AVB: We must exploit weakness

Dundee United boss Peter Houston praised his players after their latest fightback secured a 3-3 draw with Kilmarnock.

United trailed 2-0 and 3-1 at Tannadice before captain Jon Daly's double - the second goal coming in injury time - earned them a deserved draw.

Houston's team have scored late goals in three of their last four matches, claiming five points in the process.

"I asked them at half-time to show a wee bit of character and they did just that. I've got to take my hat off to them for that," Houston said.

"I felt we were totally dominant in the second half which speaks volumes for the lads' attitude.

"I must give them great credit for a never-say-die fight back. We got the goals which we deserved and to come from 2-0 down against a side like Killie is never easy.

"There was some stick coming from the supporters which I have to say was a bit disappointing. We played some really good football and scored some goals to match."

The Royals lie 18th in the Premier League and have not yet won a game this season.

Reports in the Dutch press over the last week have linked Advocaat to McDermott's job, with Russian owner Anton Zingarevich reportedly interested in talking to the former Holland boss.

When asked if he was aware of the rumours, McDermott said: "(He is a) decent manager - I haven't actually (read anything).

"It is pretty sad to have conversations like this really I think - you have a bunch of people here absolutely trying their best to the nth degree at the club."

Advocaat's managerial record will be well known to Zingarevich as the 65-year-old has previously been in charge of Zenit St Petersburg and the Russia national side.

But McDermott did not want to comment on the speculation and was more concerned with preparing his side for Saturday's visit of Everton.

He said: "We have got six draws, which could have been different, and great staff. Stories like that are stories - that is all they are.

"It is completely out of my control and is nothing to do with football, nothing to do with what we have to do on Saturday. It is nothing to do with it - that is the only thing that I would want to talk about."

The 51-year-old McDermott again distanced the club from a January transfer window binge.

Zingarevich is reportedly keen on bringing in a host of big-name signings in the new year to help keep the club in the top flight, but McDermott still does not see that happening.

"It came across that we were going to sign 10 players but that isn't the case," the Royals boss said. "He (Zingarevich) said we were just looking at 10 different types of players.

"We are actually looking at loads of players because that is what we do. Ten different players coming in is not true and it is never going to happen - we haven't got a budget to sign 10 players.

"I don't see a massive change in policy here unless I'm right in the middle of it."

Scholes celebrated his 38th birthday on Friday, in the middle of what Ferguson had previously indicated would be the midfielder's final season at Old Trafford.

However, although he had made only nine appearances this term, Scholes retains an unerring passing ability that is priceless to United's chances of landing some silverware.

And as it seems the former England man is more comfortable with his role as bit-part player, the chances of Scholes carrying on has not been completely dismissed.

"It is not a time to make a judgment on that," said Ferguson. "Paul will know himself. He still has the desire to play. That has not stopped.

"He is still the best passer of the ball in the country. It is amazing.

"He has had one or two injuries over the years, quit last summer and came back.

"He made a fantastic contribution in the second half of the season and I just think he should keep doing what he is doing.

"He will sort the rest out himself."

Neither Tottenham nor Arsenal look as if they will challenge for the Premier League this season.

Tottenham have lost three successive games and sit seventh in the table, while their north London rivals have suffered their worst start to a campaign since 1982-83, when they amassed a disappointing 14 points after 11 games.

The Gunners' season has been blighted by defensive shortcomings.

They won but still shipped five against Reading in the Capital One Cup, lost to Norwich recently and conceded three against Fulham last week - something that infuriated manager Arsene Wenger.

After the draw against the Cottagers Wenger said his defence looked "fragile", and Tottenham manager Villas-Boas hopes the Gunners will have another off day at the back in Saturday's clash.

"You try (to exploit) those things," Villas-Boas said. "When we went to Man City we did that, but as soon as they equalised the environment turned.

"You can benefit from the buzz that's around people. There's always one more game for you to make the same mistakes."

Spurs, of course, have not been immune from defensive lapses of their own this term.

Villas-Boas' men have thrown points away in the last 15 minutes in four of their 11 matches - a problem which has caused the team to drop out of the reckoning for the Champions League places, for now.

Yet there have been no collapses quite as spectacular as the one in last year's thriller at the Emirates Stadium.

Tottenham raced into the lead thanks to goals from Louis Saha and Emmanuel Adebayor, but they wilted under pressure and went on to suffer a humiliating 5-2 defeat.

Villas-Boas does not want a repeat performance in Saturday's encounter.

"It's a game where you can't sleep. You have to be aware all the time," he said.

"Hopefully we take the lesson.

"Obviously at 2-0 you thought that the game was going Tottenham's way.

"If you get your focus right, you feel confident to hold onto a lead like that.

"We are a good attacking side but we concede a lot so we have to get better and to improve our goal difference."

The decisions of both managers have come under scrutiny in recent weeks.

Villas-Boas was jeered when he substituted Jermain Defoe and brought on Emmanuel Adebayor in Spurs' defeat to Wigan, and the Portuguese's side have been booed off on a number of occasions this term.

Wenger, meanwhile, has come under fire for his failure to replace key players such as Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas with players of the same calibre.

Villas-Boas is a big admirer of what Wenger has achieved at Arsenal, however, and he doubts that the Gunners' slump will continue for long while the Frenchman remains in charge.

"I think he is one of the greatest managers of all time and continues to have success," the former Chelsea manager said.

"It's human nature (to criticise). When you are in one place you always are willing for a change or prepared to change to something positive.

"When change happens you see what you were missing at first.

"I don't know if that will be the case or not (with Arsenal), but I certainly feel he has delivered what Arsenal want for the last years and continues to be one of the great managers.

"He has been extremely successful. And when people are successful you have to admire them."

Villas-Boas is confident that Defoe, Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon will all be fit for Saturday's game despite the trio having had to pull out of England's friendly against Sweden with hamstring problems.

The Spurs boss said: "Most of the England boys who were carrying heavy legs have done one more recovery session. They were struggling. Lennon had a scan, but he's okay. I think all three will be up for selection."