Dundee United manager Peter Houston claimed his players were "rubbish" in their 5-0 win over St Johnstone in the SPL on Saturday.

The Tannadice men benefited from own goals from Steven Anderson and Callum Davidson before a devastating three-goal burst in the last seven minutes denied Saints the comeback they threatened through Anderson's 66th-minute counter at the right end of the pitch.

Headers from Johnny Russell and Jon Daly, and Milos Lacny's injury-time strike put the gloss on a victory that was helped by two horrendous blunders by home goalkeeper Peter Enckelman.

Houston was delighted his team had built on last weekend's Scottish Cup triumph over Rangers at Ibrox but was still critical of their performance, despite the magnitude of their victory.

He said: "I said to the players after the game I thought we were rubbish. I'm not kidding, I don't think we played anywhere near the standards that we set ourselves.

"We were in 1-0 at half-time with an own-goal and I think the scoreline flattered us. I think St Johnstone were the better team in the first half.

"When St Johnstone pulled a goal back, that's where we started to show a bit of character.

"In other games we've folded and teams have scored against us but we actually picked up our work-rate and we actually played better.

"We had the quality of (Paul) Dixon's crosses and two magnificent headers from Johnny Russell and Jon Daly, allied with the fact we chased everything down later on when we went 4-1 up, and Lacny got his goal, which will help him.

"But I'm delighted with the three points."

He continued: "We have played better, if I pick games against Motherwell and Aberdeen recently, when we picked up one point from six.

"But we've come away from home, scored five goals against a team that are flying in the league and I think is one of the teams of the season.

"So, I'm being a wee bit choosy here in saying that our performance wasn't anywhere near the standard of last week.

"But I think it's a sign of a good team that when you don't play well you win emphatically like we did."

He may have been disappointed with some areas of his team's performances, but Houston was thrilled with the goals from Russell and Daly that sealed the victory late on.

He added: "Dixon's deliveries were superb, but also the header of Johnny Russell, to get it across the goalkeeper and up and over him.

"I keep saying to young Gary Mackay-Steven, put it in there and Daly will get his fair share."

St Johnstone manager Steve Lomas was not buying into Houston's assessment of the game, however, and insisted his team deserved such an unforgiving thrashing.

And, with a Scottish Cup replay with Hearts to come on Tuesday, Lomas has urged his players to show the character - and a better defensive display - to bounce back from such a comprehensive defeat.

He said: "You've got to take them sometimes but we're disappointed.

"Peter was gracious enough to say he didn't think it was a 5-1, but I would say it was and we've got to deal with that.

"I've been saying all along that there's plenty of character in our team and squad and they'll have to prove me right on Tuesday in a big game against Hearts to get a place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.

"I'm delighted there is a game so we can get back into action straight away and redeem something that I didn't see coming.

"I think we were probably the better team in the first half an hour but when you give goals away in the manner we did then you can't win football matches.

"You can't keep going up the other end and scoring. I always believe we'll create chances but you can't concede goals like that at any level of football."