Preview: Hamilton Academical vs. Dundee United - prediction, team news, lineups

Basement club Hamilton Academical will host Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday afternoon looking to win on home soil for the first time since January 2.

Meanwhile, the visitors have only lost one of their last six league games and are looking to keep three consecutive clean sheets in the top flight for the first time since August 2012.

Match preview

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Hamilton failed to beat St Mirren for the second time in successive home games as a 1-1 draw in the league was followed by a 3-0 defeat in the third round of the Scottish Cup last weekend.

A brace from Jamie McGrath and a strike from Kristian Dennis secured a comfortable win for the visitors and knocked out the Accies at this stage of the competition for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

Brian Rice's side are now fully focused on the final five Scottish Premiership games of the season as they look to move off the bottom of the table and climb to safety.

Hamilton have only won one of their last 12 league matches, but they head into this weekend's clash with Dundee United having lost just one of their previous eight league meetings against them.

With relegation rivals Kilmarnock and Ross County facing each other this weekend, victory for the Accies would see them move off the foot of the table.

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Dundee United managed to scrape through to the fourth round of the Scottish Cup last weekend with a slender 2-1 home victory against League One outfit Partick Thistle.

Scott Tiffoney's close-range header gave the visitors the lead after 25 minutes and they were able to hold on until the 78th minute when Lawrence Shankland swept his left-footed effort into the bottom corner.

The match was won in stoppage time when a calamitous collision between Dundee defender Mouhamed Niang and goalkeeper Kieran Wright allowed Nicky Clark to tap the ball into an empty net, setting up a fourth-round tie with another League One side, this time Forfar next week.

Dundee United now turn their attention back to the Scottish Premiership and manager Micky Mellon will feel that one more victory would all but confirm their top-flight status for next season.

Each of the Tangerines last three top-flight away games at Hamilton have resulted in a draw, including two goalless stalemates in February 2016 and January 2021.

Securing all three points on Saturday would move Mellon's men 14 points clear of 11th-placed Kilmarnock, who they face in just under two weeks' time.

Team News

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Hamilton remain without winger David Templeton (groin) and midfielder Lewis Smith (hamstring) through injury.

Rice could revert to a 3-4-3 formation and bring central defender Ben Stirling into the side to play in a back-three with Aaron Martin and Brian Easton.

Either Callum Smith or David Moyo is expected to start up front alongside Bruce Anderson, with key midfielder Ross Callachan to play in behind.

Apart from defender Declan Glass, who remains out with a knee problem, Mellon has no other injury concerns ahead of their trip to Hamilton.

Goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist is expected to return to the first XI at the expense of Deniz Mehmet, who started against Partick Thistle, while Liam Smith could feature at right-back instead of Luke Bolton.

Hamilton Academical possible starting lineup:
Fulton; Stirling, A. Martin, Easton; Hodson, Odoffin, S. Martin, McMann; Callachan; Smith, Anderson

Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Siegrist; Smith, Edwards, Reynolds, Robson; Butcher, Fuchs, Harkes; Clark; McNulty, Shankland

We say: Hamilton Academical 1-1 Dundee United

Hamilton will feel that this game against Dundee United is a great opportunity to secure a much-needed victory this weekend.

However, the Accies have failed to win all of their three contests with the Tangerines this season – drawing two of those at home – and they may have to settle for another point at the Fountain of Youth Stadium.