By Clive Lindsay

United will rely heavily on Noel Hunt (left) to provide the goals

Craig Levein has gone a fair way towards restoring his reputation after his sacking by Leicester City.

The man who was billed as one of Scotland's brightest managerial prospects while with Hearts steered Dundee United clear of relegation last season after taking over from Craig Brewster in October.

Levein's cause was helped by eventually-relegated Dunfermline Athletic's terrible start to the season and late slumps by Motherwell and St Mirren.

His first full season at Tannadice will be a greater test, with United fans - among them chairman Eddie Thompson - demanding far more than just safety from the drop.

Thompson has proved a hard man to please, being quick to dispense with managers who fail to take United where the grocery magnate believes they should be - dining at nation's top-six table.

He appears to have formed a close and happy working relationship with Levein, which the manager might be thankful for should the Terrors once again fail to strike fear into their Scottish Premier League opponents.

The recruitment of Darren Dods from Inverness Caledonian Thistle should provide some bite at the back and he will form a steadying influence in an imposing partnership with Lee Wilkie.

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Lukasz Zaluska, a summer acquisition from Polish outfit Korona Kielce, could prove to be a suitable replacement for the reliable Derek Stillie, who headed for English football and the finishing of his law degree.

In midfield, Levein will hope that the intriguingly-named Prince Bauben proves to be a jewel stolen from the football royalty that is Ajax's youth system.

Bauben was unable to obtain a work permit to allow him a professional contract with the Dutch club and returned to his homeland of Ghana before being offered a trial, and a deal, by United.

Levein will be hoping that the signing will prove as astute as the plucking of Morgaro Gomis from the relative obscurity at Cowdenbeath last season, the French midfielder having broken into the first team quicker than the manager himself had predicted.

The United boss has given winger Willo Flood the chance to resurrect on loan a career that has stagnated at Cardiff City.

Prince Bauben has arrived at Tannadice after leaving Ajax

But, even if Flood and the increasingly impressive captain - Barry Robson - shower opposing penalty boxes with crosses, United may have problems finding anyone to sink the chances.

Goalscoring proved to be their Achilles heel last term and could be again.

Levein allowed Collin Samuel to leave for Toronto.

And, although the Trinidad and Tobago international was not prolific, he has not been replaced within the Tannadice squad during the summer.

With Jon Daly out injured for the start of the season, it leaves Levein relying heavily on Noel Hunt, who is busy, often riles up the opponents but has hardly proved to be an out-and-out goalscorer.

Levein will no doubt continue to get the best out of the players available to him.