Dundee United v Hibernian: Paul Dixon, the Dundee United defender, has laughed off comparisons with Rory Delap, the Stoke City throw-in expert.

Robert Thomson and Martin McMillan

Paul Dixon, the Dundee United defender, has laughed off comparisons with Rory Delap, the Stoke City throw-in expert.

The 21-year-old left-back has shown himself to be United's secret weapon this season with massive throw-ins that he has able to launch right into the penalty area. This approach helped his side score against Rangers last midweek and will continue to be a potent weapon in their armoury.

Dixon's route-one set-up play has led to people likening him to Delap, whose own ability to hurl the ball towards goal from over 40 yards out has caused controversy in the English Premier League.

Unlike Irish internationalist Delap, Dixon does not spent hours on the training ground perfecting his throws and revealed it is a technique he has always been able to master.

Dixon, who will start against Hibernian tonight, laughed: "I wouldn't go as far as comparing my throws to Rory Delap's. For a start he throws it further than me and can put it right on top of the keeper. I can throw it far, probably to the near post, but he is something else.

"We scored against Rangers because of one of my throws and it's something we can use from time to time but I certainly don't practice it much.

"It's more about technique than strength and I just found out at an early age I could throw the ball quite long. I've been doing it for years at Dundee and it came off quite a few times so when it's appropriate I've tried it this season.

"It's only since I moved to United people have noticed it a bit more. Hopefully, I'll be able to use it a few more times this season to set up goals."

Dixon has yet to taste defeat in a United shirt as his emergence in the team has coincided with their nine-match unbeaten run after he made his debut against Airdrie in the Co-operative Cup.

Dixon, a £25,000 acquisition from Dundee, has forged a successful partnership with Craig Conway on the left-hand side of the pitch and insists he can see confidence coursing through every player now.

"The biggest difference in the team now is confidence, that's what has allowed us to go on this run," he said. "We were always sure things would come good for us even after the poor start we had because performances were okay. But when you are not winning games it does pile a bit of pressure on. Thankfully since we lost to Hibs the last time we have gone on an unbeaten run and that has moved us right up the table. But what we know is that now we have got to third it is going to be even harder to stay there. It's one of the tightest leagues in years so we know any slip ups will let everyone else make ground."

The turnaround in United's fortunes since they went bottom of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League after the 2-1 defeat at Easter Road in September has been remarkable. Craig Levein's side have not lost a match since and have claimed impressive wins over Aberdeen twice, Hearts and Inverness during that time.

Despite losing in Edinburgh that day, Levein still maintains that is the best his players have performed this term so would love a similar performance - albeit with a different result.

"The best we have played all season was the last time we played Hibs at Easter Road," he said. "That shows how crazy this game is sometimes because we got beat that day to go bottom of the league and since then we've been on a good run.

"I'd like to play as good as we did in Edinburgh this time round and, in all honesty, we probably need to put in a really good performance to win this game."