McNamara urges team to stay focused
Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara has told his players to forget about what is happening at Pittodrie and focus solely on their own Scottish Premiership clash with Dundee at Tannadice on Sunday.
United need to beat Dundee and rely on St Johnstone not winning away to Aberdeen this weekend in their quest to secure a place in Europe, while also needing Inverness to see off Falkirk in the Scottish Cup final.
McNamara's side are sitting fifth in the table but know fourth place could be enough to get a Europa League place.
However, any thoughts of Saints doing them a favour must be ignored, according to the manager, who said: "It's all about us really. If we want to get this place in Europe we must take care of our own business.
"St Johnstone are playing at Aberdeen but we won't be taking any notice of that. It's down to ourselves and we have an outside chance as things stand.
"We'll just take it as it comes, but first and foremost we have a job to do against Dundee.
"It's one we're looking forward to and hopefully we'll get the three points."
United lost the last derby 3-1 at Dens Park on April 8 after defeating their local rivals 6-2 at Tannadice back on New Year's Day, so McNamara knows they will not need any extra motivation to earn the bragging rights this time round.
McNamara said: "It was a disappointment what happened the last time obviously, but it's gone now. It's in the past.
"We have to look to get a positive result on Sunday. We will approach it as positive as we can, as we do in every game.
"Dundee have had a good season and, in a way, there's no pressure on them.
"It should be a good game for the supporters. It's the last game of the season and it's always nice to go out on a high if possible."
Dundee manager Paul Hartley believes a win would be a fitting tribute to their fans.
The Dark Blues have enjoyed a successful return to the top tier this season by securing a top-six place.
Hartley has all along thanked their supporters for backing them throughout the campaign and would like to send them away home happy from this weekend's final-day derby.
He said: "It would be nice to give the fans that victory we're all looking for. They have been brilliant all season. We can't thank them enough.
"I think they appreciate what we are trying to do at this club and, of course, we need their support.
"They have travelled away in numbers and given us great support at home too.
"We really need them and hopefully we can get the three points on Sunday which would send them away happy over the summer, which is always a good thing."
Dundee won the last derby 3-1 at Dens Park last month but Hartley knows that won't have any bearing on the outcome of this one at Tannadice in front of the live cameras.
He said: "That was a great night for us. It was brilliant for everyone connected with the club. It had been a long time since we had won a derby and there was a lot of relief I think.
"But this is a different 90 minutes and we have to work hard again if we want to win.
"That will be our aim, to get a positive result as we do in every game we go into.
"We know Dundee United have strengths but so do we and we have to look after ourselves.
"I think it will be an exciting game and we just hope we can come out on top."
Source: PAR
