Dundee United vs Rangers: Jim Goodwin ready to 'lay down a marker' in Scottish Premiership opener, live on Sky

Jim Goodwin is telling his Dundee United players to show "no fear" against Rangers as he looks to "lay down a marker," live on Sky Sports.

The Tangerines host the Ibrox side in the Scottish Premiership season opener at Tannadice Park on Friday night.

It will be Derek McInnes' first competitive game since taking charge of Rangers, but Goodwin is not expecting any surprises against a manager he has faced when in charge of Aberdeen and Hearts.

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Friday 31st July 7:00pm

Kick off 8:00pm

"I've managed against Derek McInnes' teams numerous times in the past and Derek's had great success at all of the clubs that he's managed at playing a certain way," he told Sky Sports News.

"I'm not expecting Rangers to be a great deal different from his Hearts team or even the way his Aberdeen team set up a few years ago.

"What they have got is very talented players within their squad but our approach to the game has got to be one of no fear.

"We've got to go and set the tone nice and early.

"It's our first game at home at Tannadice in front of our own supporters and I think it's a really good opportunity for us to go and lay down a marker."

Every match across opening weekend live on Sky Sports!

• Friday July 31: Dundee Utd vs Rangers (8pm)
• Saturday August 1: Falkirk vs St Mirren (3pm)
• Saturday August 1: Aberdeen vs Hearts (5.30pm)
• Sunday August 2: St Johnstone vs Kilmarnock (2pm)
• Sunday August 2: Hibernian vs Motherwell (4.30pm)
• Monday August 3: Celtic vs Dundee (7.30pm)

United have made nine summer signings so far as Goodwin targets an improvement on last season's seventh-place finish.

"The objective at the start of any league campaign for a club like Dundee United is to try and secure top six as early as possible and then to try and give ourselves a chance of going and competing for those European places," he added.

"In my second season here, we enjoyed a fourth-place finish. We had a good run at it in Europe, we enjoyed the travelling and the support has certainly travelled in great numbers.

"That's what we're hoping to try and achieve again this season.

"Seventh place was a disappointing finish for us.

"I felt we had enough to go and get top six. Unfortunately, we just fell a little bit short but we've taken good learnings from last season.

"Hopefully, we can go one step further this time around and make sure that come the time of that split, we're in amongst those teams fighting for Europe."