Every team is allowed a bump in the road and Dundee United will be hoping the defeat at Motherwell last time out was theirs.

An uncharacteristically slack defensive display contributed to the 4-3 loss at Fir Park.

Jim Goodwin’s men will be looking to bounce back this weekend, the only problem is they face the sternest test Scottish football has to offer – Celtic.

On numerous occasions in this column I have praised the guts, grit, character and determination of this United side – one that has a real skill in finding different ways to get something from matches.

They will need to call on all those qualities when the champions head to Tannadice on Sunday.

United are well placed despite dropping to fifth in the table – a really impressive job done so far by Goodwin’s side – but we will find out what they are made of in the next few weeks.

Among the difficult hurdles they have to try to overcome is the fact they play Celtic twice in their next six games, home and away.

Oh, and in that little block of fixtures, they also host second-place Aberdeen and travel to play their city neighbours Dundee.

If they can emerge from the coming weeks with a healthy haul of points, then the Tannadice faithful will be justified in believing their dreams of looking out the passports for next season could become reality.