Dundee United midfielder Scott Robertson is adamant the Tangerines are edging closer to the standard they want to reach this season.
“So it is Johnny’s fault for doing that. It was a freekick and he should have just got on with the game.
“Hopefully, he won’t do that again because it cost us. I just turned round and saw them face to face. I didn’t think there was anything to suggest he was provoked.
“As soon as he did the head-butt motion I think he realised what he had done. Johnny was distraught about it but it did affect the game.”
On Swanson’s supposed dive, Robertson said: “From where I was standing I thought it was a penalty.
“Swanny could probably have done more to get round the leg that was stuck out but he didn’t.
“He (Goian) did trip him up so it was still a penalty in that respect. The referee didn’t see it like that but I certainly don’t think Swanny dived.”
United boss Peter Houston felt the red card and the penalty claim were the key moments in a closely fought match.
He said: “The game was made more difficult by the sending-off and the penalty kick.
“I have seen it a number of times and in my opinion it was a stonewall penalty kick. I am disappointed with that decision.”
On Russell’s error of judgment, he added: “I have no complaints at all. There is no place for anybody wanting to put their head on another guy’s head.
“Johnny is a young boy and he will hopefully learn from this. Johnny realises his mistake and he is gutted about it. The sooner he learns, the better for me.”
Despite Saturday’s single-goal home defeat to Rangers leaving them without a league win at Tannadice this term, and with only six points from seven SPL matches, his optimism seems justified.
There were mitigating circumstances for the loss to the champions, clinched by a Kyle Lafferty header on 61 minutes.
United had to play an hour of the game with only 10 men following a deserved red card for frontman Johnny Russell, who moved his head towards Kirk Broadfoot after he had fouled the Rangers defender.
The hosts were denied what appeared to be a great shout for a spotkick on 20 minutes when Danny Swanson was caught by Ibrox defender Dorin Goian.
To make matters worse, the Tannadice playmaker was booked for diving by referee Callum Murray. It all clouded what was a decent display from Peter Houston’s team, one that probably deserved a point. So Robertson was keen to accentuate the positives.
“I thought it was quite an accomplished performance considering the fact we went down to 10 men early on,” said the Scotland international, who worked well in the centre of the park alongside Willo Flood and John Rankin.
“I think once we get our first home SPL win of the season we will start to climb the table.
“I felt we did enough to get something out of this game but it just wasn’t to be.’The real United'”It is a shame, given the circumstances of the ‘penalty’ and the sending-off. The gaffer said at full-time that he felt that was more like the real United.
“Personally, I had a good feeling about the performance. It was full of energy and the atmosphere helped as well.
“You would like to think that our fortunes will take a turn for the better and we will maybe get decisions in our favour like the penalty, and we will learn from the sending-off.
“If only we had kept 11 men on the pitch then we might have got something.
“But we have gotten all we deserved in certain games by not doing enough to win. Take the Dunfermline match at Tannadice . . . if we had taken our chances we would have won.
“It’s not as though we have been getting thumped every week but the league table doesn’t lie and we need to pick up points.”
Robertson felt Russell, who sat disconsolately in the dressing room still with his strip on for the whole of the second half, could have no excuse for what he did.
“We were told at the start of the season that if you make that motion it is a red card and if you go head-to-head with someone then it is a yellow card,” said Robertson.
Continued…