Team news

Mackay-Steven not the finished article yet - Houston Dundee United manager Peter Houston believes Gary Mackay-Steven will get even better when he perfects his timing.

The winger became an internet sensation after doing a stunning piece of trickery against St Johnstone last weekend. But Houston is at pains to stress the former Ross County, Liverpool and Airdrie man is not the finished article yet.

Mackay-Steven has made an impressive impact on the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this season but his boss reckons he still has to learn when to release the ball to maximum effect.

He said: "Gary is a very exciting player and he has done brilliantly for us since he came into the team. We know that if we get the ball into the box then guys like Jon Daly will be there to get on the end of them.

"That's one thing we are saying to Gary - get the ball into the box. He can learn from Paul Dixon in that respect because he knows how to put it in the penalty box. I don't care how Gary beats a man as long as he does it then it's all about getting good delivery.

"Gary has improved steadily since he came here and is still learning because he's not played all that many games. I always think the big thing for a winger is knowing when to put the ball into the box." Garry Kenneth is a doubt ahead of the visit of St Mirren.

The defender hobbled off with a groin injury against St Johnstone last weekend so could miss out.

Danny Swanson is also unlikely to make it after having sugar injections in his knee, while new signing Milos Lacny will again start on the bench.

Long-term injuries Scott Severin (knee) and Felipe Mentel (knee) are out.

Jeroen Tesselaar is desperate for St Mirren to claim a top-six spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, despite admitting he was unfamiliar with the idea of the league split before arriving in Scotland.

The former AZ Alkmaar defender landed at New St Mirren Park in the summer and has been an ever-present in Saints' league campaign so far.

St Mirren travel to Tannadice knowing a win would move them above their sixth-placed hosts.

"Every game is hard between now and the split and we need to pick up as many points as possible," said Tesselaar. "I didn't know there was a split until the beginning of the season, when you play in Holland and you are in the middle of the league, the teams are playing for nothing so the way the league works here makes it more exciting.

"It will be a very hard game against Dundee United, we played well against them earlier in the season and drew the match 1-1.

"We went a goal up before Nigel Hasselbaink was sent off which made things difficult. Since then both teams have improved so it should be an exciting match." The visitors will be without top scorer Steven Thompson after he was handed a two-match ban after being sent off for an elbow on Ross County's Johnny Flynn in their midweek William Hill Scottish Cup clash.

Dundee Utd vs St Mirren

Last modified 17:47 18/02/12

Honours even at Tannadice Dundee United and St Mirren fought out a goalless draw in a low-key Clydesdale Bank Premier League encounter at Tannadice.

It was the visitors' fourth draw in five matches, although neither side showed the cutting edge required to merit all three points.

Substitute Nigel Hasselbaink could have won it for Danny Lennon's men in the closing stages but he was unable to steer the ball home from a Dougie Imrie cross.

United made one enforced change from the team that ran out 5-1 winners against St Johnstone, with Sean Dillon stepping in to replace the injured Garry Kenneth.

The Buddies were missing top scorer Steven Thompson after he was handed a two-match ban for being sent off for an elbow in their midweek William Hill Scottish Cup win over Ross County.

Imrie started in place of the former United striker, while Steven Thomson preferred to Dutchman Hasselbaink who dropped to the bench.

St Mirren, who ended a run of three consecutive draws when they beat Ross County midweek, made a bright start when Paul McGowan showed some neat trickery to evade two defenders but his cross found no takers.

The hosts had a penalty claim turned down after nine minutes when Stuart Armstrong fell in the box under pressure from Jeroen Tesselaar, referee Brian Winter waving play on.

Buddies left-back David Barron picked up the first booking of the match for a foul on Gary Mackay-Steven a minute later.

United carved out their first real opening after 24 minutes when Paul Dixon's cross found Jon Daly who should have done better than head wide, although he was flagged offside in any case.

Daly was involved again three minutes later when he was inches away from connecting with Mackay-Steven's back-post corner as United began to enjoy the better of proceedings.

And the hosts went even closer on the half-hour mark when Dixon's free-kick was headed across the face of goal by Gavin Gunning but Daly was unable to apply the finishing touch.

The Buddies had Marc McAusland to thank after 34 minutes when the defender made a superbly-timed challenge on Johnny Russell just as the United striker looked set to pull the trigger.

St Mirren had an early scare after the break when goalkeeper Craig Samson fumbled a John Rankin drive but managed to gather the loose ball at the second attempt.

Imrie was booked for dissent after 55 minutes before the hosts made their first change, bringing on Milos Lacny for Armstrong.

A Carey cross fell kindly for Teale at the back post but the former Sheffield Wednesday player's touch deserted him at the vital moment.

The visitors also shuffled their pack with Hasselbaink and Aaron Mooy introduced for Carey and Teale.

United midfielder Rankin fired a deflected shot wide for a fruitless corner as the home side tried to break the deadlock.

Hasselbaink could have netted a late winner for the Buddies but the Dutchman, who was sent off when the sides met at Tannadice earlier in the season, could not turn Imrie's cross past Dusan Pernis in the United goal.