Dundee United boss Micky Mellon knows his side face another stiff Premiership test when they take on Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Saturday.

The Tannadice side are licking their wounds from the 3-0 defeat to champions Celtic at Parkhead on Wednesday afternoon.

Mellon will look to galvanise his players for the trip to the Granite City to take on the third-placed Dons, with whom they fought out a goalless draw on Tayside in October, and he expects another examination of their top-flight credentials.

The United manager said: “Of course because they are a really experienced team at this level.

“All their players have played at this level much more than ours.

“We have to take these challenges on and be a part of that and be part of a Dundee United team that always does that.

“We have to take it day by day, improving the players and supporting the players.

“Keep that belief in the players, and that they believe they can come to places like Celtic and make a big impact.”

United are in fifth place and on balance, Mellon has been more than happy with their form in the first-half of the season following the club’s return to the Premiership.

He said: “I think it has been better than okay, I think it has been fantastic but we are greedy for more.

“We will always put demands on the players but I think it has been terrific that they have attacked all or most of the games but today will be a learning curve.

“In the Scottish Premiership you have to play against teams like Celtic and you will learn from it and you will get better for the next time you play them.”