Dundee United came out on top in a dramatic five-goal thriller to edge Aberdeen 3-2 at Tannadice in the Scottish Premiership.

Zidane Iqbal netted for the hosts before the Dons equalised through Nesta Guinness-Walker - both players scoring their first goals for their respective clubs.

United took the lead once more thanks to a Dylan Tait strike, with Connor Ronan again drawing the Dons level after the break.

However, Australian striker Zac Sapsford scored what proved to be the winner, with the result moving United up to fourth while the Dons dropped to ninth.

The hosts made just one change to the team that drew with St Johnstone last week, with Sapsford replacing Idjessi Metsoko up front.

The visitors, whose squad had been hit by a virus, made four alterations to the side that beat St Mirren last Saturday with Stuart Armstrong, Jack Milne, Gavin Molloy and Ayoub Mouloua coming in for Lewis Mayo, Mats Knoester, Lewis Smith and Toyosi Olusanya.

Aberdeen made a quickfire start in atrocious conditions, creating a chance inside the first minute with a Ronan curler being headed for a corner by home defender Michael Forbes.

Instead, it was the Terrors who opened the scoring in the 14th minute. Iqbal hit a fierce drive from 25 yards that flew into the back of the net past Dons keeper Marius Muller with the help of two deflections from Milne and Afeez Aremu.

That lead only lasted 11 minutes when the United defence failed to properly clear a free-kick and, after a bit of pinball, Guinness-Walker lashed home past keeper Jack Walton.

However, the Terrors regained the lead in the 27th minute when a Kevin Ciubotaru corner from the right found Tait at the back post and the United skipper volleyed home.

Aberdeen had a great chance of their own when Armstrong delivered a corner from the left, with Mouloua sending a header wide when he should have hit the target.

The Dons had made by far the better start to the second half and they finally received their reward in the 56th minute when substitute Smith found Ronan and he drilled a low shot past Walton from 22 yards.

United thought they had taken the lead in the 62nd minute when Sapsford swept home but, following a VAR intervention, referee David Dickinson was called to the pitchside monitor and the goal was ruled out with Daniel Bennie in an offside position.

However, Sapsford would not be denied and gave the Terrors the lead in the 72nd minute. Tait swung a cross in from the right with Sapsford sending a superb glancing header past Muller.

Home substitute Lachie Rose then had a great chance to increase the lead but he scooped the ball over the bar, with the same player having a header cleared off the line deep in stoppage time.