Dundee United vs Rangers — Match Preview
The Scottish Premiership lights up this Wednesday night as Dundee United host Rangers at Tannadice Park. It is a pivotal encounter for both sides as the festive fixture congestion begins to bite.
Rangers, currently sitting 4th, arrive in the City of Discovery frustrated after a scoreless stalemate at home to Falkirk on the weekend. Manager Danny Röhl is under pressure to turn draws into wins to keep pace with the league leaders. Meanwhile, Dundee United (8th) showed resilience to snatch a 1-1 draw away at Kilmarnock but remain winless in their last three outings. With the Terrors looking to break into the top six and Rangers desperate to solidify their title credentials, expect a feisty battle under the Tannadice floodlights.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Quick Match Info
- Fixture: Dundee United vs Rangers
- Competition: Scottish Premiership (Matchday 15)
- Venue: Tannadice Park, Dundee (Capacity: 14,223)
- Date: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
- Kickoff Time: 19:45 GMT / 01:15 IST (Thursday)
- Referee: TBC
- TV Channel (UK): Premier Sports 1
- TV Channel (International): RangersTV, DUTV (Outside UK)
- Live Stream: Premier Sports Player
Dundee United vs Rangers — Match Context (2025/26 Season)
Dundee United:
- Position: 8th in Scottish Premiership (15 Points).
- Form: Inconsistent. (D-L-D-L-W). The 1-1 draw at Kilmarnock was a step in the right direction after a heavy 0-3 home loss to Falkirk.
- Current Challenge: Defensive Solidity. They have conceded 21 goals this season, and facing the league’s 4th best attack will test their back three. Jim Goodwin needs his side to turn Tannadice back into a fortress.
Rangers:
- Position: 4th in Scottish Premiership (22 Points).
- Form: Stuttering. (D-D-W-W-L). While unbeaten in four league games, the 0-0 draw against Falkirk at Ibrox was seen as two points dropped.
- Current Challenge: Killing off games. Rangers have been defensively sound (only 1 loss) but struggle to break down low blocks. The injury list is also mounting in defense.
Dundee United vs Rangers — What’s at Stake
For Dundee United:
- Top 6 Ambitions: A win could vault them as high as 6th, putting them back in the mix for the Championship group spots.
For Rangers:
- Title Chase: Trailing the top two, Rangers simply cannot afford to drop more points. A win is essential to maintain pressure on Hearts and Celtic.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Team Form
Dundee United (Last 5 Matches):
- D vs Kilmarnock (1-1)
- L vs Falkirk (0-3)
- D vs Hearts (1-1)
- L vs Motherwell (0-2)
- W vs St. Mirren (3-1)
Rangers (Last 5 Matches):
- D vs Falkirk (0-0)
- D vs Braga (1-1 – EL)
- W vs Livingston (2-1)
- W vs Dundee FC (3-0)
- L vs AS Roma (0-2 – EL)
Dundee United vs Rangers — Team News
Dundee United:
- Isaac Pappoe: Out (Knee Injury – Long-term absentee).
- Craig Sibbald: The midfielder is the man of the moment, scoring the equalizer against Kilmarnock. He is fit and crucial to United’s engine room.
- Luca Stephenson: Expected to retain his place after providing the assist on the weekend.
Rangers:
- John Souttar: Out (Muscle Injury – Major blow for the defense).
- Derek Cornelius: Out (Muscle Injury – Leaves Rangers light at center-back).
- Mikey Moore: Out (Muscle Injury).
- Kieran Dowell: Questionable (Injury).
- Rabbi Matondo: Questionable (Knee Injury).
- Defensive Crisis: With Souttar and Cornelius out, Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga are expected to pair up in central defense.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Head to Head
- 18 Oct 2025: Rangers 2–2 Dundee United
- 15 May 2025: Rangers 3–1 Dundee United
- 26 Jan 2025: Dundee United 1–3 Rangers
- 23 Nov 2024: Rangers 1–1 Dundee United
- 15 Sep 2024: Dundee United 0–1 Rangers
Dundee United vs Rangers — Predicted Lineups
Dundee United (3-5-2):
Goodwin is likely to stick with the formation that earned a point at Rugby Park.
- GK: Jack Walton
- CB: Ross Graham
- CB: Declan Gallagher
- CB: Kevin Holt
- RWB: Ryan Strain
- CM: Craig Sibbald
- CM: David Babunski
- CM: Luca Stephenson
- LWB: Will Ferry
- ST: Jort van der Sande
- ST: Kristijan Trapanovski
Rangers (4-2-3-1):
Röhl will rely on his attacking midfield trio to unlock United’s back five.
- GK: Jack Butland
- RB: James Tavernier (C)
- CB: Nasser Djiga
- CB: Emmanuel Fernandez
- LB: Jefte
- CDM: Connor Barron
- CDM: Nicolas Raskin
- RW: Vaclav Cerny
- CAM: Nedim Bajrami
- LW: Oscar Cortes
- ST: Cyriel Dessers
Dundee United vs Rangers — Impact Bench Options
Dundee United:
- Louis Moult: The veteran striker is always a threat late in games if United need a goal.
- Glenn Middleton: Offers pace against his former club if the game opens up.
Rangers:
- Danilo: If Dessers misfires, the Brazilian offers dynamic movement in the box.
- Tom Lawrence: A goal threat from midfield who can change the game with a long-range strike.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Tactical Outlook
Dundee United:
- Playing Style: Compact & Counter. Goodwin will set up a low block with a back five to frustrate Rangers. They will look to release Trapanovski and Van der Sande quickly in transition, targeting the space behind Tavernier.
- Strength: Midfield Grit. Sibbald and Babunski are battling midfielders who will try to disrupt Rangers’ rhythm.
Rangers:
- Playing Style: Control & Width. Rangers will dominate possession (60%+). Without Souttar’s ball-playing ability, build-up might be slower. They will rely on Cerny and Cortes cutting inside to create overloads for Tavernier on the overlap.
- Weakness: Central Defense. The makeshift partnership of Djiga and Fernandez hasn’t played much together. If United press them, mistakes could happen.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Key Battles
| Matchup | Battle Type | Edge |
| Will Ferry vs. James Tavernier | Flank War: Tavernier is Rangers’ main creator but Ferry is quick on the counter. If Tavernier gets caught upfield, Ferry has space to run into. | Rangers |
| Craig Sibbald vs. Connor Barron | Engine Room: A battle of energy. Sibbald is in goal-scoring form; Barron needs to track his runs into the box. | Tie |
| Jort van der Sande vs. Emmanuel Fernandez | Physical Duel: Fernandez is young and talented but inexperienced. Van der Sande will look to bully him physically. | Dundee Utd |
Dundee United vs Rangers — Spotlight Players
Craig Sibbald (Dundee United):
The midfielder rescued a point on the weekend and is the heartbeat of this United side. His ability to arrive late in the box makes him a constant danger.
Nedim Bajrami (Rangers):
The creative spark for Rangers. With Falkirk parking the bus successfully, Bajrami needs to find the killer pass to unlock Dundee United’s defense. He came close on Sunday and will be hungry to score.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Fan Reactions
Dundee United Fans:
“A point at Killie was decent, but we need to beat the big boys at Tannadice. Let’s get at their makeshift defense!”
“Sibbald is flying. If we keep it tight at the back, we can nick this.”
Rangers Fans:
“0-0 vs Falkirk was unacceptable. Danny Röhl needs to get a reaction.”
“No Souttar is a worry, but we should still have enough firepower. Just give the ball to Bajrami.”
Dundee United vs Rangers — Match-Defining Factors
- Early Goal: If Rangers score early, United will have to open up, which suits Rangers’ attackers. If United score first, Tannadice will be rocking.
- Set Pieces: Rangers are dangerous from Tavernier’s delivery. United have conceded heavily from set-plays this season.
- Defensive Cohesion: Can Rangers’ new CB pairing hold firm against a physical United attack?
Dundee United vs Rangers — Prediction
Score Prediction: Dundee United 1–2 Rangers
Betting Insights:
- Outcome: Rangers to Win.
- Both Teams to Score: YES (Rangers’ defense is patched up; United are at home).
- Anytime Goalscorer: Cyriel Dessers (Rangers).
Analysis: Rangers are under immense pressure to respond after the weekend’s disappointment. While their defense is depleted, their attacking quality should be enough to overcome a Dundee United side that leaks goals. It won’t be comfortable, but expect the visitors to edge a tight contest.
Dundee United vs Rangers — Final Word
Rangers travel to Tannadice knowing anything less than three points will see the pressure on Danny Röhl intensify. Dundee United will smell blood with Rangers’ injury issues, but the quality gap in the final third should see the Glasgow side prevail in what promises to be a captivating Wednesday night clash.
Dundee United vs Rangers — FAQs
When is the Dundee United vs Rangers match?
The match kicks off on Wednesday, 03 December 2025, at 19:45 GMT.
Is John Souttar playing?
No, John Souttar is out with a muscle injury for Rangers.
Where can I watch the match in the UK?
The match will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1.
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