A TELEVISION mounted on a wall inside Tannadice broadcast the League Cup semi-final draw.

"A tie between the New Firm, it's like the old days," said United manager Jackie McNamara as his side were paired with Aberdeen.

United's league position last night may have many associated with the club in nostalgic mode for halcyon days. They returned to the top of the standings after goals from Paul Paton, Nadir Ciftci and Charlie Telfer secured victory against St Mirren.

It was the latter's inaugural first-team start since he joined from Rangers during the close- season and he revelled in the opportunity alongside fellow teenager Aidan Connolly. "I have faith in all of my squad," McNamara said. "If starting them seemed like a gamble then I'd say it was one worth taking."

His team rode their luck a little during the early exchanges when an inattentive United defence left pockets of space in the penalty area which were filled by chances for the visitors. Thomas Reilly poked at a loose ball and there was a flicked header from Callum Ball, who later stabbed another shot towards goal from close range, which goalkeeper Radoslaw Cierzniak stood up to block.

A more confident forward might have scored. Steven Thompson, sidelined after a groin operation, looked on quietly from a seat in the stands. For United, the performances of both Telfer and Connolly brought murmurs of approval.

The latter scored his first goal for the first team during the midweek League Cup win over Hibernian and turned provider for Paton's opener yesterday. Connolly's low cross was deflected into the path of the midfielder, who steered a shot into the net's bottom right-hand corner.

Yet it was United's teenage midfielders who lit up the game as flashes of orange darted around in search the ball, then space and then the ball again. Telfer, in particular, moved cleverly in midfield, but with the gumption to advance and support Mario Bilate and then Ciftci, who assumed the lone striker's role after Bilate hobbled off on the half-hour clutching a hamstring.

St Mirren, meanwhile, winced as they left the pitch at full-time. Manager Tommy Craig remarked before the match that his side had lost this season without being "battered", but each defeat has left a bruise and Ciftci and Telfer were to inflict further injury during the second half.

Travelling fans might have been tempted to turn their attention to other things by then, such as reports that the St Mirren board are in talks with a new consortium interested in buying the club.

Should a deal be completed, an earnest conversation is likely to be conducted between the new owners and the first-team management regarding the side's form. Since losing their first meeting with United this term on August 30, the Paisley side have won only twice in the league.

Such a sequence of results can make a campaign appear bleak and Craig had to peer out from his technical area to identify the odd glint of hope. His side's best chance fell to Jim Goodwin just before half-time when Cierzniak failed to gather Kenny McLean's free kick, but he could only hoof the stray ball over the crossbar.

"Until we put the ball in the back of the net consistently we are always going to be looking over our shoulder," said Craig, whose side are three points off bottom place. And a long way behind United.