Yahoo Sports Deja vu as Moult wonder goal personifies United challenge
Ten years ago almost to the day since Louis Moult scored an overhead kick to help Wrexham draw 2-2 with Stockport County in the FA Trophy, the striker was released from Dundee United's "cotton wool" to repeat the feat with Saturday's winner against St Mirren.
For manager Jim Goodwin, the fact the 32-year-old striker had insisted on playing despite a shoulder injury - taking an injection two hours before kick-off - exemplified the spirit and commitment of the players who have cemented their side in third spot in the Scottish Premiership.
Closing to within four points of Rangers - and adding to the pressure on Ibrox manager Philippe Clement before his side host St Johnstone on Sunday - is all the more remarkable considering Goodwin was being criticised by some for the style in which his side won the Championship title and promotion only eight months ago.
Moult insists United "need to just keep our feet on the ground" and first make sure avoiding relegation is "mathematically done" before thinking of a third-place finish.
But his fifth goal of the season - and second in two games - will have many United fans dreaming of hunting down second place behind runaway leaders Celtic.
'He'll not have scored many better'
Moult had been forced to sit out six games between those two strikes through injury and Goodwin revealed: "We kind of wrapped him up in cotton wool on Friday.
"He joined in with the group, but he was very much non-contact. The players were told not to go near him.
"He had an injection in his shoulder about two hours before kick-off to try and numb the pain and he made himself available.
"That's the type of character he is. They're the types of people we want at the club."
Moult had his most prolific spell with Motherwell after leaving Wrexham and the Englishman has proved his worth again in the Scottish top flight after less fruitful spells with Preston North End and Burton Albion.
"He comes on in those big moments and he's a real natural goal scorer," Goodwin said. "And I don't think he'll have scored many better than that.
"The good strikers, their brain tends to work a little bit quicker than the rest of ours and he just recognised that situation and managed to pop the ball up into the air. A brilliant technique.
"I would imagine the shoulder he landed on would be pretty sore once that injection wears off, but it's all worth it."
Goodwin had been minded to take his time before re-introducing Moult back into the side, but the player himself was having none of it and insisted in being involved.
Moult said: "It's funny, because yesterday on my Twitter – or X, I should say – it came up that 10 years ago I scored an overhead kick away at Stockport for Wrexham. It's so bizarre how things like that happen.
"Maybe that was in my mind when the ball dropped to me. I think the first touch sets it up for a perfect overhead kick and, when I connected with it, it felt like time stood still to be honest with you. Then I turned round and it nestled in."
Impressive statistics
United are now three points clear in third place and, although Aberdeen play one of two games in hand when they entertain Heart of Midlothian on Sunday, it is a position that did not seem likely when the Dons had their 13-game winning streak at the start of the season.
Saturday was the fourth time this season United have beaten St Mirren - who, remember, finished fifth last term - all without conceding a goal.
A quick glance at some other statistics gives an insight into United's progress under Goodwin.
Top club in the Premiership for headed goals, with 11. Joint top for the number of different goalscorers, with 14.
Resilience has been a key feature of their recent rise and the statistics back that up too. Second in the table for points won for losing positions. They have gathered 11 of them.
Defensive solidity features prominently too: they are the third best side in the top tier when it comes to clean sheets, having secured eight of them.
The impact of Sam Dalby, who has shouldered much of the burden up front with Moult out injured, cannot be ignored either. The loanee from Wrexham is already into double figures.
'People must fear playing against us'
Moult feels this all this adds up to a new-found respect from opponents.
"It's going like that because we're all as one, we're all working together, pulling together," he suggested. "You can see the commitment.
"People must fear playing against us, because we never give up. We score so many late goals. "
The progress of Goodwin's side have made attracted plenty of praise from BBC Scotland pundits on Saturday's Sportsound.
Former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart thinks United will be involved in a "very tight in the chase for third".
"It shouldn't be forgotten that he's changed the system this season," he said. "Jim Goodwin has a clear identity and strategy in his head of what he's looking for and he's recruited to fit that.
"He's got guys in the wide areas who put good balls into the box. He's got strikers who can get on the end of things and Louis Moult who just knows his way to the back of the net.
"Since Dalby has come to the fore and Louis Moult has come back, whenever they came on the park, they looked more dangerous."
Former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton praised the "brilliant balance" of quality players who "know the Scottish game" and which has produced "a feel-good factor" at the club.
"They understand the league, they understand the demands, balanced with a bit of youth in the team," she said. "They had St Mirren's number this afternoon - they believed they could go and win it.
"To be able to bring Louis Moult off the bench, it gives you that bit of quality and he showed that."
Nobody at Tannadice is getting carried away, but with a good goalkeeper in Jack Walton, a solid defence in front of him and dangerous strikers like Moult and Dalby, the Tangerines are adding plenty of colour to the top half of the table and might just take some shifting.
