Dundee United boss Micky Mellon knows Ross County will be fighting for their Scottish Premiership lives when they visit Tannadice on Saturday.

County are without a win in their last five games in all competitions and with three league matches remaining are only three points ahead of bottom side Hamilton.

Mellon’s side, who are safe in eighth place, were drawn against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park following a terrific 3-0 win at Aberdeen last Sunday, and he is now preparing for a return to the cut and thrust of the league.

He said: “I expect it to be very tough because there is nothing much between many of the clubs in this division outside the Old Firm.

“I think that would be fair to say. You go into every game and you know that the majority of the games are going to be very tight and be about a detail.

“Every time we have played Ross County they have been really tough games.

“You know they will be fired up, you know how important it is for them to get a result because they are fighting for their Premiership lives but we are fighting to try and keep the club moving forward so we want to try and get a result and keep us moving forward as a football club as well.

“So it should be a great match because there is plenty to play for and we will enjoy facing the challenge and we know it will be a really tough challenge, as every game in the Premiership is.”

Mellon admitted his United side were on a high following the convincing victory against the Dons.

He said: “Winning games of football lifts the mood and environment.

“As much as you try to say the environment is always lively and boisterous, there is something about winning that you just can’t replicate.

“We want to keep pushing on, finding a level of consistency of performance and we won’t settle, we will keep pushing, trying to make those things better that got us that big result at Pittodrie.

“We have to move on and keep going.”