League · Premier Division
Dundee Utd4–1Aberdeen
Alex McLeish 49′
Lineups
Dundee Utd
Aberdeen
Dundee Utd · Starting XI
Aberdeen · Starting XI
- Jim Leighton
- Stuart Kennedy
- Doug Rougvie
- Neale Cooper
- Alex McLeish
- Willie Miller
- Gordon Strachan
- Doug Bell
- Mark McGhee
- John Hewitt
- Peter Weir
Dundee Utd · Substitutes
Aberdeen · Substitutes
- Drew Jarvie
- Andy Watson
Dundee Utd · Substitutions
Aberdeen · Substitutions
- Andy Watson for Doug Rougvie27′
- Drew Jarvie for Doug Bell
Dundee Utd · Manager
Aberdeen · Manager
- Alex Ferguson
Dundee Utd · Cautions
Aberdeen · Cautions
- Gordon Strachan
- Doug Rougvie
- Doug Bell
Match report
United opened their Premier League campaign by welcoming Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen to Tannadice. Jim McLean made three changes from the midweek League Cup draw with Motherwell, with Derek Stark, Derek Murray and Davie Dodds replacing George Nicol, Ralph Milne and Graeme Payne. The Terrors got off to a superb start in the match and took the lead after only eight minutes. Derek Stark did well to win the ball from Peter Weir out wide on the right, and his ball down the channel set Paul Sturrock free. The striker raced through on goal, and drilled the ball low past Jim…Read moreRead less
United opened their Premier League campaign by welcoming Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen to Tannadice. Jim McLean made three changes from the midweek League Cup draw with Motherwell, with Derek Stark, Derek Murray and Davie Dodds replacing George Nicol, Ralph Milne and Graeme Payne.
The Terrors got off to a superb start in the match and took the lead after only eight minutes. Derek Stark did well to win the ball from Peter Weir out wide on the right, and his ball down the channel set Paul Sturrock free. The striker raced through on goal, and drilled the ball low past Jim Leighton to give United a deserved lead. The home fans had hardly stopped celebrating the opener when United struck again. Davie Dodds controlled a long throw into the penalty box before turning and laying the ball into the path of John Holt who crashed an unstoppable left-footed half volley from 12 yards past the helpless Leighton for his second goal in a week. United were now in full control of the match and they added a third on the half hour mark. The Aberdeen defence failed to clear a long Dave Narey free-kick, Bannon headed the ball towards Willie Pettigrew on the right hand edge of the box and the striker looped a terrific effort over the head of the despairing Leighton and into the back of the net.
The Dons pulled a goal back early in the second half after what must have been a stern, half time team talk from Alex Ferguson. From a free-kick out wide on the left, Weir crossed the ball into the box and found the head of the unmarked Alex McLeish who powerfully headed downwards past McAlpine to make the score 3-1. However United did re-establish their three goal advantage in the 60th minute. Breaking quickly down the field, Sturrock beat McLeish to a Pettigrew through-ball and found himself one on one with Leighton, but was brought down after rounding the keeper. Up stepped the ever-reliable Eamonn Bannon to fire the penalty kick into the top left-hand corner of Leighton’s net. That was the end of the scoring and the match finished 4-1 in favour of the home side. This was United’s biggest home win over the Dons since 1974 and ended a run of nine games at Tannadice against Aberdeen without a win.
The Terrors got off to a superb start in the match and took the lead after only eight minutes. Derek Stark did well to win the ball from Peter Weir out wide on the right, and his ball down the channel set Paul Sturrock free. The striker raced through on goal, and drilled the ball low past Jim Leighton to give United a deserved lead. The home fans had hardly stopped celebrating the opener when United struck again. Davie Dodds controlled a long throw into the penalty box before turning and laying the ball into the path of John Holt who crashed an unstoppable left-footed half volley from 12 yards past the helpless Leighton for his second goal in a week. United were now in full control of the match and they added a third on the half hour mark. The Aberdeen defence failed to clear a long Dave Narey free-kick, Bannon headed the ball towards Willie Pettigrew on the right hand edge of the box and the striker looped a terrific effort over the head of the despairing Leighton and into the back of the net.
The Dons pulled a goal back early in the second half after what must have been a stern, half time team talk from Alex Ferguson. From a free-kick out wide on the left, Weir crossed the ball into the box and found the head of the unmarked Alex McLeish who powerfully headed downwards past McAlpine to make the score 3-1. However United did re-establish their three goal advantage in the 60th minute. Breaking quickly down the field, Sturrock beat McLeish to a Pettigrew through-ball and found himself one on one with Leighton, but was brought down after rounding the keeper. Up stepped the ever-reliable Eamonn Bannon to fire the penalty kick into the top left-hand corner of Leighton’s net. That was the end of the scoring and the match finished 4-1 in favour of the home side. This was United’s biggest home win over the Dons since 1974 and ended a run of nine games at Tannadice against Aberdeen without a win.