Aberdeen vs Dundee Utd Prediction

Recent form across all games

Aberdeen's longer run of matches across all competitions shows ten wins from twenty, with 33 goals scored and 19 conceded, so there's no shortage of firepower on their books. But their last few league outings have been shakier, including home defeats to Falkirk and St Johnstone either side of that loss to Dundee Utd.

Aberdeen: 20 completed matches; Dundee Utd: 20 completed matches.

Aberdeen

20 matches

Win

50% 10 / 20

Draw

15% 3 / 20

Loss

35% 7 / 20

Scored

33

Conceded

19

Difference

+14

Dundee Utd

20 matches

Win

35% 7 / 20

Draw

30% 6 / 20

Loss

35% 7 / 20

Scored

27

Conceded

27

Difference

0

Dundee Utd's equivalent sample is more balanced: seven wins, six draws and seven losses, with goals for and against level at 27 apiece. They've drawn a fair few games recently, including 2-2 at Celtic, but also showed they can score freely with wins over Hearts and Motherwell earlier this season.

Neither side arrives with much consistency, so recent form alone doesn't point firmly either way.

Comparative Team Statistics: Aberdeen vs Dundee Utd

A long and fairly even rivalry

These two have met regularly down the years, and the head-to-head record is about as even as it gets, stretching back to 2016 with wins, losses and draws spread across both sides.

The most recent meeting, in late October, ended 3-2 to Dundee Utd. That said, Aberdeen have traditionally fared well at home in this exact fixture, winning four of their last seven meetings on their own patch, with only one defeat, a 3-0 loss in an FA Cup tie.

League position gap

Dundee Utd currently sit fifth in the Premiership with 16 points from 11 games, while Aberdeen are down in tenth with 11 points from the same number of matches. That's a five-point gap between two sides who've played an identical number of fixtures.

It's a reminder that home advantage doesn't automatically mean Aberdeen are the stronger side on current league standing.

On paper, Dundee Utd have had the better season so far, even though they're the away side here.

Key men and bookings

K. Nisbet has been Aberdeen's main source of goals lately, with three in his last seven appearances and two assists to go with them. For Dundee Utd, J. Randall carries a similar threat with two goals in seven games, while M. Merghem has chipped in with two assists of his own.

Aberdeen:

Best scorers:

K. Nisbet - 3

Best assist providers:

K. Nisbet - 2

Penalty cards:

L. Mayo x 5

A. Aremu x 3

A. Mouloua x 2

Dundee Utd:

Best scorers:

J. Randall - 2

Best assist providers:

J. Randall - 2

M. Merghem - 2

Penalty cards:

E. Agyei x 1

D. Bennie x 3

L. Rose x 2

On discipline, Aberdeen's L. Mayo has picked up five yellow cards in just six matches, a high rate worth watching. Dundee Utd's E. Agyei already has a red card in four appearances this season, a reminder that cards can swing games in this fixture without much warning.

What to expect

Put the pieces together and this looks like a tightly matched Premiership fixture. Dundee Utd have the better league position and got the better of Aberdeen in their last meeting, but Aberdeen's scoring record and a decent home history in this exact fixture keep them firmly in it.

Given how often these two have drawn or settled for tight scorelines down the years, a close, cagey contest wouldn't be a surprise on current evidence.