Paatelainen believes Dundee United can still beat drop

Dundee United manager Mixu Paatelainen remained defiant after his side suffered a 2-1 defeat at Motherwell that left them eight points adrift at the foot of the Premiership.

United took the lead midway through the first half through Henri Anier's excellent strike, but the impressive Marvin Johnson headed an equaliser in first-half injury-time before setting up Louis Moult to net from close range 20 minutes into the second period.

The visitors failed to follow up their first-half display, but were angry at referee Crawford Allan for penalising Ryan Dow's challenge on Morgaro Gomis before Josh Law's free-kick found Johnson.

When asked if his team have enough to avoid the drop, Paatelainen said: "Absolutely. Of course we do. I felt we should have taken something from the game.

"We always knew their pace up front was going to give us a real test and it did. They have pacey players and very direct players and they used it well.

"But to lose the goal at the end of the first half the manner we did... Was it a free-kick? It's questionable. That is a big blow. But we defended softly, we should have been earlier up there to head the ball away.

"First half we looked very bright and created loads of openings and looked pretty comfortable. Obviously goals change games and how players feel, and losing the goal so late was a big blow.

"But the way we performed first half, we should have done that second half as well and worried them. But we didn't."

United were also aggrieved that Scott McDonald got away with a flailing elbow in the 37th minute.

"I don't want to shout red cards for anybody, but it is a clear elbow," Paatelainen said. "There is no question it's a high elbow straight to Coll Donaldson's face. But these things happen in a match."

McDonald told BT Sport "there was no intention" and Motherwell boss Mark McGhee felt there were other questionable incidents.

McGhee, who lost Stephen Pearson (rib), Keith Lasley (thigh) and Law (foot) to injury, responded to questions on McDonald's elbow by saying: "I'm hearing that, but I couldn't say. But there were a few we might be saying the same thing about, so I don't think Scott was the only one if he was guilty of anything like that."

McGhee admitted his side were lucky to go in level at half-time, but felt their second-half display merited three points. And he praised Johnson, who continues to shine in McGhee's three-pronged attack.

"We got him off the side and gave him more space to run in and he showed what he is capable of," McGhee said. "He's a brilliant player."