Is Sibbald re-emergence symbol of United upturn?

What a difference a year makes, especially if your name is Craig Sibbald.

This time 12 months ago, the Dundee United midfielder was on crutches at Tannadice while his team-mates jogged past him to warm up.

He missed four months of last season when a serious groin injury required surgery. The former Falkirk dynamo is certainly making up for lost time now.

Two stunning goals in consecutive week, one to help snatch a draw at Ibrox, the latest a beauty to help United defeat St Mirren.

"Sibbs is a really important player for us," Jim Goodwin told BBC Scotland after Sibbald helped his side up to third place in the Premiershp.

"He's in that middle part of the pitch where he's brave enough to take the ball in tight situations, but he's also got that little bit of creativity and that bit of guile at the top end of the pitch.

"He was playing as a number 10 when he was coming through at Falkirk, so he's very adept at being that little bit higher."

"When he gets into those areas where there are goalscoring opportunities, then he's got the ability and the technique to go and do what he did today and against Rangers last weekend."

Against St Mirren Sibbald was so key for United in getting them moving forward.

He had more final third entries than any of his team-mates (10), and the most passes into the same area too (14).

He will head to Motherwell on Wednesday looking to score in three consecutive games as United aim to really kickstart their campaign.

"We're very optimistic and we've got a quiet confidence within the group of what we're capable of doing this season but at the same time, I'm not taking too much notice of the league table at the minute.

"It's great that we're sitting in third in the table but there's only three or four points between ourselves and the teams down the bottom of the table so I think it's important that we put things in perspective and that we don't get carried away with ourselves."

With Craig Sibbald in this form and desperate to make up for lost time, United can feel positive about their chances.