Ross County manager Malky Mackay says the Staggies will have to take the spring out of Dundee United’s step if they are to record their first Premiership win of the season at Tannadice today.

United have lost just one of their last six league games, in a sequence of results which has included a victory over champions Rangers as well as last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Celtic at Parkhead.

With Thomas Courts’ men having also racked up victories against Tayside rivals St Johnstone and Dundee to move into fifth position, Mackay expects them to be in buoyant mood ahead of the Staggies’ visit.

Mackay said: “Results give confidence to every team. I watched their game at the weekend and I think Celtic hit the bar four times, but you give great credit to Dundee United. They came away with the result and they will be confident.

“I don’t think they will be fooled with that result, and we will not be taking them lightly.

“They have a new manager and they’re a team that is fashioned differently from last season. Even from the first couple of weeks of the season it has changed again.

“They have had a couple of great results. We will make sure we go there and concentrate because it’s another tough away day for us.”

County are without a win from their opening seven league matches, with Mackay describing their display in last weekend’s 2-1 loss to Motherwell as their best of the season so far.

Mackay has urged his players to focus on their application of his instructions rather than results, adding: “We had a debrief on Tuesday morning as always. We went over the areas that we didn’t do so well, where Motherwell had their goals and the chances.

“I then evidenced the stuff they did well, the areas they got into were where we thought we could hurt them.

“What I talked to them about was that they commit to the process, and concentrate on it rather than the outcome.

“If you look at any sort of business or industry, but certainly in ours, if you concentrate on the day-to-day then what eventually happens takes care of itself.

“I have told them to keep doing their work at training, and the way we are looking at each team.

“If we are looking at performances being reasonable and decent, eventually things will come.”

Duo should be fit for trip to Tannadice

Mackay is hopeful winger Regan Charles-Cook (hamstring) and Keith Watson (hip) will be fit for selection after being withdrawn against Well.

He added: “Regan had a tightness in his hamstring that we’re just managing, so I’m hoping he will be okay for the weekend.

“The other one was Keith, he got a bang in his hip and actually got a dead hip in the first half.

“I was disappointed because he came on in the Hearts game and did really well, so he was in there on merit and was doing well before he got a whack in the first half.

“We knew at half time it could be a problem, so we kept him on a bike to try and keep him moving, but it was quite clear to everyone at the start of the second half that it was still hanging about.

“He should be OK though, there’s nothing major there.”