Dundee United boss Peter Houston joked of what he would do to chairman Stephen Thompson if he did not extend his contract after his team secured European football. Jon Daly struck a double as United won 3-2 at Motherwell to guarantee a top-four finish and all but clinch third place.

Houston has led his players on an 11-match unbeaten run and the Scottish Cup finalists could cut the gap on second-placed Celtic to four points at Tannadice next Sunday.

Houston has postponed talks on his future until after the May 15 clash against Ross County at Hampden.

"I'll be honest and say if we won the cup final and finish third, then if he doesn't ask me, I'll knock him out," Houston joked.

"I would expect that, let's be honest, if they are looking for another manager I would be surprised, but stranger things have happened in football.

"We always decided that the week after the cup final we would sit down and have a blether and see where we are."