Danny Swanson believes that his team-mate Scott Robertson is the ��bargain of the year��, and will soon go on to claim a place in the Scotland squad.

Robert Thomson and Derek Miller

DANNY SWANSON believes that his team-mate Scott Robertson is the bargain of the year'', and will soon go on to claim a place in the Scotland squad.

Robertson has been in fine form for Craig Levein's side and has taken well to life in the SPL following his summer free transfer from Dundee. The midfield player, who scored a great goal to send United into the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final in midweek, has improved as the weeks have progressed and has been a main catalyst behind the club's resurgent form.

Swanson recently watched the 23-year-old run rings around Hearts' international trio Michael Stewart, Saulius Mikoliunas and Laryea Kingston, so believes he, too, is capable of making the step up to the highest level. He said: "Scott is a tremendous player and for me he's been the bargain signing of the year. I don't think there has been a better player in the SPL from what I've seen.

"He's a great passer, can tackle and is scoring goals so there's not many midfielders as good as him. His energy is phenomenal, he's really fit and just doesn't stop running. We played Hearts a few weeks ago and they had a load of internationals in their team. However, Scotty ran the show that day, they couldn't get the ball off him so I don't think he can be far away from the Scotland squad.

"I didn't realise how good he was until I came up against him in training and his ability is frightening. It's amazing to think he's only just stepped up to the SPL because it looks as though he's been at this level for years."

United are aiming for a seventh successive win when they visit Falkirk today, and Swanson believes they are capable of earning three points.

After a poor start to the season, during which they were marooned at the foot of the table, United have begun moving through the gears and look an improved side on last season.

Europe is the aim this term, and with five clean sheets from the last six matches, Swanson is confident the team have a solid platform from which to launch an attack on the league's top sides. "The place is buzzing because of the run we're on and everyone has had a big lift from that," he said.

"It has been a massive turnaround because on the first day of the season we were poor, but once we got that draw against Celtic things turned our way. The defence has been amazing in the last few weeks, their shut-out record is unbelievable and just shows what happens when you get confidence back."

Having reached the last-four in the Co-operative Insurance Cup, confidence is not in short supply at Falkirk, and manager John Hughes insists his side have what it takes to start climbing the table themselves. He said: "I've been asking questions of the team since the start of the season and they've shown me a side of them in the last couple of games. You need to be battle-hardened as a team, and they have shown me they have that.

"After the cup game, we can put that away and see if we can pick up another three points in the league."

Hughes claimed when his team dropped to the bottom of the table recently, he was more interested in the number of points they racked up in each quarter of the season.

The manager said: "We're one point ahead of this quarter last season, so it would be nice if we could get the three points and go even further ahead."