Source: Team_Talk
Houston: CL talk is premature
Peter Houston cooled talk of a Champions League push after Dundee United's 4-2 victory over Hibernian took them five points behind Celtic.[LNB] United followed up their 3-0 win over Motherwell with another impressive victory over rivals for a European place.[LNB]Patrick Cregg gave Hibs the lead inside 40 seconds but Jon Daly's 20th-minute penalty was soon followed by a glorious curling strike from Danny Swanson, and David Goodwillie and Fran Sandaza wrapped up the points before Anthony Stokes' injury-time consolation.[LNB]The Tannadice men are now unbeaten in seven matches and are due to face Celtic at home after the Scottish Premier League splits.[LNB]But Houston cautioned: "People have said we're five points behind Celtic but Hibs are also five points behind us and they'll be thinking they can catch us.[LNB]"Ever since I took over I've looked at one game at a time and I refuse to look at any more.[LNB]"We've not done anything yet. We've not achieved a European spot, third spot or second spot.[LNB]"We're in a great place. We've got 55 points and last year we finished on 53, and we've got seven games left.[LNB]"I just want improvement all the time and getting as many points on board as we can. But I look no further than the St Johnstone game in five days.[LNB]"I'm glad it's on the Monday night now with the effort in the last week.[LNB]"I'm not thinking about Celtic, I'm more thinking about Hibs and making sure they don't catch us."[LNB]Hibs boss John Hughes admitted his side struggled to match United in midfield and were not as assertive in defence as visiting pair Garry Kenneth and Andy Webster.[LNB]"The goals were preventable," Hughes said. "Even the second one, when the ball first came into the box, it should have been a bigger and better header than it was.[LNB]"It was just a wee tame header. You didn't see (Garry) Kenneth letting things drop. When he heads it, he goes and heads it 30 yards.[LNB]"You didn't see Webster's wee headers dropping down, and if it does he goes up like a periscope and it's boom, down to his own player, or it's headed 30 yards."[LNB]Hibernian's defeat came on the back of news that Moroccan playmaker Merouane Zemmama looks set to miss at least six months with the knee injury he suffered at Falkirk on Saturday.[LNB]"I think he's out for the season," Hughes said. "It might be a cruciate, we're just waiting on a second scan."
