Aberdeen inflicted a 3-1 defeat on former manager Jim Goodwin in his first game as Dundee United manager.
If this derby offered the opportunity for Goodwin to prove a point to the Dons following his sacking in January, he didn’t take it.
In the aftermath of the game Goodwin claimed coins, pies and drink were thrown at him from within the Aberdeen support.
Following an Aberdeen goal a flare, thrown onto the pitch from the Aberdeen end, narrowly missed Dons winger Ryan Duncan.
Instead it was interim Aberdeen boss Barry Robson who proved a point by guiding the Reds to a second straight win to keep alive the bid for European qualifiction.
Aberdeen secured a first away win in the Premiership since October to condemn Goodwin to defeat in his first game in the Tannadice dugout.
The victory leapfrogs the Dons up to fifth in the Premiership.
The win will have strengthened interim boss Barry Robson’s argument for the permanent post.
At the end of the match many of the 3,000 travelling Dons fans were cheering for Robson and chanting his name.
Aberdeen grabbed the lead in the 56th minute with an audacious goal from Duk.
Striker Duk brilliantly stepped past Ryan Edwards before netting from six yards with an exquisite back heel.
Dundee United hit back in the 73rd minute via the penalty spot.
Jack MacKenzie rashly brought down substitute Sadat Anaku in the box and referee John Beaton pointed to the penalty spot.
Jamie McGrath calmly converted.
Aberdeen regained the lead with a superb low 12-yard strike from Ross McCrorie in the 80th minute.
Then substitute Marley Watkins curled in a third with another impressive Dons goal in the 83rd minute, just 38 seconds after his introduction.
Talking points
Euro bid for Aberdeen, relegation battle for Goodwin
The shock appointment of Jim Goodwin as Dundee United boss added an extra narrative, and edge, to this derby fixture.
It offered an opportunity for Goodwin to prove a point to the Dons board who wielded the axe on him on January 28 after a 6-0 loss at Hibs.
Ultimately he couldn’t take it and Aberdeen edged a fast-paced, tight clash.
From a summer rebuild by Goodwin that cost in excess of £1.5 million in transfer fees and the acquisition of 12 players only four faced Dundee United.
They were Bojan Miovski, Ylber Ramadani, Duk and Leighton Clarkson.
Goodwin played a key role in the loan signing of Mattie Pollock but was sacked before the centre-back arrived at Pittodrie.
When Goodwin was axed he left Aberdeen in the bottom six.
Interim boss Barry Robson has hauled them up to fifth spot with a haul of nine points from a possible 15.
That is a return that must put Robson into consideration for the permanent position.
From the wreckage of Goodwin’s final few weeks as manager the Dons could salvage European qualification.
That seemed highly unlikely when Goodwin led them to heavy losses at Hibs and Hearts before being axed.
Aberdeen’s damaging away form finally ends
Aberdeen’s atrocious away form, their Achilles heel, finally ended with a win at Tannadice.
Prior to the trip to Dundee United the Reds had lost each of their last seven away league outings, their longest such run since October 1999.
Travelling Aberdeen fans had to suffer heavy defeats in the previous three away Premiership games, with a 15-0 aggregate score
Aberdeen’s away day blues hit a new low recently with heavy losses at Celtic (4-0), Hibs (6-0) and Hearts (5-0).
Goodwin was in charge of the Dons for the humiliating losses at Hibs and Hearts.
Finally there was something to cheer for the 3,000 travelling Aberdeen fans at Tannadice.
There was also a sense of revenge after Dundee United had inflicted a humiliating 4-0 loss to Aberdeen at the ground on October 8 last year.
Goodwin was Dons boss when they were humiliated by then bottom club Dundee United.
It needed a creative spark. And Duk, as he so often does, delivered with a sensational goal.
Duk has a habit of scoring memorable goals. The goal at Tannadice, his 13th of the season was another one for his impressive show-reel.
Away goal drought continues for Bojan Miovski
Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski’s Premiership goal drought away from home continued.
North Macedonian international Miovski’s away day league woes continue almost six months since his last Premiership goal on the road.
Miovski hasn’t scored away from Pittodrie in the league since the 2-1 defeat of Motherwell on October 22.
The away day goal drought has been a problem for Miovski all season.
Of the striker’s 15 Premiership goals this season only one has been away from home, a return of just 6.7%.
Miovski’s goal return in the Premiership is the most by an Aberdeen player in a season since Sam Cosgrove’s 17 in 2018-19.
This game was the first time Aberdeen had scored at Tannadice since Simon Church netted in March 2016.
However it wasn’t Miovski who ended that run.
Miovski had a great chance in the 39th minute when Leighton Clarkson picked him out with a cross from wide but the ball bounced off the striker’s heel.
It was a clear opportunity but his touch, eight yards out, was poor.
In a low-key first half from Miovski the 23-year-old mustered just two touches inside the Dundee United box, with no shots.
Miovski finally mustered a shot on target in the 55th minute when Aberdeen broke upfield on a counter attack.
His low 15-yard shot from a tight angle was easily saved by keeper Mark Birighitti.
Miovski was eventually replaced in the 82nd minute after a shift where had one shot on target, four touches in the box and an xG (expected goals) score of just 0.02.
His replacement, Marley Watkins, scored just 38 seconds after his introduction.
Talking tactics
Aberdeen interim manager Barry Robson retained faith in the same starting XI, and 4-3-3 formation, that beat Livingston 1-0.
The burgeoning centre-back partnership of January signings Mattie Pollock and Angus MacDonald remained in the heart of the back four.
On his return from suspension on loan Celtic centre-back Liam Scales could not break up the Pollock-MacDonald partnership and was on the bench.
Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin set up with 3-4-2-1 formation that was effectively five at the back when out of possession in a bid to seal a leaky defence.
After conceding an equaliser interim boss Barry Robson brought on Liam Scales and went to three at the back.
That allowed Ross McCrorie to push forward and the vice captain scored soon after.
Referee watch
John Beaton: The referee got the big call in the match right. Left-back Jack MacKenzie brought down substitute Sadat Anaku with a rash challenge.
It was a stonewall penalty. Beaton allowed the game to flow and there were no contentious decisions.
Player ratings
ABERDEEN (4-3-3): Gorter 7; McCrorie 7, MacDonald 6, Pollock 6 (Scales 68), MacKenzie 6; Ramadani 6, Clarkson 7, Shinnie 7; Duncan 6 (Hayes 68), Miovski 6 (Watkins 82), Duk 7
Subs not used: Lewis, Markanday, Myslovic, Coulson, Kennedy, Bavidge.
DUNDEE UNITED (3-5-2-1): Birigitti; Mulgrew, Edwards, McMann; Freeman, Sibbald (Djoum 70), Levitt, Behich; McGrath, Harkes (Anaku 70); Fletcher
Subs not used: Newman, Smith, Graham, Niskanen, Fotheringham, Ayina, MacLeod
Attendance: 11,048
Star man
Leighton Clarkson – The on loan Liverpool midfielder pitched in with a vital assist for Ross McCrorie’s goal.
Clarkson was particularly influential in the second half and made the Reds tick with his accurate, incisive passes.
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