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Dundee United rout city rivals Dundee

Armstrong opens scoring within a minute

Gary Mackay-Steven nets twice before break

Schenk replaces Dundee keeper Letheren before kick-off

Dundee United thrashed Dundee in the New Year's Day city derby.

Chris Erskine's shot deflected into the net off United team-mate Stuart Armstrong within the opening minute.

Greg Stewart's superb free-kick levelled the match but Gary Mackay-Steven's equally stunning shot from open play put the hosts ahead again.

Erskine and Mackay-Steven again netted before half-time, Jaroslaw Fojut and Charlie Telfer also scored and Luka Tankulic claimed a late consolation.

United will go into Sunday's matches no lower than third in the Scottish Premiership, while Paul Hartley's Dundee remain eighth.

Arvid Schenk was a late entry to the Dundee line-up after Kyle Letheren was injured in the warm-up and the German goalkeeper had not touched the ball by the time United opened the scoring.

Debutant Schenk (right) was a late inclusion in the Dundee starting line-up

Nadir Ciftci's low cross was returned into a crowded box by left-back Conor Townsend and Erskine's shot spun off Armstrong into the net.

Far from being overwhelmed by such an early disappointment, Dundee's response was determined and Stewart hooked a shot off target from the edge of the area.

Gary Harkins was central to much of Dundee's attacking threat and the midfielder tested Radoslaw Cierzniak with a shot that skidded along the slippery turf.

And Hartley's side earned a deserved equaliser after Calum Butcher had been booked for an aerial barge on Harkins.

Stewart placed the ball in the inside right channel and curled it beautifully into the top-left corner.

However, United regained the lead as Mackay-Steven retrieved the ball on the right channel after his corner was cleared, twisted, turned and then swept a bending shot into the far corner.

Whilst Dundee could be forgiven for succumbing to such a moment of class, their defending at United's next two goals left a lot to be desired.

Townsend's long cross-field pass was allowed to find Erskine on the right and the midfielder turned inside to fire past Schenk with the aid of a nick off James McPake.

And, shortly after John Rankin went close with a long-range effort, Armstrong's pass opened up the visitors' defence again, with Mackay-Steven running on to it to place the ball into the same corner as his first goal.

After such a demoralising end to the first half, Dundee were eager to redress the balance at the start of the second period but came up against some fine goalkeeping.

McPake's shot bounced off the floor and forced Cierzniak into action, with David Clarkson denied by the Pole in the follow-up.

Cierzniak then tipped Keith Watson's errant header on to the United crossbar.

The hosts were far from finished in an attacking sense, and Erskine and Mackay-Steven were both foiled by Schenk.

And Mackay-Steven turned provider when his inswinging corner was forced home by the towering Fojut.

Telfer, who had replaced Butcher, got the break of the ball around 20 yards from goal and coolly slotted past Schenk.

There was still time for one more goal and it came for Dundee, substitute Tankulic finishing stylishly with the outside of his boot from Stewart's cross.

Erskine's shot spun in off Armstrong to put Dundee United in front

Stewart (far right) levelled for Dundee with a superbly hit set piece

Erskine claimed United's third goal after Mackay-Steven had regained the lead for the hosts

Fojut (far left) scored his second Dundee derby goal of the season

Telfer finished well for United's sixth