Dixon is in the Tangerine corner for Killie clash

Dundee United defender Paul Dixon has spent the last month sporting the kind of facial injury of which boxers David Haye or Nikolai Valuev might be proud.

But the full back is ready to put his head in where it hurts again if it means the Arabs beat Kilmarnock at Rugby Park today.

Former Scotland under-21 player Dixon has suffered a black eye four times and has been repeatedly attended to by club doctor Phyllis Windsor.

Dixon came back from a knee injury to play against Rangers last weekend and almost immediately suffered an accidental kick in the face from Steven Naismith.

Dixon will have his latest stitches removed just before kick-off and will be hoping, for once, he does not need more when the game is finished.

He said: “I suppose I look more like a boxer than a footballer. My face does, certainly. The players have been joking that I actually look a bit better these days.

“I keep putting my head into places where it can get hurt. But I won't be going into the Kilmarnock game worried about doing it again.

“I'll just go for the ball and if it happens then I'll just have to deal with it again.”

Meanwhile, United Forward Francisco Sandaza's groin operation has been put back to next week after the Spaniard contracted food poisoning.

The ex-Valencia B player was due to have the operation yesterday but fell ill overnight and was unable to travel.

He has now been booked in for a new appointment on Monday and faces six weeks of rehabilitation.

United Manager Craig Levein said: “He's been really down about being injured but he'll get the operation next week and then will be able to look forward.

“Obviously having him out for longer than we thought is a blow but it's the lesser of two evils because we were worried it might be three months.”