We won’t throw in the towel, says Mixu

MIXU PAATELAINEN has refused to throw in the towel in Dundee United’s bid for Premiership survival and insisted his team will keep fighting over the last five games.

The Tannadice manager saw an eight-point gap open up at the bottom of the table after his side lost at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and his old club Kilmarnock beat St Johnstone, but he refuses to accept his fate, despite being scathing of United’s display.

‘We’ve had blows during the season and the boys have always picked themselves up,’ said Paatelainen. ‘It remains to be seen whether we’ve done too much damage. I can’t answer that.

‘Mathematically we’ve still got a chance. How much damage this has caused I don’t know, but what I do know is that the boys have spirit. They don’t give up.’

Asked if United could win all five remaining matches after the split, Paatelainen replied: ‘Of course we can. It’s very unlikely with the way our season has gone, but we need to win all five unless we get some other results going for us. At the moment, it’s very difficult. Kilmarnock are in a good position.

‘But that’s been the case for a few months. We were dead and buried a couple of months ago and recently we have picked up results and reduced the gap. But today was a major disappointment.

‘It was a totally unacceptable performance. It definitely was one of our worst this season. We can’t have that if we want to survive. It was a real big disappointment.

‘I was very angry with the first goal we lost. It might have been offside but that’s secondary. It was just poor defending.

‘Good luck to Kilmarnock. We didn’t do our job today and that’s what we’re concentrating on. We hold our hands up.’

Inverness manager John Hughes was disappointed at missing out on the top six, but was satisfied with the victory. ‘That was more like the Inverness of last year,’ he said.

‘It was a massive result and we need to take not getting into the top six on the chin. That win was for the supporters.’