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I think people are forgetting that a) it was Tony Watt and b) very funny.

How was hospitality?

That is exactly why there's as much debate yabba. Loads don't know the rules. I'm a big believer in if refs came out and explained any big decision in a game or even the head of referees came out after game and explained why certain decisions were given then it would clear a lot up. Pundits quite clearly don't know rules and it creates untold problems for referees in their next games.

I've just watched this and completely changed my mind. Its a red all day long. If Watt tried to pull out of the challenge, why did he rake his studs down Goss' shin? As far as I can tell, he simply walked off with no backchat or complaint - unlike Tony Watt eh? He knew perfectly well what he did.

Late to the party here but just getting a chance. Was up at Tannadice yesterday and thought the game was terrible but a 3 points I will take all day long. The take aways from the game for me are:- Kelly's kicking is getting worse, he either found a Utd player or a fan!!!! Shields is really poor Morris is really poor Maguire is really really poor Slattery is defo a footballer with talent but he looked about a stone overweight?? Great 3 points though so well done boys!!!!!!!

I'm generally stumped how people don't think thats a red. The Pie and Bovril twitter page recently posted a video and it slows down the contact of Watts connection. His studs actually rake down the side of Goss's shin and the force makes him plant his foot, it could have been a nasty one. I said it yesterday, but as soon as Watt makes the challenge you see him turn to the ref waving his arms saying he didn't mean it and when he is eventually shown the red he puts his head down and walks off without saying a word to Beaton, the sign of a guilty man.

Anyway getting away from VAR which I think is going to dominate discussions from now on a very important three points.

The ref gets to to see full speed, slowed down and freeze frame. He also knows the rules better than most fans. A good example of that is when Spurs had their goal disallowed in midweek. Most players, pundits and fans thought you can't be offside if the ball is played backwards, when there's no such rule. ( It's just that 99 times of out 100, when you pass the ball backwards there isn't anyone else in an offside position interfering with play.) And then there are the rules that rarely, if ever, come into play. Did you know, for example, if a red card offence is committed and the offender can't be identified then the red card is given to the "senior team official in the technical area"? For red card offences, the law is pretty vague. The relevant wording is "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent" - the other part of that law is " or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play" which I think we can rule out in this case. So the ref has a lot of latitude here. I'd likely have been upset if our player saw red for that, but given incidents like Mugabi's red against Hibs in the cup, it's no surprise to me when they happen.

Pretty sure McHugh got sent off on at least two occasions when there was no contact. That might have been the Craig Thomson/Willie Collum effect right enough but the reason given was that, despite there being no contact, his challenges were reckless with potential of serious injury to an opponent. Intent or otherwise was not a factor as is still the case. And that was well before VAR and freeze frames. So the "interpretation" aspect which causes all the debate has existed for ages. I do think it was a pretty harsh red card and agree if a foul had been given and a yellow issued that would have been sufficient. I don't think it was violent conduct. And I doubt VAR would have intervened. My concern is that from less than 10 yards away and with a clear view, Mr Beaton saw nothing wrong with the challenge. There was high contact. As long as referees continue to be incompetent VAR is needed and will repair some of the damage they cause, but only if the Authorities learn from early errors and there is a clear consistency and accountability. Given that it is those same incompetent referees that are operating VAR coupled with the lack of openness regarding inexplicable outcomes then sadly I fear we will continue to be frustrated by its use. The wagons appear to have been circled regarding Andrew Dallas not intervening last week. The referee missed the foul on Lamie but if he was not pulled up by Dallas, then I can understand why he called time. No apology or "We got it wrong and need to learn from our mistakes". That does not give me much hope for improvement. Wonder whose turn it will to be aggrieved next week?

A very importnat and indeed satisfying win. Watt's red card was downright wrong but this is the type of decision of we've very very rarely gotten at Tannadice over the decades and I missed it! The seethe from United fans would have made the trip worth it - a humourless and grim set of supporters if ever there was - East Stand patrons pale into insignificance by comparison. We ground out the win and that was about it. Just watched the highlights and some of our defending was horrendous. Even early on we defended far too deeply. Again missed chances. We showed United far, far too much respect with both 10 and 11 men. Still a wins a win! Happy days.

Ross Tierney for blocking a utd corner during his warmup and also trying to sneak a peak at the var screen.

Listen regardless of the performance this is a massive 3 points, I don’t care if it was a red, how poor the midfield is, we take the points and move on.

He's not got any other options.

I would have went with cornelius instead of spittal but other than that it's probably the best we can pick from right now.

End of the day if the attitude is the players can’t improve we are in trouble, I would hope our manager has a different mindset. Again as previously stated we are not starting with a new squad in January, it’s going to be more or less the same group with two or three additions. The whole midfield are not suddenly leaving to be replaced by superstars or even players on a different level of ability, that’s not the way it works at clubs at our level. This group of players have had some decent performances and picked up points at places like Aberdeen, they CAN do that again with the right coaching.