Falkirk are in Scottish Cup quarter-final action tonight as they host Dundee United for the second time in the space of a month.

The Tangerines are one place behind the Bairns in 7th spot, but with a nine-point gap between the clubs, Jim Goodwin’s side appear highly unlikely to claim a top half finish. Dundee United are on 33 points from 29 games.

Dundee United Form Guide

Using the Falkirk v Dundee United Match Stats on Andy’s Bet Club, it’s clear that Goodwin’s side have been far more exciting to watch on their travels. While their home and away records are virtually identical, their road trips have produced 10 more goals in one fewer match. The last meeting between the sides typified United’s propensity to be a better watch on the road as they pinched a 3-2 win.  

2-1 Win vs St Mirren (H) – Premiership

2-0 Loss vs Motherwell (A) – Premiership

0-0 Draw vs Aberdeen (H) – Premiership

1-1 Draw vs Kilmarnock (H) – Premiership

2-1 Wins vs Spartans (H) – Scottish Cup

Dundee United’s Recent League Matches:

Dundee United vs St Mirren

Dundee United took the victory at home against St Mirren in midweek, grinding out a tough 2-1 victory in which they were helped by a bizarre own goal early on from Marcus Fraser. In spite of the strange nature of their opening goal, they edged the xG count 1.89-1.26, although much of that came from Amar Fatah’s late penalty that proved decisive.

This was a rare example of a game in which Dundee United had a greater share of possession than their opponents, with the hosts spending all of the game aside from the opening 15 minutes with the advantage in this regard. In total, they had 54% of the ball, which is just the 3rd time all season in the league they’ve seen more possession than their opponents. It’s the first time they’ve won such a game.

United’s control of the game came largely thanks to St Mirren’s inability to retain possession. The Paisley side completed only 58.8% of their passes. In part, this came from United being more proactive defensively. United allowed 6.41 passes per defensive action, which is considerably less than their season average of 12.01. Their total of 136 recoveries is the highest they have made this season, with 63 coming in the medium zone – seven more than any other game.

This translated into a healthy shot count. United managed 14 with four on target. Neither figure has been bettered since their first match of 2026, when they lost 1-0 to Dundee. These were not speculative efforts either; the average shot distance was 17.61m was actually closer than the season average of 17.95m.

Motherwell vs Dundee United

Dundee United were well beaten by an in-form Motherwell side at Fir Park, going down to a 2-0 loss that was reflective of the flow of the match. Goodwin’s side created just 0.66 xG over the course of the match and faced 2.14 xGA.

It was a difficult match on all fronts for the Terrors. Having been increasingly direct since Christmas, they attempted to retain possession more in the face of a team against whom it’s difficult to get the ball back once it’s lost.  Their long pass rate of 15.53% and average passes per possession of 3.29 are indicative of a team trying to keep the ball, given their season averages have been 17.88% and 2.85, respectively. With a match tempo of 16.04, higher than their usual 15.48, they were trying to use the ball relatively quickly, too.

This did them little good when it came to fashioning scoring chances. Not only did they only muster seven shots (their season average has been 11.55), but they were from long range. Their average shot distance was 24.28m compared to a season average of 17.95m. It was the fourth time this season they have been above 20m in the league, with three of those occasions coming against the Well.

One particularly eye-catching figure was that United only mustered six crosses, indicating that they struggled in the wider areas. This was a season-low figure while just one was completed. With 16.59 crosses on average this season, it helps emphasise how ineffective United were in this clash.

Dundee United’s One to Watch:

Ross Graham: The 25-year-old defender has spent much of the season injured but has re-established himself as a key figure for Dundee United since returning in the autumn. He has two goals for the season in the league, including a winner against Falkirk the last time the sides met. Indeed, the centre-back has netted three times in his last five. He completed 19 clearances in the midweek clash with St Mirren, won all four of his ground duels and nine of 13 in the air.

Final Thoughts:

Dundee United are unlikely to take command of this game. Of the 12 Premiership teams, they lie 11th in possession, posting just 42.3% of the ball in the top-flight this season. Jim Goodwin typically sets his side to be set up in a reactive fashion, with 12.01 PPDA (passes allowed per defensive action), the 4th highest figure, indicating that they are comfortable sitting back and absorbing pressure.

It is notable, however, that they have started to become a little more intense in their play out of possession. Their PPDA has dropped below their average in each of their last four matches. A lower PPDA indicates a more intense press.

In possession, meanwhile, they are the slowest side in the league to move the ball. Their passing rate sits at 11.7, with 13.5 the average. Accuracy is also an issue. When passing into the final third, they boast just 56.8% accuracy – again, the 2nd-lowest figure in the league and far below the 64.3% average.

So what do Dundee United do well? Crossing. They post, by some distance, the best accuracy rate in the Premiership with 39.9% crossing success. Cutting these options off is not easy; they have delivered 237 from the right flank and 235 from the left, indicating that they are very balanced in this regard.

Falkirk win 45.6% of their aerial duels, which is roughly in line with the Premiership average of 45.98%. The threat from crosses is certainly something they will have to be wary of.

At the other end of the park, despite playing regularly with three centre backs, United have been giving up big figures in terms of shots, again. They are one of only two teams to have allowed their opponents more than 400 shots this season, sitting on 404, 2nd behind Aberdeen. Falkirk are, therefore, likely to get their chances in this match.

If you liked this statistical preview, you can find data-driven Football Tips, and the Best Betting Sites to grab an account with at Andy’s Bet Club. Please note, you must be 18 or over to use the site, and make sure you gamble responsibly.