Mixu Paatelainen says Dundee United are not yet enjoying a run of momentum despite winning three of their last four fixtures.

The Tannadice side have lost to just Celtic since January 9, beating Kilmarnock 5-1 and knocking both Airdrie and Partick Thistle out of the Scottish Cup in recent weeks.

The head coach is not comfortable saying they have turned the corner yet though, and maintains there is still an unacceptable gap at the foot of the Scottish Premiership.

United trail second-bottom Kilmarnock by 11 points, but have two games in hand and face fellow strugglers Hamilton Accies on Saturday.

"The last couple of victories helped bring that winning feeling back to the club and hopefully we can continue that," the Finn said. "We won’t win every time we play but we do everything to maintain that run.

"I wouldn't talk about any momentum yet, I wouldn't talk about putting too much pressure on the teams above us yet but we want to create that and carry on and hopefully we can reduce that gap and put pressure on those clubs."

A run of defeats is still a recent memory for the manager. Paatelainen has lost 10 of the 16 games he has taken charge of since being appointed in October.

"It hits you big time," he admitted. "The feeling you have is unbelievable. What helps me is I have to look at the match again on the video.

"When I see the answers to why things didn't go accordingly, that helps, and then obviously delivering that message to the player. That helps you get over it and then you start building towards the next match.

"Before you get that it hits you and you are spitting bullets. A defeat is unbelievable.

"After winning a match it is amazing. You are tired but you are happy, it is totally different, it is either a bright day or a gloomy day."