John Rankin says Saturday's Scottish Premiership meeting with Kilmarnock is the biggest of his Dundee United career and is more important than any cup final or European fixture he has played in.

The Tannadice side take on Gary Locke's men in the bottom of the table clash this weekend as they look to close the 14-point gap between 12th and 11th place.

Midfielder Rankin has turned out for United in two domestic cup finals and four Europa League qualifiers but believes the risk of relegation is more vital than any of them.

He knows Mixu Paatelainen's side have to start picking up a run of form soon if they are to turn their fortunes around, and with their next four league fixtures coming against the sides directly above them in the table, he says it has to be now.

"In terms of my Dundee United career this is probably the biggest game I've played in," Rankin said. "I've played in European ties and cup finals but this is bigger than any cup final I've played in.

"We need to win tomorrow and there's no shirking away from it. The dressing room knows it.

"It's pressure but to be honest it's probably a pressure now at the stage where we think it will be alright - it will not be alright, we need to win now.

"The pressure is on and it's how we respond to that. We need big characters and massive personalities to come out."

The Dundee United squad rallied together after a meeting this week which captain Sean Dillon took charge of and Rankin admitted it has made a difference.

"We discussed everything and aired a few grievances," the 32-year old explained. "It's one that we needed, to be honest we probably needed it earlier in the season but it never came about.

"There was a lot of voices, we said a few things and to be honest the boys have taken it on board. Training this week has been a different tempo, a different standard from a few weeks before.

"There's been a few battered a bruised, a few arguments which you'd expect at this time because the pressure is on. If we can take that spirit into tomorrow then I'm expecting a good result from us."