Peter Houston insists best is yet to come from Gary Mackay-Steven

The winger became an internet sensation after doing a stunning piece of trickery against St Johnstone last weekend. But Houston is at pains to stress the former Ross County, Liverpool and Airdrie man is not the finished article yet.

Mackay-Steven has made an impressive impact on the SPL this season but his manager reckons he still has to learn when to release the ball to maximum effect. He said: “Gary is a very exciting player and he has done brilliantly for us since he came into the team.

“We know that if we get the ball into the box then guys like Jon Daly will be there to get on the end of them.

“That’s one thing we are saying to Gary – get the ball into the box.

“He can learn from Paul Dixon in that respect because he knows how to put it in the penalty box.

“I don’t care how Gary beats a man as long as he does it then it’s all about getting good delivery.

“Gary has improved steadily since he came here and is still learning because he’s not played all that many games.

“I always think the big thing for a winger is knowing when to put the ball into the box. If you are too early the strikers have not made their runs and if you delay too much the defence can get back. Knowing when to whip the ball in is something he’s still learning but it will come.”

United face St Mirren today and know a win could help them cement their place in the top six, but the Buddies, too, are aiming high.

St Mirren defender Jeroen Tesselaar is desperate for the Paisley side to claim a top-six spot, despite admitting he was unfamiliar with the idea of the league split before arriving in Scotland.

The former AZ Alkmaar player said: “Every game is hard between now and the split and we need to pick up as many points as possible.

“I didn’t know there was a split until the beginning of the season, when you play in Holland and you are in the middle of the league, the teams are playing for nothing so the way the league works here makes it more exciting.”