Sky Live: Dundee Utd v Aberdeen
Darko Bodul will be competing for a starting place up front with fellow new boy Simon Murray; Mario Bilate is also free of injury and available for Sunday’s Sky Live encounter.
Another new signing, Rodney Sneijder, may have to settle for a place on the bench while neither Ryan Dow nor Callum Morris will be involved, having picked up knocks in pre-season.
McNamara told Sky Sports News HQ: “I think it is important for us to get a good start. We played them in the first game last season up at Pittodrie and we won that so it would be nice to do the same this year. They have a tough journey from the European game so hopefully they will be a bit tired from that.”
Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes is set to make changes for the trip to Tayside.
McInnes will look to use his squad following his side’s energy-sapping midweek Europa League jaunt to Kazakhstan; Mark Reynolds is still out following shoulder surgery.
McInnes said: “It’s important we all feel stimulated and excited about that first game, because we will take a good crowd to Tannadice and they will expect their team to win. We need to put that demand on ourselves.
“It will be tough, it’s a tough opener going there. United always offer a difficult challenge.”
Watch all the thrilling Premiership action between Dundee United and Aberdeen live on Sky Sports 1HD from 3pm on Sunday, 2 August.