Cup win can provide United with league boost, says Andreu

Andreu hopes triumph can prove turning point in push for promotion

Dundee United goal hero Tony Andreu is confident they can get a promotion pay-off from their Irn-Bru Cup victory.

The Frenchman lit up the Tangerines’ 2-1 win over St Mirren in the final at Fir Park on Saturday with a very special strike and was rightly named as man of the match.

Andreu smashed the ball into the net on 37 minutes to open the scoring and some United fans were still celebrating when Rory Loy equalised for the Buddies just a minute later.

The Tannadice team’s winner was headed home by substitute Thomas Mikkelsen on 75 minutes and this time the defence managed to hold out for what was a real feelgood success for the club following a form collapse in the league.

Now Andreu would love the silverware to lead to an upturn in what remains of the Championship season, starting with Ayr United at home tomorrow night.

He said: “Hopefully, it can be a pivotal moment for us. “We were looking for this. “You saw that we played football, went back to basics and tried to keep the ball on the ground.

“That’s what we did and that’s a positive.

“It is very good to win the cup for the club, the players, the coach and the fans.

“It is also, though, going to help us go forward as a team – definitely.

“We did much better than we had done in our recent games so this could be a turning point.

“We now have Ayr United on Tuesday and our aim has to be to control that game the same way we did for most of the second half in the final.

“We know that, as long as we are in the top four, we will have a chance of going up. That’s the reality, whether we finish second, third or fourth.

“We will just try to take our chances and produce this type of display.

“When we are strong at the back and can score a few goals, we’re not scared about the play-offs even though we know it’s going to be hard.”

The midfielder is, of course, on loan from Norwich City until the end of the season and is fully expecting to stay at Tannadice for the play-offs.

“I don’t really know the specific details of my contract,” he admitted.

“I will need to find out from Norwich and United.

“Personally, I would like to keep going and be available for the play-offs.

“I want to help the club finish the season well.

“We will see what happens and I don’t want to speak too much about it just in case but I will probably play in them.”

As for his superb strike, Andreu added: “What can I say about my goal? “It was a one-two with their defender! “I played the ball to the side and, when it came back to me, I just took my chance and hit it.

“My game is all about reacting quickly and, when the ball is around the edge of the penalty area, I am going to hit it.

“I have scored a few goals like that and, fortunately, I took my chance perfectly.

“It was a very good goal so I’m happy with that.

“The bad thing is that we conceded a goal immediately afterwards, which was a low point for us. We weren’t focused – we were still cheering my opener.

“It was a roller-coaster but we got there.”

United boss Ray McKinnon with the Irn Bru Cup.