Motherwell

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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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St Mirren's Charles Dunne will get scans on a hamstring complaint but fellow defender Alex Iacovitti has trained for two weeks after recovering from a hamstring injury and might be involved.

Stephen O'Donnell is close to a Motherwell return after hamstring trouble but might have to wait another week while Sam Nicholson will be gradually reintroduced after recovering from a knee injury.

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

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Stuart Kettlewell has called for Scottish football to take head knocks seriously after failing to get clarity on why Motherwell's game with Dundee was not stopped following a double blow for Kofi Balmer.

The Motherwell boss feels defender Balmer was fouled when he attacked a corner before being dragged to the ground and caught with a knee to the face and stud to the head.

Balmer was still lying in the opposite penalty area with blood coming out of his mouth when referee John Beaton played on, allowing Dundee to break upfield to score.

Kettlewell says the club had received no clarity after talks between chief executive Brian Caldwell and the Scottish FA's head of referees Willie Collum following the 4-1 defeat.

"Why I say that is because we've had a mixed message, on whether there was a head knock, or whether they'd seen a head knock, or whether the head knock was there but they didn't think it was too significant, or they just didn't completely see the player lying on the ground," said Kettlewell.

"So I feel we've had a few different versions of that until we get to the end point, which is ultimately, if we'd seen it, we would have stopped the game.

"'He's on the ground', was my exact words, 'he's holding his head, and he's motionless.' Those were my words. I understand that the referee might be following the ball but that's why it's a team of officials.

"As match officials, when you see someone lying on the ground, falling to the ground, holding their head, not moving, you do not get to decide how bad that is. I thought universally that was just something that stopped.

"We're going to have to start taking these head injuries seriously. Hhow bad does it need to get before somebody actually starts to take it really, really seriously and starts to implement real strategy to try and protect the player, get medical attention on the pitch as quick as you possibly can when there's a blow to the head or two blows to the head?"

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Stuart Kettlewell says fan anger at Motherwell's recent poor form is a "learning curve" for his side but admits criticism of his own performance is "part of the game".

The Steelmen, who visit St Mirren on Saturday, are on a run of three successive defeats and and have lost six of their last eight in all competitions.

Manager Kettlewell has called on supporters to stick with the side as the fans' backing can boost confidence among the squad.

He said: "It's blue-sky thinking that everybody supports us through thick or thin and good results, bad results and everybody's always happy but we all know that's not the reality of football, I'll always take accountability for the bad results.

"But the way I look at it is, the more support and the more backing you get, the more confidence the players get without question. Take me out of the equation, take the staff out of the equation, but the more confidence the players get.

"That's all made easier with support, but how do I sit here for a second and tell somebody how they should react when they've travelled up to Dundee and they've watched their team lose or they've travelled to Dingwall?

"People are entitled to their opinions and football supporters are always going to have their opinions.

"That seems incredibly strong just now, that starts to become a bit abusive and it starts to become a bit personal in football in general… that's a part of the game. If you can't handle that, if you can't take it, I'll always say that I feel you're in the wrong industry.

"There's always an understanding that if there's a backing, if there's a real support, in particular the players, especially some of the young guys that we've got in the squad, then I always believe that you'll get more out of them, I believe they will show a really good reaction.

"But listen, sometimes that's part of the learning curve to walk off at Dens and walk by unhappy supporters for young players and they have to learn through that experience as well."

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• Motherwell's Lennon Miller has created more chances from set-piecess than any other player in the Scottish Premiership this season (18), with all four of his assists also coming via dead balls.

• St Mirren have only won one of their last nine home games against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership (D4 L4), a 1-0 victory in January 2023.

• After their 2-1 win in September, Motherwell are looking to earn back-to-back Scottish Premiership victories over St Mirren for only the third time since the Buddies returned to the division in 2018, having previously done so in December 2019 and July 2022.

• St Mirren have won four of their eight home league games this season (D2 L2), more than their final 11 such matches of 2023-24 (W3 D2 L6).

• Since a goalless draw with Ross County in their opening match this season, none of Motherwell's last 13 league games have ended level (W6 L7). They've lost their last three in a row, last losing four consecutively in October 2023.

Colin Moffat
BBC Sport Scotland

Motherwell are on a sequence of three successive defeats – all to teams who were below them in the table, prior to kick-off at least. Now comes a visit to St Mirren, who lurk one point behind in seventh place.

Stuart Kettlewell's side have shipped seven goals to Hibs and Dundee in the past two outings and their last clean sheet came on the opening weekend of the Premiership season at the start of August.

Will the manager be tempted to change things at the back, or will he keep the faith for this often low-scoring rivalry?

We've only had two goals across the last three meetings between these two in Paisley, while there hasn't been more than two goals in this fixture in the PA3 postcode since a 3-0 win for Motherwell in December 2019.

Rather than worry about formations, Kettlewell's biggest concern may be the mindset of his players, who folded in the face of adversity at Dens Park after such a meek display at home to Hibs.

Motherwell have form for drifting on poor runs - going 15 without a league victory last season, while the previous campaigns brought winless runs of 11, 11 and 12, so Kettlewell will be anxious to stop the rot setting in.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

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Jair Tavares is content to play anywhere for Motherwell as he looks to build on his first start.

The on-loan Hibernian winger, a surprise starter in the 4-1 defeat at Dundee in midweek, is confident the Steelmen can get back on track away to St Mirren on Saturday.

"That [wing-back] is not my usual position but I was just happy to be on the pitch," Tavares said.

"I haven't been playing for long, that was my first game in the starting 11 and I'm just happy to be out there on the pitch and get more minutes. That's the only thing I'm focused on.

"I've been working very hard to get my opportunities, so I just have to keep working hard and hopefully more opportunities will come."

Motherwell's third successive defeat dropped them a place to sixth in the Premiership, but Tavares said: "I believe we will bounce back. We just have to stick together, stick to the plan.

"In my opinion it was never a 4-1 game but it's gone now. We just have to focus now on Saturday because we have a big game coming up."