Ian Maxwell, the St Mirren defender, believes the relegation run-in is as much a test of mental strength as footballing ability. The Paisley outfit hold a one-point lead over bottom club Dunfermline as the battle to stay in the Premierleague enters the closing straight.

The Fife side cut the gap following their win at Love Street on Monday, but Maxwell insists Gus MacPherson's side have the courage to stay up and avoid slipping back into the first division just 12 months after they won promotion.

"Monday's defeat was hard to get over but when we came back into training the gaffer had a meeting and told us just to put it behind us. There is no point dwelling on it," he said. "It always takes a wee bit of time to get over any game but we can't change it now and we have to look forward to the next game.

"The manager just stressed it is still in our own hands and I suppose now it's as much a mental thing as much as ability. It's about having the mental strength to cope with what is coming.

"We can't get too down. Fair play to Dunfermline, they have done really well by clawing the gap back, but it doesn't matter if they were 90 points or nine points behind and it's now one, we're still a point ahead so we can't get too upset."

St Mirren face Dundee United at Tannadice today, and Maxwell insists MacPherson's charges must produce a performance as good as their last away day when they defeated Falkirk 2-0. A St Mirren victory would put more pressure on the East End Park side , who do not play until they tackle Motherwell on Monday.

"At Falkirk we started well and for the first half hour we had them hemmed in, so it's important away from home to put the home side under pressure," Maxwell said.

"It's important we get three points and put the pressure back on Dunfermline, they have not had that pressure before whereas we've had it for a few weeks.

"They played Dundee United and won and I was sitting at home listening for the score and it does deflate you a bit, that's only human nature, so it's important for us to do that to them this Saturday."

Meanwhile, Craig Levein, the Dundee United manager, has a selection headache after learning striker Jon Daly faces four to six months on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.

"Filling the gap left by Daly up front is the big task. I could look at David Goodwillie, but to be honest he has not really been setting the heather on fire recently," Levein admitted. "Noel Hunt could move into a central striking role but that would leave problems out wide, where neither Craig Conway nor Steven Robb are fit enough to start. They would be obvious choices, but there is no way either of them are ready for 90 minutes."

United's injury problems are growing and there is no question this game is more important to the opposition. However, Levein will demand three points from his players after they were held 1-1 by Inverness Caley Thistle last week.

"It's not going to be easy because St Mirren are fighting to stay up and will want to make up for the disappointment of losing to Dunfermline," he said. "We also have plenty of injury problems, but the team we put out can win.

"I am looking for the same kind of passing we produced in the first half against Inverness and for goals to be added."