Motherwell

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• Sam Dalby has scored eight goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), more than any other player.

• Apostolos Stamatelopoulos scored after just 46 seconds, the fastest goal in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee United have scored in their last seven games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 10 games from 9 February 2022 to 30 April 2022.

• Motherwell have scored in their last three games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of three games from 30 October 2024 to 23 November 2024.

Motherwell leapt to fourth in the Scottish Premiership after edging out Dundee United in pulsating seven-goal thriller.

Louis Moult's 88th-minute header looked to have set up a tense finale, but Motherwell held on to leapfrog their visitors who drop to fifth.

What did you make of that Motherwell fans? Has Stuart Kettlewell silenced his critics?

And how important is it that players are returning from injury? Has Apostolos Stamatelopoulos impressed you?

Let us know your thoughts here, external.

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Assistant manager Stephen Frail told BBC Scotland: "We'll pick through the bones over the next couple of days. First and foremost we're just glad to get the three points.

"It's a tough league and to get two wins back-to-back after three defeats in a row is really pleasing. There's tonnes for us to be pleased about, but there's tonnes for us to be trying to fix for the next game.

"We'll be looking at how we press from the front, so we'll be looking at the strikers to the back three and the goalkeeper - who made a brilliant save at the end to win us three points.

"We're happy where we are, 11 points better off than where we were at this point last season.

"The character [pleased me most]. We had to pick ourselves up, hang on and defend and stay together. Some of the creativity and the strikers getting the goals is pleasing too.

"I've heard some of that 'long ball' stuff and that we don't play to the talents of Lennon Miller. He's been outstanding and he isn't outstanding if we play long-ball. We're not a long ball team and we try and play the right way."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Kettlewell critics have, recently, become a little louder in their opinions on the Motherwell manager but last weekend's last-gasp win over St Mirren quietened them down.

The performance against United should do the same. Instead of the long, direct play that had plagued performances over November, they were far more keen to knock the ball about and get the best out of Paton and Lennon Miller.

There also seemed to be a connection between player of the match Stamatelopoulos and Maswanhise, as well as an imposing figure on the right in Kaleta.

However, the defensive frailties were still there. A silly penalty and a goalkeeping error threatened to let United back in.

The emergence of Stamatelopoulos as the main striker will be a relief for Kettlewell. The manager needed to fill the Theo Bair-shaped hole up top and it looks like the Australian striker is starting to find his feet.

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Apostolos Stamatelopoulos. The Australian striker is starting to look far more settled in his new homeland. Scoring two and setting up another isn't a bad days work, and he had a couple more chances as well.

The previous number nine was always going to be hard to replace but there's growing hope that 'Stama' could step up to the job.

A word too for Marvin 'Marvellous' Kaleta. Brilliant down the right, up and down all afternoon with a few good deliveries to boot.

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On-loan Dundee United striker Tony Watt drops out of the Motherwell squad but Stephen O'Donnell is available to start after a hamstring injury.

Tom Sparrow (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring), Paul McGinn (thigh), Callum Slattery (knee), Jack Vale (calf) and Zach Robinson (Achilles) remain out.

Dundee United wide player Will Ferry is suspended but Kristijan Trapanovski has returned to training and could be involved. Ross Docherty (calf) and Craig Sibbald (groin) are still absent.

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Motherwell winger Sam Nicholson believes strong off-field relationships have helped the club navigate an injury-hit season.

Stuart Kettlewell's side are fifth in the Premiership and could go fourth with a win over Dundee United on Saturday.

They have reached that position despite being without several first-team players for large chunks of the season, including Nicholson - who only returned from a patellar tendon injury last weekend in the win over St Mirren.

Nicholson says he formed a tight bond with the other players who were in the treatment room with him, and they helped each other through their rehab, providing support and regularly checking in.

"I feel like every player says this when they're at a club, but it's one of the best dressing rooms I've been in, without a shadow of a doubt," the former Hearts man said. "It's hilarious. We've just got such a good group of lads.

"When you're injured and you spend more time with the injured boys, everyone's out training, you're in doing rehab and stuff, so you do get a closeness and a bond.

"But with or without that, I think the team's very, very close. It's an everyday thing with the boys that we actually enjoy coming in to play football and to have each other's company.

"It's been good mentally for all of us. When I say a good group of people, there's people that, when you're going home, you're injured, you're in your own time, they're still texting you going, 'how are you feeling mate?'

"You don't get that at a lot of clubs, I don't feel. I don't anyway. Maybe they haven't liked me at other clubs, I'm not sure!

"I think if you have a bond like that, it's important. It can go down to something as little as someone makes a mistake, that's your mate, you've got to go and help them out, which we all do, we all make mistakes.

"So I think the closeness of the team has definitely helped us already. We just need to keep building on it."

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Stephen Frail insists there will be "no real change" to Motherwell's approach despite manager Stuart Kettlewell being confined to the stands when Dundee United visit Fir Park on Saturday.

Kettlewell serves an automatic touchline ban because of an accumulation of yellow cards, having been booked three times in the Steelmen's previous four matches.

"Nothing changes in terms of the way we build up between now and Saturday," said assistant boss Frail.

"Obviously, the manager knows the restraints in terms of being in the dressing room before the game. We know that, but nothing will change.

"The same message will be there, but he'll obviously be very visible up in the stand and relaying messages that he needs to see on the pitch. So there'll be no real change."

Frail joked about Kettlewell communicating his ideas during the match.

"He'll probably just lean over and shout, I would imagine," he added.

"But no, he'll be in communication. As I say, our message, the manager's message, will be the message that I'll be able to carry on.

"But there will be an access to him, whether it's through comms or just coming down at half-time. But there shouldn't be any real issue."

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

Two points separate Motherwell in fifth and Dundee United one place above.

Hence, a home victory will change the shape of the table while United will be keen to maintain the status quo with a win or draw.

The Tangerines are unbeaten in five and Well warmed up for this one with a precious away victory over St Mirren in Paisley last Saturday.

It was the Steelmen that came out on top the last time the sides met in the league and Motherwell also won this season's League Cup encounter, again 2-1.

Dundee United cannot go above League Cup holders and finalists Rangers with victory but can at least get closer to them and second-placed Aberdeen, who are not in action this weekend.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

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Callum Slattery is "looking really good" on his return to training after a long-term knee injury but won't be rushed into action, says Motherwell assistant Stephen Frail.

The midfielder has been out since suffering cruciate ligament damage in January.

Speaking before Motherwell host Dundee United this weekend, Frail said: "It's about managing it, it's been a long-term injury and he's come back and he's looking really good.

"He'll still be a wee bit away from being in our thoughts to be involved in any games at the minute. But such is the schedule, we can't even really organise a bounce game or a friendly.

"We'll probably have to do that just maybe among ourselves when the games settle down a little bit.

"He's still a little bit short for what we need to join in on match day, but he's looking sharp.

"Watching him training the other day, there's no issues psychologically dealing with the injury.

"I've watched him twist and turn and check and stuff and he's looking good. So it's going to give everybody a real lift."

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• Motherwell have won their last two league meetings with Dundee United, last winning three in a row against the Tangerines in September 2009.

• Dundee United are unbeaten in five Scottish Premiership games (W2 D3), their longest such run since February 2022 (also five), last going longer without defeat in the competition in October 2021 (seven) – when their sixth game was a win over Motherwell (2-1).

• Motherwell are unbeaten in seven league meetings with newly-promoted opposition (W3 D4) since a 2-1 defeat to Kilmarnock in August 2022. At home, the Steelmen are unbeaten in eight against such opponents (W5 D3) since a 1-0 loss to Dundee United in August 2020.

• Motherwell have lost three of their last four home league games (W1), as many as their previous 12 beforehand (W5 D4).

• Motherwell's 18-year-old Lennon Miller has won possession more times (103) than any player in the Scottish Premiership this season.

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Defender Dan Casey wants to make Fir Park a fortress as Motherwell look to improve their home form.

Stuart Kettlewell's men scored a late goal to return to winning ways at St Mirren last weekend but have struggled in Lanarkshire lately, losing three of their past four home outings.

Dundee United are the visitors to Fir Park on Saturday and Casey told club media: "We want to make this the fortress for other teams to come here and have a very hard game.

"We started off the season quite well here, obviously we had a bad result last week to Hibs, but hopefully get back on the winning train here and win as many points as we can at home and see where that takes us come the end of the year.

"To get a win and clean sheet at the weekend was very important. We were very disappointed in the games we did lose."

Casey isn't interested in any talk of Motherwell's impressive league position of fifth at this stage in the season and is solely focused on beating United.

He added: "I think we've had two great games with them this year already. Hopefully we can get a result and look forward to the Christmas period.

"I don't think anyone's looking at the league table, it changes quickly in this league, especially with the busy schedule coming up.

"If we look too far ahead we'll get caught up with ourselves, so I think focusing on the next game, we'll go from there and just see how things go."

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

Three out of six ain't bad, or whatever it was Meatloaf said…

The defeat at Dundee last midweek was a sore one to take, especially in the fashion it happened.

I can see where Stuart Kettlewell is coming from with his complaints about Kofi Balmer's head knock not being taken seriously by the officials, but with a scoreline or 4-1 I don't think it would have made much of a difference.

Then in Saturday's game against St Mirren we were miles off it in the first half. St Mirren seemed much more eager and had more fight in them than us.

We did come into it more after the break and the red card turned the tide in our favour, but we left it to the dying seconds before snatching the three points through Tony Watt.

A draw would have been a fairer result but three points away from home is something I won't turn my nose up at, especially as it ended our three-game losing streak.

Now we have two successive home games - against Dundee United and Kilmarnock - and if we can make it three wins on the bounce we will be in a good place before the festive double-header against the Old Firm.

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Motherwell's Scottish midfielder Lennon Miller, 18, is a target for Liverpool and could be available for £8m (Caught Offside), external.

Liam Gordon: The centre-back has been a big player for Motherwell since signing from St Johnstone in the summer. He was key again to securing a clean sheet and an important three points against St Mirren.

Lennon Miller: The nature of the game meant the midfiedler was bypassed for much of the first half, but class always finds a way and the 18-year-old provided the assist for Tony Watt's last-gasp winner.

Watch highlights of St Mirren's 1-0 defeat against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. (UK only)

We asked for your views on Motherwell's 1-0 win against St Mirren.

Here's what some of you said:

Graham: Delighted for Stuart Kettlewell. I was shocked to see all the keyboard warriors giving him his jotters midweek. He's a thoroughly decent guy and good manager who deserves a break. It's not easy rebuilding a team every season or two and he's had no luck with injuries to key players. We constantly punch above our weight. Fans need to get real.

Alan: We managed to prove the doubters wrong! We are a small club, a selling club, and a club who sees supporters travelling from Motherwell to see the Old Firm. Let's be realistic, support the manager and team and help us move forward and upwards.

James: Bit of an improvement, but the first half was dire. Noticeable improvement in the second half. Jair Tavares has nothing to offer. Couldn't get a game for Hibs, says it all. Lennon Miller taking free-kicks from our half, surely someone else can launch the same ball? Probably didn't deserve it, but three points is more than welcome.

David: Kettlewell is still not safe, neither are the players. Kettlewell will go back to losing soon and he should be sacked by Christmas I'm hoping. He is a rubbish manger and any other team would have sacked him.

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• Motherwell have a record of W5, D0, L0 when scoring the opening goal in the Premiership this season.

• St Mirren have failed to score in six of their 16 games, only Ross County (eight) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

• Lennon Miller has assisted five goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Motherwell player.

• St Mirren have a record of W1, D0, L6 when conceding the opening goal in the Premiership this season.

The striker netted his first of the season when he turned in Lennon Miller's free-kick.

Alex Gogic picked up a second yellow card and was sent off just before the winning goal for Stuart Kettlewell's side.

They now move to within two points of Dundee United and two ahead of Dundee in sixth.

St Mirren missed the chance to break into the top six and drop a point behind Tony Docherty's men.

Motherwell fans, were you at the game or following the action from home? Give us your thoughts on the match., external

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "Over the moon that we break the run we were on before today.

"We showed today we weren't content with that run. I feel we were deserving of it, especially in the second half. I felt the momentum was with ourselves, I thought we carved out the two best opportunities.

"Even at the time we scored I felt we were on top. The biggest thing for us today was to try and arrest the silly goals we conceded and we did that.

"It was a fantastic finish from Tony Watt to get his first goal of this second spell, he's waited patiently. It's big for confidence for the players.

"That last second goal was a great moment for us. We've been waiting two weeks for it.

"It wasn't done pretty today but it was done effectively."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Watt's late goal proves a welcome relief for Kettlewell whose side looked, for 93 minutes, like they were heading for a fourth game without a win.

Gogic's rash decision gifted the visitors a free-kick, Miller - who'd been kept pretty quiet all game - delivered a perfect cross, and Watt made a cracking run to smack the header home for his first of the season.

And that goal could be massive in the context of Motherwell's season.

They edge closer to United while putting a bit of breathing space between them and Dundee in sixth.

It could also be the first step for Watt in proving the doubters wrong. And if his celebrations are anything to go by, he's very happy to be back among the goals.

With Celtic, Rangers and a host of English top-flight clubs scouting Lennon Miller, the Motherwell midfielder's father, Lee, says the 18-year-old's next move will not necessarily be to the biggest club but one with the right manager, ethos, style of play and chance for the Scotland youth international to continue playing first-team football. (The Warm-up Show), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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