Tam Courts 'had a good feeling' Dundee United would beat Rangers
The Tannadice boss led his side to a 1-0 victory
Last updated 13th Aug 2021
Tam Courts claims he had a good feeling ahead of Dundee United's shock 1-0 win over Rangers which ended the cinch Premiership champions' 40 game unbeaten league run.
Jamie Robson's second-half strike gave the home side all three points and handed Steven Gerrard's men their first defeat in the league since a 1-0 loss to Hamilton at Ibrox in March, 2020.
The United boss insisted he felt something "special" afoot following the dismal performance in the 2-0 defeat by Aberdeen on the opening day of the season at Pittodrie last week.
Courts said: "I was really pleased. I had a sneaking suspicion after the low of last week that maybe we could do something special this week.
"I don't know where it came from, I just had a feeling and I think the boys were genuinely outstanding today.
"When you look at a team of Rangers quality, you understand that there are multiple players that are going to have to play well, bodies are going to have to be put on the line and you are going to have to see through moments of stress and in terms of a game plan I thought the boys delivered fantastically well today".
Courts insists United have to build on the victory in the long term.
He said: "This is where we are as a club, when anyone comes to Tannadice, whether it be Celtic, or Rangers, I know it is a cliché, but it has to be a fortress.
"This is where we have to target three points and if anyone leaves here with three points then they will need to have earned it."
Gerrard now has to lift spirits for Tuesday night when Rangers take on Malmo in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier at Ibrox.
The Light Blues lost 2-1 in the first leg in Sweden in midweek and the Ibrox boss acknowledged the need for improvement.
He said: "We have to accept it, suck the pain up and get ready for the next three days.
“We have no time to feel sorry for ourselves.
"We’ll have to accept what is coming our way in the next 24 to 48 hours and get them ready for Tuesday night which is possibly the biggest game we’ve had together as a group.
“I’ve got a job on my hands the next 48 hours, for sure. The level of the last two performances won’t be enough, that’s for sure."