St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has told his players they need to produce the same work-rate as they showed in Austria when they take on Dundee United.

Saints are in the midst of one of their biggest challenges with a place in the Europa Conference League at stake in Perth next Saturday after securing a well-deserved 1-1 draw in LASK on Thursday night.

The money on offer for guaranteeing at least six more European games could set the club up for years but Davidson and coaches Steven MacLean and Alex Cleland now have to make sure the players are focused on the Tayside derby.

Saints have opened the cinch Premiership campaign with two draws and Davidson wants his players to take their European form into the domestic competition.

“First and foremost, league football is so important,” he said. “I have to make sure I get the players’ minds away from the game on Thursday, make sure we know where we are for Sunday. It’s a really tough game.

“We need to refocus, recover and prepare properly for Sunday.

“Myself, Alex and Macca will go through all the footage, watch all their games and see what we need to do and make sure when we perform on Sunday, it has to be the same energy levels.

“We can’t really play any other way. We have to play with that enthusiasm and energy because that’s what gets us results. So we have to be fully focused on that game.”