Alex Smith has hit back at those who are accusing Dundee United - who have had three red cards in consecutive games - of being a dirty team. Defender Jason de Vos had already spoken exclusively to BBC Scotland's Friday Sportscene in an attempt to clear his name over the tackle that crocked Dundee striker Fabian Caballero for six months. That led the Dens Park club's manager, Ivano Bonetti, to label United the dirtiest team he had played against.

Then, on Sunday, midfielder Craig Easton was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Rangers' Giovanni van Bronckhorst on a weekend when each of the six Premier League games was marred by a red card. Misplaced tackle However, United manager Smith insisted: "For people to say we are a dirty side I think is a scandal. "Sometimes there can be a misplaced tackle in any game - it doesn't mean the manager has told his players to do it intentionally. Jason de Vos (left) claimed innocence "We are playing in a man's game - I've never heard that Serie A in Italy is played by any pansies or soft people. "It's unfair of people to come in and accuse a team of being a dirty side."

Defender Stephen Wright was the other United offender, against St Mirren, and Smith pointed out that he had been sent off for pulling an opponent's jersey and that de Vos had not been guilty of the tackle on Caballero. Indeed, team-mate Kevin McDonald owned up to the tackle, ironically against a club who on Saturday suffered their own ? red card of the season. Of United's 3-0 defeat, a result that left them three points adrift at the foot of the table, Smith stressed that their already difficult task of visiting the champions had been made even more of task by losing two key players through injury and then Easton, all in the first half. ©BBC Sport.