Motherwell

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.

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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."

Celtic could still win a 13th Scottish top-flight title in 14 seasons this weekend, despite their shock defeat away to St Johnstone last Sunday.

Victory at home against Kilmarnock on Saturday would be sufficient to confirm the arithmetic should Rangers lose at Aberdeen the following day.

The Ibrox side are almost certain to clinch the second Champions League place, but four points from their final six matches would confirm it.

Whoever finishes third and fourth will also be in Europe, as will the division's fifth-placed side should the Scottish Cup winners be one of the Premiership's top four.

The fight for the final top-six place will go to the final game before the split, with one of Hearts, Motherwell or St Mirren claiming it.

Hearts visit Fir Park one point in front of their hosts and the Paisley side, who take on Ross County.

The two teams missing out could yet be sucked into a relegation battle.

Bottom side St Johnstone are now five adrift of Dundee and six behind Kilmarnock and Ross County. Motherwell and St Mirren are a further three points ahead.

With the teams all playing each other again post-split, there is still plenty scope for movement between now and 18 May.

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Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer is optimistic before his side's most important game of the season so far when they host Hearts in the crunch final pre-split game.

The race for the top six culminates this weekend with Hearts, Motherwell and St Mirren vying for the one remaining spot.

Hearts sit sixth before this weekend's fixtures with 39 points and a goal difference of minus one.

St Mirren, who host Ross County, are a point back with a goal difference of minus 10 while the Steelmen also have 38 points but a goal difference of minus 19.

"If St Mirren also win we have no chance to go into the top six, but points are so important," Wimmer said.

"It's also important to stay in the league and this is also very, very important for me to have a secure situation.

"It's always easier if the pressure is not so high, instead of this kind of pressure."

The former Austria Vienna boss arrived at Fir Park in February and has taken seven points from his first six games in charge and understands the importance of finishing in the top half.

"This is similar, for example, to Austria," he added.

"If the smaller clubs reach the top six, you have security and you can plan your next season without pressure. It's a perfect situation.

"Of course, everybody tries to reach this. But if not, then life goes on and you have to keep working to get to the next point in the other games.

"I think our spectators, our fans will support us. They also deserve a good result. The last games have been away games, they travelled a lot and we didn't get the results. So, as I said before, it's a perfect game.

"I feel happy. I feel happy that we have the chance to win the race to the top six, that we have the chance to reach the top six. I'm very happy and I'm looking forward to this game."

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Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Hearts on Saturday.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• Wimmer is "happy" Motherwell are still "in the race" to secure a spot in the top six but insists the pressure is on both teams to get a result at the weekend and doesn't think Hearts will be nervous about the trip to Fir Park.

• The Motherwell boss is "very happy" to have Kofi Balmer back in contention after his red card was overturned.

• On VAR more generally, Wimmer feels referees need to have more confidence to be the one who makes the final decision - "to make mistakes is human".

• Insists his players shouldn't need extra motivation for Saturday's massive game and says he doesn't know "if this is the right job" for those who do.

• On the squad for this weekend, Liam Gordon is out with a concussion, Steven Seddon is back in training but won't be ready for the weekend while Marvin Kaleta is back and available.

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• Motherwell have won six of their past eight home league games against Hearts (L2), including a 3-1 win in August of this season.

• None of the past 12 league meetings between Motherwell and Hearts have finished level, with Hearts winning seven and losing five since a 1-1 draw in March 2020.

• Motherwell have lost seven of their past 10 games in the Scottish Premiership (W2 D1), picking up fewer points than any side in the division since the start of this run (7) on January 11

• Hearts have lost both of their last two league games without scoring; they last lost three in a row without reply in the Scottish Premiership in December 2019, a run that included a 1-0 loss at Motherwell.

• Motherwell's Ellery Balcombe has conceded more goals than any goalkeeper in the Scottish Premiership this season (53). Indeed, of goalkeepers to play 20+ times in the competition this season, his save rate of 60.5% is the lowest.