Ten-man Aberdeen kept their European hopes alive and prevented Dundee United from going into third with a crucial 1-1 draw at Tannadice.

Fourth-placed United were forced to come from behind following Lee Miller's 34th-minute opener.

Craig Levein's side took only four minutes to equalise as David Goodwillie netted for the second time in two matches with a header eight minutes from the interval, before Mark Kerr was shown a straight red card for dissent with 14 minutes remaining.

The Tannadice side went close in the 23rd minute following a flowing move started by impressive left-back Paul Dixon - but Goodwillie's chip landed on the top of the net.

There was a moment of controversy at the other end in the 25th minute when Darren Dods went down in an off-the-ball clash with Lee Miller, who escaped with only a yellow card.

Having been on the back foot for half an hour, Aberdeen produced a flourish around the home box and netted the opener in the 34th minute. Lukasz Zaluska comfortably held a volley from Chris Maguire but the Celtic-bound goalkeeper could do nothing when former United striker Miller made the breakthrough with his 11th goal of the season.

Charlie Mulgrew's long corner was headed back across goal by skipper Scott Severin and Miller produced an acrobatic overhead kick from six yards out.

However, four minutes later the hosts were level. Prince Buaben's long ball was magnificently fired into the path of David Robertson and his cross from the right flank was headed powerfully home by Goodwillie.

But just as the Dons looked to be taking a stranglehold on the game, they were reduced to 10 men with 14 minutes remaining. Kerr was guilty of a high challenge on Craig Conway but, when no punishment seemed to be coming, was then given a straight red card for what appeared to be a volley of abuse at referee Chris Boyle.

Conway struck the post with the resultant free-kick but, with Peter Pawlett on for striker Chris Maguire, and goalkeeper Jamie Langfield touching Goodwillie's shot round his near post Aberdeen succeeded in hanging on for the point in the closing stages.