DUNDEE UNITED banished some of the gloom with a weekend win over Peterhead and Jim Goodwin will now be looking to see off Falkirk to keep their faint League Cup hopes alive.
After relegation from the Premiership, Goodwin got off to worst possible start in the new campaign with defeats to Spartans and Partick Thistle in their opening two League Cup group games.
But there were signs of progress at the weekend as new signing Louis Moult got off the mark in a 3-0 Tannadice win over Peterhead, easing some of the pressure on the United manager.
At the same time, Falkirk were drawing 2-2 with Partick Thistle and the Bairns claimed the bonus point as they came out on top in the penalty shoot-out. That has left John McGlynn's side sitting second in the section, two points ahead of Dundee United having played a game less.
A win for Goodwin's side would take them above Falkirk into second but reaching the knockout stages would still be unlikely as the Bairns still have a game in hand at home to Peterhead to come.
This season is all about the league for both sides as Dundee United bid to return to the Premiership and Falkirk look to end their exile in League One. But a decent cup run would help build confidence and it's the Bairns who look in better shape after beating Spartans and drawing with Partick.
How the bookies view it
Despite their poor start to the season, Dundee United are still favourites for this one at a best 29/20 with SpreadEx. Falkirk look overpriced at 13/5 with Coral while the draw pays 27/10 at the same firm.
Recent head to head
These sides last faced off in the Championship in season 2018/19, with Dundee United going unbeaten and winning three of the four games. The Bairns have only beaten the Tannadice side once in the last 11 meetings but that was a 6-1 battering at home in 2018.
Players to watch
Callumn Morrison was a regular scorer for Falkirk last season and the winger will be desperate to get off the mark for the new campaign. He might be worth a punt once the goalscorer markets are priced up.
Kevin Holt scored twice from the spot at the weekend and could be worth keeping an eye on for scorer bets this season. As a defender, his odds will be longer for most games.
Anything else catch the eye?
Betting against goals paid off for me in Dundee United's opener against Spartans but Slim Tips then cashed in by backing BTTS in their second game with Partick Thistle. With BTTS and over 2.5 goals landing in both of Falkirk's games so far, it suggests we should see some action in this one. Combining those two selections in a bet builder pays 20/21 with Bet365.
There isn't much between these teams and I wouldn't be surprised if the score was level at half-time. That bet landed in Dundee United's clash with Partick and a repeat here pays 5/4 at Bet365.
This Scottish League Cup match between Falkirk and Dundee United will be played on Jul 25, 2023 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Falkirk vs Dundee United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.