Motherwell

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has been speaking to the media prior to Saturday's Premiership visit of St Mirren.

Here are the key lines:

• Stephen O'Donnell is set to miss out on Saturday after suffering a shoulder injury in last Friday's League Cup quarter-final win over Dundee United.

• Kettlewell confirmed the right-back has not trained all week but said the injury is "definitely not as bad as we first feared".

• The Well boss wants the type of challenge that resulted in O'Donnell's injury to be "outlawed" from football.

• A crowd of 8,327 watched the Lanarkshire side set up a League Cup semi-final against Rangers, and Kettlewell hopes that memorable night can entice many back to Fir Park.

• Reflecting on the last-eight win over United, Kettlewell said the evening was "magical in terms of the atmosphere".

• "About 6,000 Motherwell fans were in here on Friday, I'd love us to get close to that on Saturday and try and keep that," the manager added.

• And Kettlewell confirmed defensive duo Johnny Koutroumbis and Shane Blaney are edging closer to returning.

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Jack Vale has returned to parent club Blackburn Rovers after sustaining a calf injury while on loan at Motherwell.

The forward, who re-joined Stuart Kettlewell's side on a short-term deal this summer, is now facing 10-12 weeks on the sidelines.

The 23-year-old has made two appearances for the Fir Park club since his return.

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

The adrenaline is still sky high and reality hasn't fully set in yet, but the Well are going to Hampden!

The game against Dundee United is by far one of the best games I have ever attended - not just because of the result, but because of the crowd and the performance on the park.

Although, the result did help.

Over 8,000 fans at Fir Park for a game not involving the Old Firm is something we do not see and I'm hoping the result will encourage people to come back.

Right now, the league is no longer my biggest worry with a semi-final against Rangers on the way.

Although they certainly won't make it easy for us, I would rather we played Rangers than Celtic or Aberdeen.

It feels exciting being a Motherwell fan again, especially now we have players returning from injury and with some luck more will be more available by November.

All is well in Lanarkshire. It's starting to really feel like this could be a memorable season.

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Although Lee Miller knew son Lennon would be "the calmest person" at Fir Park when he stepped up to take his match-winning penalty on Friday, the former striker said the quarter-final tie was still "the most nervous" he has ever been at a game.

The teenage midfielder's stoppage-time spot kick secured a dramatic win over Dundee United, sending Motherwell through to the last four to face Rangers at Hampden.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, ex-Hearts and Aberdeen forward Miller revealed his son had planned to 'Panenka' his penalty.

Needless to say, Miller was delighted to instead see the midfielder dispatch low to the left, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to spark wild scenes.

"I could hardly watch to be honest," Miller said. "But I knew he'd be the calmest person in the stadium.

"All I could think was 'please score, please don't dink it, please score, please don't dink it'. So to see it go in... I'm so proud of what he's achieved so far in his career and it's just going from strength to strength.

"I said to him after the game: 'How are you? Were you nervous and stuff?'. And he said he was fine, but he was thinking of dinking the keeper up to the last step."

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The dates and kick-off times for the two Scottish League Cup semi-finals have been confirmed.

Celtic take on Aberdeen on Saturday, 2 November (17:30), while Rangers face Motherwell on Sunday, 3 November (15:00), with both matches taking place at Hampden.

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Holders Rangers will face Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals.

Celtic take on Aberdeen in the other tie.

The games will take place on the weekend of 2-3 November.

Rangers beat Dundee 3-0 at Ibrox to reach the last four while Motherwell edged out Dundee United 2-1.

We asked for your views on Motherwell's dramatic 2-1 win over Dundee United in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.

Here's what some of you said:

Angus: Tense. Not a classic but we'll take it! Cracking goal and Moses Ebiye proved his worth again when he came in. I wonder if Stuart Kettlewell will go for playing both up top at some point. As for Lennon Miller, a class act. What other 18-year-old scores a penalty at home and then tells his team mates to calm down! Scotland star in the making.

Col: It isn't often Motherwell provide a performance in front of an expectant home crowd but tonight they did. Earlier this year we were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by a Morton team superior in every way. It looks like we have learned from that experience. Tonight we were hungry, decisive and played with a real confidence. Could be a good season.

James: Fantastic result. Not a great first half, great game in the second. Created some real chances, should have put the game to bed before they scored. Substitutions made a difference, showing we have built a decent squad. Superb to have made a semi-final. Respect to the manager and the club to make the effort to make the game a spectacle.

William: Absolutely brilliant night under the lights at Fir Park. Not the best game I've ever been at, but it was engrossing. Both sets of fans made a great atmosphere.

Ian: Great crowd and in the first half I feared that it would be the same old story of not turning up under the floodlights, as we were wasteful with the ball and never really got going in the first half - until that amazing strike. Different team in the second half, and arguably should have been two up early on. Great play from super sub Moses for the pen.

Walter: A tight but well-deserved victory for a club that's working so hard to be at the centre of its community. After a summer of uncertainty, the team epitomised the industry and commitment we need to be successful.

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"I knew that I was going to score and I backed myself."

Lennon Miller showed admirable confidence and composure to convert the stoppage-time penalty that sent Motherwell into the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.

That nerve is all the more impressive at the age of 18.

"I think I had more beads of sweat on my brow than he had," joked manager Stuart Kettlewell after the 2-1 win over Dundee United at Fir Park.

"Nothing really surprises me with him, I’ve got so much trust that he picks the ball up, spots it and puts it in the back of the net."

Miller made his Motherwell debut six days after his 16th birthday and is now just two games away from his 50th appearance.

He scored twice for the club last season and is on that mark already this term.

Earlier this month, the midfielder shone on his competitive debut for the Scotland Under-21s with a goal and two assists in a win over Malta.

"It's obviously a big moment," Miller said of his penalty winner. "But for me it was what I do in training every day.

"I never get too high and I never get too low and it's just carried on onto the pitch.

"It's probably helping me in these moments and hopefully there's many more moments like that to come."

Motherwell are the first side to secure their place in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals.

Were you among the impressive 8,000-plus crowd at Fir Park or watch the game elsewhere?

Give us your thoughts here., external

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell had named an unchanged side for their Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Dundee United despite Saturday's league defeat in Aberdeen.

That meant sticking with Zach Robinson up front despite taking his total to four for the season after back-to-back goalscoring cameos off the bench.

It looked like it was a strategy playing into United's hands as the visitors forced the hosts to play long, with Robinson all too often outmuscled by former Fir Park centre-back Declan Gallagher and Ross Graham.

However, it paid off on the stroke of half-time as the summer arrival from Wimbledon broke his season's duck in spectacular fashion.

It looked like that would be enough to secure victory until striker Louie Moult stunned his former side in a hectic finish lapped up by an impressive crowd of more than 8,000.

Ebiye, though, was to prove the super sub again to win the penalty that handed much-heralded 18-year-old midfielder Lennon Miller the chance to again show his immense promise and cool head from the spot.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell names an unchanged starting XI for the visit of Dundee United in Friday's Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Fir Park.

But Blackburn Rovers loanee Jack Vale drops out the matchday squad after Saturday's 2-1 Scottish Premiership defeat in Aberdeen.

He is replaced on the bench with Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, while fellow forward Tony Watt is ineligible against his parent club.

Zach Robinson retains his starting place ahead of Moses Ebiye despite the latter's back-to-back goalscoring cameos off the bench.

Visiting manager Jim Goodwin opts to make one switch following Sunday's 1-0 home defeat by Rangers.

Club captain Ross Docherty comes into midfield, replacing Kevin Holt, as he did before half-time against the Glasgow side, with the latter dropping to the bench.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

The first of two all-Premiership ties in the League Cup quarter-finals - and probably the least predictable - takes United to Motherwell on Friday evening in a meeting of two clubs looking to end a decades-long League Cup drought.

United have not lifted the League Cup since beating city rivals Dundee in the 1980 final, while Motherwell's wait is even longer, having last won the trophy back in 1950, when they defeated Hibernian.

Indeed, neither side have gone beyond the quarter-finals since they last progressed to the final.

Motherwell defeated Aberdeen 3-0 seven years ago, before knocking out Rangers in the semi-finals and falling short in their bid for an Old Firm double against Celtic.

Two years earlier, United beat Hibernian on penalties after a 3-3 draw, overcame Aberdeen in the last four but also lost to Celtic in the final.

Celtic were also Well's nemesis when the Lanarkshire side and United last reached the quarter-finals two years ago, the Glasgow visitors easing to a 4-0 win while the Tangerines were losing 2-1 in Kilmarnock.

The current sides go into Friday's quarter-final looking to recover from top-flight defeats that ended three-game winning runs.

Stuart Kettlewell's hosts fell 2-1 away to Aberdeen, while Jim Goodwin's United had their impressive eight-game unbeaten sequence brought to an end by Rangers' single-goal win at Tannadice.

Recent meetings are also no guide to Friday's outcome considering United have spent a season winning the Championship since losing 3-2 at Fir Park in their last meeting - with United having won there a month previously.

Their knockout meetings tend to be tight affairs too, with United winning 2-1 at Fir Park in the Scottish Cup fourth round in November 2014, while Alan Gow's goal was enough to take hosts Motherwell through to the League Cup semi-finals in October 2010.

Another close game is in prospect under the Fir Park lights.

Read all the League Cup picks

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Motherwell will be without on-loan Dundee United forward Tony Watt, who is ineligible to play against his parent club in the League Cup quarter-final tie.

The injured Shane Blaney, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson, Harry Paton, Ross Callachan and Johnny Koutroumbis will also be out.

United boss Jim Goodwin has a full squad to choose from for the trip to Fir Park, with the exception of long-term absentee Ryan Strain.

Only two of this weekend's Scottish League Cup quarter-finals will have VAR in operation, with Motherwell v Dundee United on Friday and Aberdeen v Spartans on Saturday not using the technology and saving a combined £16,000 in the process. (Mail), external

Dundee, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Ross County, St Johnstone and St Mirren will each take in £1.6m in solidarity payments due to Celtic's Champions League qualification, with Aberdeen and Dundee United receiving £1m and £650,000 going to Hearts and Livingston. (Mail), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

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Motherwell have a "massive opportunity" to reach the League Cup semi-finals, says midfielder Andy Halliday.

The Fir Park side welcome Dundee United on Friday night in their last-eight tie and a win will secure a first semi-final in six years.

Motherwell are without any silverware since winning the Scottish Cup in 1991, which was against United.

Having left Rangers before they won the Premiership title under Steven Gerrard, a major honour has alluded former Hearts man Halliday.

But the Livingston youth graduate is desperate to rectify that and end Motherwell's trophy drought.

Stuart Kettlewell's side have won their last two home games and only conceded one goal in five matches at Fir Park this season.

And Halliday is hoping that will be a factor again in front of a bumper crowd.

"It's not easy to win cups," the 32-year-old said. "It's difficult, especially for Motherwell, it was 1991 the last time they won the Scottish Cup.

"We have a massive opportunity ahead of us, but the most important thing for us as players is to prepare properly going into this weekend and give your best.

"I feel if we give our best and we get what fans gave us over the past few weeks, then I'm confident.

"It's a massive occasion for us and I feel we have built on a decent bit of home form at the start of the season.

"If we want to get back to Hampden for the first time in six, seven years, then we are going to need them.”

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Dundee United defender Declan Gallagher is braced for another hostile reception at Fir Park on Friday night but feels Motherwell fans' treatment of him is unfair.

Gallagher spent two years with the Steelmen before joining Aberdeen in summer 2021.

As he prepares to face Stuart Kettlewell's side in the League Cup quarter-finals, Gallagher said: "I am actually quite surprised that I get such a hostile view from them because when I was there we finished third, the Covid season, then I was captain the next year.

"A lot of things came out about my contract situation and stuff like that. But something that maybe fans don't know is that before I left Motherwell I signed an extension for one month so that Motherwell received the bonus money for me reaching the Euro squad with Scotland.

"I don't think was ever highlighted out there, so I think if a few Motherwell fans knew that was the case and I actually earned the club money rather than just taking money and leaving then they would maybe think differently.

"But that is football, people will have their opinion no matter what you do. I loved my time at Motherwell, I played in Europe for them, I captained them and I love the club as a whole, but I will be looking to try and put them out this week."

Gallagher has been in impressive form for United this season and he hopes if that continues he could force himself back into the Scotland fold and add to his nine caps.

The 33-year-old, who has not been called up since September 2022, said: "I think about Scotland all the time, I am choking for my 10th cap so if Steve Clarke wants to give me a phone I will happily answer that.

"I have never said I would retire from international football. If I play well for Dundee United like I did at Motherwell and St Mirren, I am sure I will maybe catch his eye again."

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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If Moses Ebiye has already been chapping at Stuart Kettlewell's door to question why he isn't starting, he could be booting it down soon enough.

Saturday's goal off the bench in the 2-1 defeat at Aberdeen was the striker's sixth for the club since joining midway through last season.

Five of those six goals have come as a substitute, which means the Nigerian posts a quite incredible strike rate of a goal every 76 minutes.

Albeit a small sample size, Ebiye is surely in a position now where he can feel hard done by if he isn't handed a start in Friday's League Cup quarter-final with Dundee United.

The counter argument, however, will suggest the 27-year-old is a better option off the bench due to his knack of scoring a late goal.

Each of his four Premiership strikes have come after the 88th minute, plus his winner in the last-16 victory over Kilmarnock came in extra time.

With both Apostolos Stamatelopoulos and Filip Stuparevic working their way back to fitness, coupled with Tony Watt being ineligible to play against his parent club, it appears to be between Zach Robinson and Ebiye for the starting spot.

Summer signing Robinson is yet to score in 10 games, so perhaps Friday is the time for Ebiye to get his chance to provide a decisive moment from the off.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell is driving his team to create cup memories he feels there is "no substitute for".

The Fir Park side welcome Dundee United on Friday night for a place in the last four of the League Cup.

Volunteers have distributed thousands of leaflets in the hope of attracting a bumper crowd for the quarter-final tie.

And Kettlewell is desperate for his side to reward the support of the fan-owned club with a memorable evening and a trip to Hampden.

"We are a fan-owned community football club, I for one would love to celebrate that," the Well boss said.

"My job is to make sure the players give the supporters and everyone that comes here to back us on Friday something to cheer about."

Motherwell have not been in a semi-final since finishing runners-up in both domestic cups in the 2017-18 season.

The Fir Park club are also without a major honour since winning the Scottish Cup in 1991.

Kettlewell, who was part of the County squad that reached the 2010 Scottish Cup final, added: "I think sometimes we just look at the monetary aspect of football. People want security, win bonuses and all these different things.

"But I was probably brought up in a simpler time and a simpler mindset that careers are defined by success, and that's how I look at it.

"I've always been someone massive into the fact that I certainly wasn't the greatest player in the world, but I'm proud as punch of the medals that I was able to win.

"Getting players into that mindset tends to breed success because you have a real hunger for it. Whether you're able to achieve it, whether there's disappointment in there, can always be a fact of life, not just football.

"There's no substitute for those memories, those bits of success and what that starts to build in your CV."

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

The newest league title challengers may have humbled us, but I am beyond confident that Motherwell will be victorious in Friday night's League Cup quarter-final.

Dundee United did not look as though they had anything to offer against Rangers on Sunday in their 1-0 defeat. Their new signings from North Macedonia have been impressive, but nothing our defenders can't handle.

The return of Louis Moult will be bittersweet if he comes on, especially since Tony Watt isn't eligible to play against his parent club.

We really need to see Moses Ebiye make an appearance earlier than usual. As much as his last-minute goals off the bench are delightful, we need to get ahead fast and the supersub striker deserves a start.

The magnificent work the Well Society have done to encourage more people to attend is applaudable. Volunteers are the backbone of our club and if it pays off with a higher than average attendance, it is all worth it.

We have the opportunity to reach our first semi-final in six years and are more than capable of winning this fixture, we just need to hope the players share that belief.

We asked for your views on Motherwell's 2-1 defeat against Aberdeen.

Here's what some of you said:

Ronnie: Motherwell played well in the second half when the manager put on some strikers as Zach Robinson cannot play on his own. It took a wonder save to stop the draw. We must start with at least two strikers and we will be fine.

Edward: Moses Ebiye scores again! Any chance he could get a start? We continue to try to nick a goal and hang on instead of having the tactics to score early! I don't need to hear how well we played because we still lost, tedious!