Dundee United boss Craig Levein insists his team can cope with their crippling injury crisis.

The Tangerines travel to face Aberdeen for the first time this season without a host of key players.

Levein was already minus skipper Lee Wilkie, full-back Paul Dixon and Scotland international Scott Robertson as well as long-term injury victims Francisco Sandaza and fellow strikers Jon Daly and Kevin Smith.

His woes deepened on Friday when defender Andy Webster, who is on loan from Rangers, was ruled out with flu.

With Darren Dods also doubtful with a thigh strain it will be a makeshift United team who take to the field.

Levein said: "These things happen. Sometimes you go through a period in football when you never get a single injury while other times you pick up a few.

"I've been in the game long enough not to get too excited or too worried about it. I've lost plenty of games with my best team on the park so you just have to take it as it comes.

"We've got a fairly strong squad and a lot of quality so whatever team I put out there will be capable of doing the job."

With city rivals Dundee still in Division One, United lack a recognised derby, although games against Aberdeen and St Johnstone have taken on extra significance.

United's clashes with the Dons have been hugely entertaining encounters in recent seasons, with 34 goals scored in the last 11 meetings.

Levein knows how important beating their 'new firm' rivals is to the fans and although the quality of the teams has undoubtedly dipped since Dons boss Mark McGhee played against the legendary Jim McLean team of the 1980's, Levein knows exactly why these matches are so hotly-contested.

He said: "I like the Aberdeen games. Jimmy Calderwood did a fantastic job at Aberdeen so Mark has a pretty hard act to follow.

"There's an added excitement in this fixture. Mark would have been playing for Alex Ferguson some years ago while Jim McLean had probably the best Dundee United team ever.

"We're striving to bring back those sort of days. There seems to be some more significance for the supporters to win this game than some others so hopefully we can make our fans happy come Saturday night."

United have extended striker Jonny Russell's loan deal with Raith Rovers until Boxing Day, while youngsters Marco Andreoni and Connor Grant have joined Dick Campbell's Forfar for a month.