Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin was content to focus on the outcome rather than the method following his side's late 3-1 win over St Mirren at Tannadice.
"Sometimes the result is more important than the performance," he said.
"We knew it was going to be a tough test because I don't think there's a team in the Scottish Premiership that makes you defend you're box more than St Mirren does.
"They're really good at what they do, they get the ball forward early, they make life difficult for defenders, and lots of set plays are coming in the box, lots of long throws into the box too, so our guys at the back had to stand up and be counted.
"I thought they did that brilliantly. The game wasn't a great spectacle in terms of nice and neat football but It was about grinding out a result for us."
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSDundee United remain without Ross Graham and Max Watters (both hamstring) while Owen Stirton is working his way back from an ankle problem. Isaac Pappoe (knee) is a long-term absentee.
St Mirren are without the suspended Jayden Richardson while strikers Jonah Ayunga and Mikael Mandron are both struggling with knee problems.
Image source, SNSJim Goodwin has warned Dundee United cannot afford another slow start when they host a St Mirren side who will "come flying out of the traps at us".
United have conceded the opener in their past three Premiership fixtures, losing 2-0 at Kilmarnock, drawing 1-1 at home to Livingston and 2-2 against Rangers albeit the visitors led at Ibrox until late on.
Boss Goodwin, who captained and managed St Mirren, said: "There was a lot of positives to take from the game against Rangers last weekend, particularly in the second 45 minutes.
"The learnings are similar to the previous two games where we can't afford to have a slow start, especially in the game like tomorrow against St Mirren, where you know what you're going to get with Stephen Robinson's side.
"They are one of the most difficult opponents in the league, physically so strong, so athletic, everyone has a real understanding of what the manager is asking them to do.
"It's really important that we don't get off to a slow start tomorrow, because if we do, then we'll find ourselves in a similar situation to that of the previous three games, which is us trying to chase the game.
"I look back on things in terms of preparation for games but I don't think there's a whole lot wrong with what we're doing in terms of the training day to day, the analysis that we're doing, the message that we're giving to the players.
"It's not like before we go into games that we're saying, 'let's just ease our way in here, lads.' That's never been the message.
"Sometimes it's got to come from within, mentally, you've got to be prepared. I think the players have played eight or nine games up to now and understand what the Scottish Premiership is all about.
"You can't afford to have slow starts and give the opposition the encouragement, especially an opponent like tomorrow, they will come flying out of the traps at us tomorrow.
"We've talked long and hard about that this week. The message is clear before the game of how we want to approach it. We know we have to win all those individual battles."
Chairman Mark Ogren wishes he had found out more about Dundee United's research and development claim, with the club facing a potentially large bill from HMRC over the matter. (Sun), external
Ogren says United are ready to be active in the January transfer window. (Courier - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSSt Mirren (60% - 3/5) and Dundee United (43% - 6/14) are the top two sides for percentage of their Scottish Premiership goals this season coming from set-pieces (excluding penalties).
St Mirren have lost their past two league games – as many as their previous 15 beforehand (W6 D7) – but haven't lost more in a row since January last season (4).
While only Hearts (19) have scored more Premiership goals this season than Dundee United (14), only Livingston (18) and Falkirk (14) have conceded more than Jim Goodwin's side (13).
St Mirren have won four and lost just one of their past six Premiership visits to Tannadice (D1), with their only defeat coming in November 2024 (2-0).
After winning their first three league meetings with St Mirren last season all without conceding, Dundee United lost their latest against the Buddies 2-0 in May.
Paul McNicoll
Fan writer
'Magnificent' goal from Sibbald puts United ahead
A draw at Ibrox is never a bad day's work, even if Rangers these days are handing out points like leaflets on Buchanan Street.
To make things interesting, United didn't even bother turning up in the first half. They politely let Rangers go 1-0 up, then remembered football had actually started after the break.
The goals? Oh, pure quality. Kristijan Trapanovski, on the pitch for about 12 seconds, decided he'd quite like to be the main character.
A tidy cutback from his pal Zac Sapsford, one touch forward, then bang into the corner. Shirt-off celebration? Normally daft, but fair play to the lad. If you can silence Ibrox, you've earned a wee flex.
Then Craig Sibbald, the steady Eddie of Tannadice, suddenly thought he was Zinedine Zidane. From 25 yards, he curls one into the top corner like he's been hiding this party trick his whole career. An absolute screamer. Probably the best goal he's ever scored.
So, a 2-2 draw, a strong second half, and everyone went home relatively happy. But this weekend? St Mirren roll into town. Big, physical, athletic and not shy about letting you know it.
If United play like they did in the first half at Ibrox, they'll be in trouble. If they play like they did in the second half, well, we might just have a game on our hands.
Batten down the hatches, folks, it's going to be a bruiser.
Paul McNicoll can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external
Manager Jim Goodwin puts Dundee United's dropped points this season down to inexperience. (Courier - subscription required), external
Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter
Dundee United's four-goal thriller ended in a drew at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon, one of Jim Goodwin's goalscorers makes my team of the week.
Thelo Aasgaard's goal for Rangers just shades it for me, but there was no disguising the quality of Craig Sibbald's 75th minute strike to put United 2-1 in front, bending from outside the post and into the net past Jack Butland.
Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Craig Sibbald's goal against Rangers.
Mark Birighitti says he was scared to leave his house during Dundee United's relegation season of 2022-23. (The Courier)
Read the rest of Monday's gossip.
Watch all the highlights as Dundee United fight back to draw 2-2 with Rangers in Scottish Premiership
We asked for your thoughts after Dundee United's 2-2 draw with Rangers.
Here's a taste of what you had to say:
Ally: I was furious at half-time. Stood off and made a fragile team look good. Great reaction which felt like a defeat the way it panned out. Still lots to be encouraged about this team, but definite areas to improve as well. The league is tight, we can still go either way.
Kieran: You'll be hard pushed to find any other game this season with the quality of goals scored. Draw was a fair result in the end. Again started slow in the first half and lucky to go in at 1-0, we need to break this habit. Whatever Jim Goodwin said within that 15 mins worked a treat. More attacking impetus topped with a Craig Sibbald screamer.
David: Goodwin has to get a settled first XI and stop chopping and changing things. He needs to put the best out from the start. He says he has a strong squad, shame he doesn't know how to pick the best of them.
Jamie: A season of glorious failures goes on. We come close to massive results that could be huge to our season, but fall at the final hurdle. Yes we're in the top six, but we're also only four points off bottom. Goodwin has to sort out our first half performances. They are killing us.
Stephen: Rangers had a chance of getting something out the game, to be fair their first half performance was better than any other this season, but they weren't anything special. As soon as Goodwin adapted United were clearly on top and should have been safe. Ibrox really holds no fear anymore for teams, it's just another ground. Disappointed not to take the three points back to Tannadice.
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "Rangers were by far the better team in first 45, we were second best all over the park. We looked as if we were half a yard off it.
"Second half we carried [the game plan] out a lot better. We have built a really strong, competitive squad.
"Unfortunate thing is we haven't had the whole group available. We're starting to get numbers back and there's real competition.
"We need to make sure we start games like we did in the second half. That's three games in a row where we've been poor in the first half but really good in the second. We can't let first halves pass us by.
"We definitely deserved at least a point, but to not hang on is extremely disappointing.
"The Scottish Premiership is probably the strongest it's been for a number of years. It's going to be a real battle for the top six and European places."
Image source, SNSMohamed Diomande is the only absentee from the Rangers squad which drew with Falkirk. Long-term absentees Rabbi Matondo (knee), Dujon Sterling (Achilles) and Kieran Dowell remain out.
Dundee United have no fresh injuries. Owen Stirton has stepped up his recovery from an ankle problem while Ross Graham, Max Watters (both hamstring) and Isaac Pappoe (knee) remain out.
Image source, SNSDundee United's Nikolaj Moller says the side's "healthy" competition for places can drive them back into Europe for the second season in a row.
Jim Goodwin's Dundee United secured a shot at European qualification with a stellar campaign last year, but failed to qualify for the Conference League.
Moller reckons the side are fully capable of once again targeting a shot at continental competition this year.
"We all feel like we can do something this year, for sure, to compete for European spots, that's what we all strive for," he said.
"We all feel that we have a really, really good squad, good players in every position, a lot of competition in every position.
"There's another good player who could play, this is what you want in a club, it's really healthy.
"We're striving to come as high up in the table as possible.
"We don't fear any team, I would say."
Summer signing Moller is relishing his side's trip to face embattled Rangers on Saturday.
The Swedish forward, who arrived from Swiss top-flight side St Gallen on an initial two-year deal in August, reckons it will be the biggest crowd he's ever played in front of.
"Tomorrow for sure, it's going to be difficult, it's difficult to beat," he said when asked what the biggest crowd he's played in front of so far in his career.
"[I am] excited, you have to view it positively, it's going to be a really cool experience for us players that haven't played in such an atmosphere.
"But you have to go there with no fear and believe that you can win the game, but at the same time enjoy the atmosphere.
"And I'm sure we'll have a very good fan base travelling as well, that will be behind our backs.
"So we're all coming there with no fear and excited, and we believe we can go out there with a win."
Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin is warning that Saturday's opponents Rangers are in a "false position" in the Premiership and that the Ibrox squad is "full of quality."
United sit fourth in the table but just one point ahead of Rangers in eighth place.
The hosts will be seeking a first league win of the season under the guidance of Under-19s coach Steven Smith as they seek a replacement for the sacked Russell Martin.
"I'm always disappointed to see anyone lose their job but I think Rangers are a team that are full of quality," said Goodwin.
"They've got some very, very good players. I think they are in a false position at the moment.
"We only need to think back to last year when Hibs around about this time were sitting bottom or second bottom in the league and went on an incredible run of results from November onwards and finished the third best team in the country.
"We know Rangers are capable of doing that. They're a bit of a wounded animal.
"Supporters no doubt will be buoyant because they got what they wanted in the end which is a change of manager and we're expecting a completely different type of atmosphere as to what it might have been like a couple of weeks ago."
United have dropped points at home in recent weeks, losing to Kilmarnock and drawing with Livingston, and Goodwin is looking for improvements in defence.
"There's been a number of mistakes that we need to eradicate and we need to make sure we do that quickly," he said. "It's just decision-making in the moment and that's something that the players will learn from.
"The defensive structure is always a big part when you go to places like Ibrox and Parkhead but at the same time, I look at the players that we have in the forward areas and I really believe that if we're performing to the levels that we're capable of then we can most certainly cause Rangers a few problems.
"Of the signings that we made in the summer, the big draw is to come and play at places like Ibrox and Parkhead. That's the reason why a lot of them have come to Scotland. To raise their profile, to play against big teams and to perform well.
"I suppose it could be a positive to the point where there's not that fear factor because I think 12 or 13 of the 14 players we signed have never played at Ibrox before so they don't know what to expect. I think there's a real sense of excitement to go and play in that type of environment."
Image source, SNSDundee United manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media ahead of his side's trip to face Rangers on Saturday.
Here are the key points from his press conference:
Goodwin reckons the Scottish Premiership is "a lot more competitive this season" and challenges his side to find consistency in their performances against other sides.
The manager feels United have been "a little bit inconsistent" and should have amassed more than their current tally, but says that is down to "their own mistakes" that need to be eradicated.
Thirteen of the fourteen summer signings United made have never played at Ibrox before, with Goodwin adding: "The signings we made in the summer, the draw was to play at places like Ibrox and Parkhead."
On their new signings, Goodwin adds that he is pleased with how they have "taken to the culture" they are trying to build at Tannadice.
Goodwin says this weekend's opponents, Rangers, are in a "false position" in the league - currently eighth - and are a "team full of quality" that United can't afford to "gift the opposition chances like we have done".
He compares Rangers' current position with that of Hibernian 12 months ago, and where the Easter Road club ended the season at the top end of the league table.
United have no fresh injury concerns for the trip to Glasgow.
