Motherwell continue unbeaten league start with stroll against Dundee United

Report as Motherwell beat Dundee United 3-0; goals from Seb Palmer-Houlden, Alex Lowry and Dylan Levitt helped Well maintain their unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership season; visitors suffered a third loss in four games

Motherwell continued their Lanarkshire stranglehold over 10-man Dundee United with a 3-0 home win in a one-sided contest.

Goals from Seb Palmer-Houlden, Alex Lowry and Dylan Levitt helped Well maintain their unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership season while United suffered a third loss in four games.

Alfred Johansson's side were aided by the 14th-minute straight red card for Emmanuel Agyei which ensured the Tangerines' dismal winless run at Fir Park, which stretches back to April 2023, continued.

A typically slick surge down the right punctured United's backline and Joe Hodge drilled in a low cross which Lowry met first time, only for his shot to be superbly beaten out by goalkeeper Jack Walton before Emmanuel Longelo followed up to crack an effort against a post.

It was a sign of things to come and a stark warning for the Tannadice side as they rode their luck after twice failing to match runners into the box.

The visitors were screaming for a penalty when Mehdi Merghem tumbled inside the box under a Lukas Fadinger challenge but referee Callum Scott turned a deaf ear to their pleas.

Palmer-Houlden was next to be given time and space to fire in a low shot which Walton was again able to deal with but United's backline was living on its nerves.

A reckless lunge from Agyei on Lowry saw United reduced to 10 men and it got worse moments later as the hosts opened the scoring.

Tom Sparrow was the provider with a cut-back from the right which was buried by Palmer-Houlden with a low finish from a tight angle.

United began to buckle under relentless Motherwell attacking surges and it required acrobatics from Walton to prevent Fadinger from finding the top corner on the half-hour mark.

A brilliant 25-yarder from Lowry in the 65th minute added a second for Well and former United midfielder Levitt made it three with a low shot from distance two minutes later.

It completed a miserable night for Jim Goodwin's men, who never recovered from their numerical disadvantage during another eye-catching display from the hosts who could have inflicted far heavier damage.