Motherwell

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

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Motherwell face going into their first post-split Scottish Premiership match against bottom side St Johnstone with only one recognised centre-back, manager Michael Wimmer has revealed.

Kofi Balmer has been ruled out with a hamstring issue and Liam Gordon is still missing with concussion, while Shane Blaney and Paul McGinn remain sidelined with long-term injuries.

That means Dan Casey is Wimmer's only recognised centre-half, with full-backs Stephen O'Donnell and Johnny Koutroumbis expected to join the Irishman in the back three.

"I don't want to speak about how long [Balmer is out for], but hopefully we will see him again this season," Wimmer said prior to Saturday's match at Fir Park.

"It's not good for us because we don't have so many centre-backs. Liam is out, Kofi is out, but Johnny did well in the last game against Hearts, so I'm very happy that Johnny is the solution."

The Fir Park side are boosted by the return of left-sided defender Steve Seddon, who is available to play after a lengthy spell out.

Injuries have severely hampered Motherwell this season, and Wimmer says that is one of the reasons why he has had to "compromise" his playing style since being appointed two months ago.

The German demands "proactive football" with a high-octane approach, which was evident in wins against Dundee and Rangers in the manager's first three games.

But Wimmer's side are now without a win in four matches and go into Saturday's fixture just five points above the relegation play-off spot in a congested bottom six.

"It's very challenging [to find a balance between results and implementing style]," the Fir Park boss added. "As I said before, I'm not the important one. Important is always the club, important are the fans, the players, and this must fit.

"You have to collect points because you need points to stay in the league. Also, I want to implement my style a little bit because I'm here to implement a new style. If not, then I can stay at home.

"So you have to find the right balance and this is not so easy. But as a manager, you can't complain. I'm very happy to work with the guys, they make it easy for me because they have a great work ethic, great attitudes and brilliant togetherness."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

Image source, SNS

Manager Michael Wimmer has been speaking to the media before Motherwell face St Johnstone in their first post-split Premiership match on Saturday.

Here are the key lines:

• With Kofi Balmer out with a hamstring injury and Liam Gordon still missing with concussion, Dan Casey is Wimmer's only recognised centre-back option, but left-back Steve Seddon is ready to be involved.

• The German is braced for "very tough" and "very tight" post-split games, with "no team safe" from relegation.

• Despite St Johnstone being bottom of the table, Wimmer expects a challenging game given the Perth side have beaten Well twice this season.

• The manager says his team "have to fight for each duel and each ball" as they "also need the points".

• Wimmer says he's had to "compromise" his playing style but hopes he doesn't have to do that next season after a summer of his own recruitment.

• He feels it is "extremely challenging" to find the balance between getting immediate results and implementing a new style, but the players "make it easy" for him.

• Wimmer says the bottom-six games will "show him everything" about his squad: "For me it's perfect to see their character. If we have the right character, we will achieve our aims as soon as possible. If not... it could be a tough situation."

• He adds: "I'm not here to motivate the players now we're in the bottom six. The motivation has to come from the guys."

• On Aston Oxborough, who has been shortlisted for the club's player of the year but is yet to feature under Wimmer, the manager said the goalkeeper is "ready" to play despite not being selected.

• "It's a perfect situation to have three brilliant keepers," he says. "[Oxborough] shows me in each training session that he's ready. He's a perfect guy and brilliant player."

What would you like to ask about Motherwell?

BBC Sport Scotland's Nick McPheat is in the hotseat ready to answer your questions and offer his insight and opinion on your club.

Answers will be provided on this page later in the week.

Put your questions to Nick here.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

How many times have you heard a relegation-threatened manager talk about the need to hit the coveted 40-point mark?

Well, the truth is, no Scottish Premiership team has ever required that total to avoid the bottom two since the play-offs were brought back more than a decade ago.

However, that is projected to change this season.

Based on current points-per-game averages, 11th-placed Dundee are set to end on a total of 39, meaning 40 could be the magic number to guarantee safety.

If that is the case, that would mark the highest tally required to ensure survival in Scotland's top tier since 38-game seasons were reintroduced in the 2000-01 campaign.

That would also mean Hearts are effectively safe, given they are already on 40 points and four teams would need to make up ground on them, while eighth-placed Motherwell would need just a single point from five post-split games.

With Kilmarnock in ninth and Ross County in tenth both currently on 35, which is just one more than Dundee's 34, the fight to avoid 11th is clearly likelier to be between those three.

But that is not set in stone. The nature of the split means each team in the bottom half will face the other before the end of the campaign, so there is scope for points-per-game averages to fluctuate.

And what does all of this mean for St Johnstone? Well, the 33 points Simo Valakari's side are projected to finish on would be the highest for a bottom-placed team in the Premiership since 2017.

That would be no consolation for the Perth club if they go down, but that is certainly not guaranteed to happen just yet.

However, they have a real fight on their hands to make up a five-point gap while improving their inferior goal difference.

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Motherwell have made six errors leading to goals so far this season - their highest for a single campaign in over 10 years.

It is more than double their next most error-ridden campaign in that time, when they made three mistakes leading to goals in 2021-22.

Dundee, St Johnstone and Hibs are the only sides who have made more errors leading to goals in the top flight this term.

Fellow bottom-six sides Hearts, Kilmarnock and Ross County have made fewer than the Fir Park club.

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Teenage winger Luca Ross has agreed a two-year contract extension at Motherwell running until the summer of 2027.

The 18-year-old made his debut against Rangers back in 2022 and managed five first-team appearances before joining Annan Athletic on loan this season.

During his time at Annan, he has played 24 times and scored once.

"Luca is a talented young player," manager Michael Wimmer said. "He has had a very successful loan spell this season, which has aided his development.

"We hope Luca can continue to develop into a first-team player and I'm looking forward to the staff here helping him achieve that."

"It gives me confidence that the manager has seen enough to extend my contract," Ross added.

"I'm really glad to sign the deal and hopefully I can kick on when I return from my loan at Annan and make a positive impression next season."

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

It's hard to discuss Saturday's goalless draw against Hearts without expressing the same frustrations from previous matches.

We don't have a goalscorer in that team. Callum Slattery has been superb since coming back from injury, but so many of the attacking players we have signed have flattered to deceive.

You look at teams like Dundee United, Celtic and Aberdeen and you can make a good guess for who's likely to get an assist or a goal, but we don't have that.

Neither team deserved to win the game because neither played as if they cared. If I was a Hearts fan writing a column about the game, I would be saying much the same.

With only two home games remaining this season, we have to try push through and make the best of a bad situation.

• Motherwell v St Johnstone - Saturday, 26 April 2025

• Dundee v Motherwell - Saturday, 3 May 2025

• Hearts v Motherwell - Saturday, 10 May 2025

• Motherwell v Kilmarnock - Wednesday, 14 May 2025

• Ross County v Motherwell - Sunday, 18 May 2025

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Watch as the Sportscene team analyse Motherwell's lack of cutting edge at the top end of the park.

Available in UK only

Watch the pick of the action from Fir Park as Motherwell and Hearts fight out a stalemate and fail to reach the top six. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on the goalless draw with Hearts which confirmed Motherwell's spot in the bottom six.

Here's what some of you said:

Robert: A really poor performance again. Is this the best we've got? I'm scunnered with nervy performances - we were the home side! Fortunately, Hearts were very poor too or we'd have been on to a hiding. The rest of the season terrifies me.

James: With so much at stake and a good crowd watching to have zero shots on target was pathetic. I am starting to have my fears we do not have the right manager at the club but we have to give him time. I think we need an overhaul of the recruitment team for next season.

Adam: The outcome was to be expected with the players the manager had to choose from. Hopefully they will relish the opportunity to show what they can do to avoid being in the relegation play-offs.

Alan: There was not a lot of evidence from the team about the importance of this match. We have consistently lacked an obvious striker, there was no leader in midfield and the defence were often hesitant and lacking the skills to play out from the back. The lack of pressing was evident and with very few shots on goal it presents major challenges for us.

Alistair: A better attitude from the players with Stephen O'Donnell producing an assured performance in the central defensive position, Callum Slattery putting in a power of effort in midfield and Lennon Miller a more assured display than of late. However, we have no threat up front and that is a major concern going into five games where we need to get a couple of wins to keep clear of the play off slot. Testing times ahead.

Kevin: Survival is the name of the game. Then its wholesale changes required. Not an enviable task.

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• Hearts have failed to score in their past three games in the Premiership, their last longer run of games without scoring a goal in the competition was a run of four games from 31 October 2018 to 24 November 2018.

• Motherwell have failed to score in 11 of their 33 games, only Ross County (14) and St Mirren (12) have drawn a blank more often in the Premiership this season.

• Motherwell failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Celtic on 26 December 2024.

• Hearts have failed to win in their past three games in the Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 10 November 2024 to 1 December 2024.

Motherwell fans, were you at Fir Park on Saturday or following the action from home? What did you make of your team's performance? How are you feeling about the challenge of the bottom six? Let us know your thoughts.

Have your say here

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Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer tells BBC Scotland: "I'm a little bit disappointed, the guys in the dressing room were disappointed.

"In the last 10 minutes I knew it was 3-2 to St Mirren so at that point I was ok to get the point because it could be important [later in the season].

"I feel sorry for the guys that they can't reward themselves for the effort. But you saw after the game the fans appreciated the effort. We have to improve in the last third, to create more opportunities and have more punch so this is something we will work on in the coming games.

"I'm ok with the point because Hearts is a strong opponent if you see the expectations. Now I know what we have to develop and what you need in this league to be successful. We will work on these things to develop us.

"We needed a win to perhaps go in the top six but you need points also because we had to look with one eye on the other direction. You have to work hard to be positive. We have no time to rest, we have to keep working because we want to improve. In the end we have to save this season which is difficult enough.

"The aim is to win as many games as possible. We're always in the game to win the game and in the final five games we're going to try to pick up as many points as possible."

Calum MacDonald
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

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Dan Casey should have scored late on, but in reality Motherwell toiled for most of the game, with their chances few and far between.

Their eyes are now on the bottom six and avoiding the relegation play-off place as they finish this portion of the season with just two wins in their last 12 games.

That looks set to be an almighty battle with only six points separating Dundee in second bottom and Hearts in seventh and the new manager bounce they enjoyed when Michael Wimmer first came in seems a long way in the past.

The Scottish FA key match incident panel has not backed the decision to overturn 24-year-old Motherwell defender Kofi Balmer's red card against Kilmarnock. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Motherwell defender Liam Gordon will miss the game with concussion, while defender Steve Seddon (ankle), Apostolos Stamatelopoulos (broken wrist), Shane Blaney, Sam Nicholson (both knee), Jack Vale (Achilles), Ross Callachan (hamstring), Paul McGinn (thigh), Zach Robinson (Achilles) and Archie Mair (hand) remain sidelined for Well.

Hearts forward James Wilson is suspended, while Gerald Taylor (knee) and Aidan Denholm (hamstring) are still out.

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"They don't come how much bigger I think. It's like a cup final for us."

Dan Casey is fully aware of the magnitude of Motherwell's game against Hearts this weekend.

A win for Hearts would secure top six, but should Motherwell win and fellow top six hopefuls St Mirren lose, the Steelmen will claim the final top-six spot.

Hearts are currently in sixth with 39 points and a goal difference of minus one, St Mirren seventh with 38 points and a minus-10 goal difference, and Motherwell are also on 38 but worse off in terms of goal difference.

"They don't come how much bigger I think. It's like a cup final for us," Casey said.

"Obviously, I think it's clear to everyone that it's not in our hands, but we can only do what we can do, so we're fully focused on us.

"Not necessarily [more pressure on Hearts] because we had an opportunity last week against Kilmarnock and we lost and obviously St Mirren did.

"I think it's that type of league. You can't take any points for granted. And obviously, we're all hurting, all three teams.

"Everyone's going to be ready and raring to go and, for our sake, I hope we could get the best outcome possible.

"Listen, you can dragged into it. It's so tight down there. Look at the weekend. Celtic the best team in the league against St Johnstone, bottom, and St Johnstone beat them so anything could happen.

"We just want to look at finishing as high as we can and obviously, it's a bonus that we wouldn't be able to get involved in the relegation fight.

"Hearts have a great squad, some very good players. I think on their day they are a match for anyone.

"But it's just as I said before, it's a tough league, you can't take any game for granted. And we know we're going to be in for a hard game this weekend, so we just need to be ready for it."