−13%Headers+26%−36%

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

1.55xG2.13
1.44xG against1.10
51%Possession55%
15.9Shots20.2
14.9Shots against9.6
5.6Shots on target6.6
2.2Big chances2.8
30.0Touches in the opposition box38.4
421Passes452
79%Pass accuracy80%
6.3Corners7.2
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. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

Dundee United

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level251.891.30
Ahead261.741.14
Behind391.201.72

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level472.071.41
Ahead321.950.74
Behind112.910.83

xG by period

Dundee United

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.240.343–3
16–300.140.210–2
31–450.440.215–1
46–600.190.300–3
61–750.240.210–3
76–900.310.163–0

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.310.193–1
16–300.430.131–0
31–450.420.323–3
46–600.340.152–0
61–750.290.191–1
76–900.330.143–2

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 9Rawlins 8Yoro 1Esselink 9Forbes 9Ferry 5Ciubotaru 4Camará 4Sevelj 3Yoro 2Tait 7Agyei 4Cameron 4Iqbal 3Randall 4Merghem 4Bennie 1Metsoko 4Sapsford 3Rose 2Bennie 6Randall 2Sapsford 14-3-3 in every start

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 9Sterling 7Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 9Godfrey 1Makhanya 7Rommens 1Penrice 7Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 7Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 6Diomande 1Curtis 3Bouanani 2Kim 2Kim 4Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 8Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 3Naderi 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-1-4-1 (1), 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
Randall6596230.310.33
Bennie7503110.440.09
Tait7673000.080.15
Forbes9810100.110.04

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi5546410.650.15
Kim6487000.400.13
Gassama8646020.310.17
Raskin7595100.190.11

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