“The better team won for me, we were very comfortable first half with good aggression to our play.

“We played the majority of the game in their half but you are not totally comfortable when you are playing against United because they have got players that when they pick the ball up 30 yards from goal make you a bit wary but I thought by enlarge we kept them at arm’s length and they never really troubled us.

“We scored a very good goal and from then on in I never thought we would lose the game.

“When we went down to ten men it became a different type of game, you need to shut down and show a lot of different qualities. It’s not just about your ability and I thought we answered that side of it and dealt with everything they had. I think the right team won all three points and it’s a good day’s work for us.

“I never at any point seen Barry elbow him, there was a coming together and Barry was trying to protect the ball. I have watched it again and obviously the linesman is far closer to it than I am but for me after watching it again on the DVD there is no red card offence there. I am disappointed with that but the referee and linesman have seen it differently and we had to get on with it. I don’t want it to detract from the result but it was disappointing and I felt it was a harsh decision.

“I know it has looked on the cards for the last few weeks but its great work from the players to be able to secure European football with five games to go. I think that result also goes a long way to securing second spot as well although there is still work to be done and we won’t take that for granted.

“We lost here on the opening day of the season to Dundee United and if you had said to me then we would be 22 points clear of them at this stage we would have grabbed that and I think that shows how good the players have been.

“There has been a lot said about consistency but to be consistent there are a lot of things that have to come together. Good concentration and ability are two of those things and the players have shown that right throughout the majority of the season.

“We have got five games to go and we want to pick up as many of those points as possible but I think it is clear at this stage of the season how determined the players still are to keep winning games and that pleases me no end.

“The last three games Willo has been outstanding.

“Inverness he was out there with Robson, Kilmarnock last week with McLean and today again with Robson and he was outstanding. You can see the reason why I brought they two players to the club, they are tailor made for these types of games.

“I have said all along Celtic would need to have a really poor season for anybody else to even get close to them. That’s the reality and they haven’t and I don’t all of a sudden expect them to change from what they have given since the back end of October where they have shown real consistency. I think there team has improved and for us to be that close to them is testament to our boys, 71 points with 5 games to go for us is a great return.

“The time for reflection on our season is after those five games when hopefully we can look back and feel good about ourselves. The players have been really committed all season, every day from the 12th of June until now.”