Motherwell prepared for their League Cup semi-final meeting with Rangers with a hard-fought victory against Dundee United at Tannadice to leapfrog their opponents into fourth place in the Scottish Premiership.
What did you make of Motherwell's performance? Are you confident of beating Rangers in Sunday's semi-final?
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "They certainly made us work for it. We were never going to come on this pitch and stroll through it.
"In the first half they caused us real problems in the wide areas. But I felt the solutions were on the pitch and we made them change in the second half when we dealt with that threat.
"We grew in the second half to be honest and I thought we showed a wee bit more composure. We know that we've got that bit of quality and it was Tawanda that came up with the goods for us.
"We had to dig in at times and we showed our quality at times, and that's what it's always going to have to be like on the road in this league.
"I don't foresee any one of the senior players coming back [for Sunday] other than Tony Watt being available and Liam Gordon coming back into the squad."
Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSTawanda Maswanhise was one of three changes to the Motherwell team for this game, and he put his hand up to start against Rangers at Hampden.
His pace and ability to drive with the ball is such a valuable skill in this league, and even aside from his goals he was Motherwell's biggest threat.
Twice he drew bookings by surging forward and forcing United defenders to haul him down in fear of the damage he could do on the break.
His first strike was a calm first-time effort, and the second goal epitomised his threat.
The Zimbabwean was alert enough to close down Emmanuel Adegoboyega, then quick enough to sprint clear. The composure to dink Jack Walton was the most impressive.
Rangers' struggling backline lacks pace, and Maswanhise must come into Stuart Kettlewell's thoughts for the biggest game of Motherwell's season.
Image source, SNSNo contest. Tawanda Maswanhise was outstanding for Motherwell, scoring twice and terrorising Dundee United defenders with his ability to drive with the ball.
Motherwell make three changes after the loss to Celtic. Liam Gordon is suspended while Davor Zdravkovski and Andy Halliday drop to the bench.
In come Dan Casey, Steve Seddon, and Tawanda Maswanhise.
Image source, BBC Sport
Image source, SNSDundee United have lost two of their last three league meetings with Motherwell (W1). They could lose back-to-back such matches against the Steelmen for the first time since March 2016, and could also lose back-to-back home league games against them for the first time since April 2013.
Motherwell have only won one of their last nine away league games at newly promoted sides (D4 L4), although that was the most recent, beating Dundee 3-2 in April last season.
Dundee United have won two of their last three home league games (L1), as many as their previous 10 on home soil in the Scottish Premiership beforehand (W2 D2 L6).
Motherwell have won six of their last 10 away league games (L4), as many as their previous 30 on the road beforehand (W6 D12 L12).
Motherwell's Tony Watt has scored four goals in his five Scottish Premiership starts against former side Dundee United, netting in both of his last two against them.
Image source, SNSDundee United boss Jim Goodwin expects to be selecting from an unchanged squad, with Craig Sibbald (groin), Louis Moult (knee), Ross Docherty (muscular) and Ross Graham (hamstring) all set to remain sidelined.
Liam Gordon is suspended for Motherwell while on-loan United forward Tony Watt is ineligible.
Paul McGinn (thigh), Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson (both knee), Harry Paton (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring) and Jack Vale (calf) are long-term absentees.
Image source, SNSMotherwell assistant manager Stephen Frail says the squad are "fully focused" on their Scottish Premiership fixture this midweek, despite the League Cup semi-final looming on Sunday.
The Fir Park side host Dundee United on Wednesday evening, with a chance to leapfrog them into fourth spot with a victory, before the weekend meeting with Rangers at Hampden.
"Sunday will take care of itself," said Frail. "I know it's cliched but all our focus, our team selection, is nothing in mind about Sunday.
"Our team selection for tomorrow night is based on tomorrow night's game, we're not looking ahead to Sunday at the minute.
"You could end up prioritising Sunday and we don't want to.
"We'll prioritise Sunday after the game tomorrow night but our focus and trust is fully on Dundee United because winning games in the league is very, very difficult.
"We need to make sure that we are fully concentrated and focused to go and do that.
"It'll be a tough game but I think it's good, fourth versus fifth, if we win we go above them but the motivation for us is just to get the three points.
"This is a big game for us, it's a huge game, and we want to make sure we win it."
Jenna Thomson
Fan writer
Motherwell suffered a predictable but still painful victory at the weekend.
The Celtic game couldn't have came at a worse time in our season. Although I can't defend our performance much, it is just one of those things.
You don't want to lie down and let them run a riot, but at the same time I would’ve preferred if we had rested our main players for that game and also Wednesday night's trip to Tannadice.
While Liam Gordon's sending off is a blow for us, it's a huge relief he will be available for the League Cup semi-final against Rangers this weekend.
The league games against Celtic and United won't define our season, but the weekend trip to Hampden could.
As a club this is our biggest moment since we qualified for Europe under Graham Alexander.
A Motherwell-Aberdeen final would be great, so hopefully we can do our part by beating Rangers on Sunday.
Image source, SNSSparrow had a chance to give Motherwell the lead against Celtic
Tom Sparrow says being pitched in for his first Motherwell start against Celtic will stand him in good stead as the Steelmen prepare to face the other half of the Old Firm for a place in the League Cup fnal.
The midfielder returned from minor surgery to line up alongside Marvin Kaleta - who was also making his first start - in Sunday's 3-0 home defeat to the champions.
Sparrow had a chance to open the scoring but could not beat Kasper Schmeichel from 20 yards before Celtic took control of the game.
Motherwell have a league trip to Dundee United on Wednesday before heading to Hampden on Sunday for the semi-final showdown with Rangers.
Wales Under-21 international Sparrow said: "I've been working hard since I came in and I knew that I wouldn't be going straight in. But I'm happy to have got the first one and hopefully there's more to come.
"I knew it was going to be a lot of running. But they're top-quality opposition so when you've got the ball you need to look after it, because otherwise you're going to spend a lot of time without it.
"I thought that they had a lot of the ball but at times we weren't bad either and definitely caused them some problems.
"Obviously it was my first one against Celtic but there were a few lads who again it was their first one. Obviously there are a few that have done it a lot of times but we'll only get better for it and in the future we'll definitely learn the lessons.
"You're playing against top-quality opposition, you switch off for one second and you're going to get punished."
Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter
Motherwell put in a solid shift at Fir Park on Sunday against Celtic, despite the 3-0 scoreline there were positives to take, and they have one player in my Team of the Week.
Lennon Miller, the current great hope of the Scottish game, showed once again that he thrives on the big stage. Rattled the woodwork twice in the early stages against Celtic followed by another attempt at goal soon after.
The Sportscene panel discuss Liam Gordon's red card in Motherwell's 3-0 defeat to Celtic on Sunday.
We asked for your views on Motherwell's 3-0 loss against Celtic.
Here's what some of you said:
George: Night and day from the previous week with regard to effort and organisation. The team worked hard and outplayed Celtic for the first 25 minutes. Didn't take our chances and paid for it against a quality team. We'd beat most other teams with that performance.
George: Not remotely disappointed in the final outcome. The first quarter of the match was actually very encouraging but with our present squad it's almost impossible for the team to sustain that level for very long. The midfield as usual was a major problem but the defence looked more vulnerable than recently with dropping too deep and not confronting attackers sooner.
Watch highlights of Celtic's 3-0 victory over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.
Image source, SNSCeltic have scored in their last 18 games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 27 games from 1st October 2022 to 7th May 2023.
Celtic have scored in 9 of their 9 games, no team has done so more often in the Premiership this season.
Celtic are undefeated in their last 18 games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 1st October 2022 to 7th May 2023, a run of 27 games.
Motherwell have failed to score in 3 of their 9 games, only St. Johnstone (4) and Ross County (4) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.
Liam Gordon has received his second red card in the Premiership (177th appearance), his first since 30th September 2023.
Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership table with a solid win over Motherwell at Fir Park.
The hosts now sit fifth, two points off Dundee United, while Celtic once again lead Aberdeen on goal difference.
What did you make of that, Motherwell fans? Was a 3-0 scoreline perhaps a touch harsh on the performance?
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "I was desperately wanting us to put aside how we performed last week and I thought in the opening quarter we were excellent.
"We were really disciplined without the ball and Celtic didn't really have much in the game in the way of chances, I thought we by far had the best opportunities.
"I think it's a lesson that you have to capitalise on those opportunities. Lennon Miller will be disappointed with the chances he missed but I thought he was terrific again."
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSLennon Miller hits the bar with his free-kick in the 10th minute
The start that Motherwell made must have thrilled and frustrated Stuart Kettlewell. Two shots off the woodwork, a few dangerous corners that caused chaos - Celtic weren't rattled but they weren't far off.
But, they didn't make the most of those chances and against a side like Celtic, you aren't going to get loads of opportunities to score.
When the dam did eventually break, it was no surprise. The midfield and defence had pulled apart, and by the end they were being toyed with by Celtic.
Kofi Balmer and Marvin Kaleta were new into the Motherwell side and perhaps that was too big an ask for them to slot straight in. Up top, the new forwards are yet to start firing in and there's perhaps too much reliance on young Miller to score.
In reality, any points this afternoon would have been a bonus. They'll be onto the midweek card undeterred.
Motherwell make two changes for the visit of Celtic with defender Marvin Kaleta and midfielder Tom Sparrow replacing Dan Casey and Zach Robinson, who both make the bench.
There's no Callum McGregor in the Celtic squad with right-back Alistair Johnston captaining the visitors in the midfielder's absence.
Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo replace McGregor and Arne Engels in midfield and there are also two changes in attack with James Forrest and Kyogo Furuhashi taking over from Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah.
Engels, Idah and Kuhn are on the bench, as is returning defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Image source, SNSAlistair Johnston wears the captain's armband for Celtic
Motherwell: Oxborough, Kaleta, O'Donnell, Gordon, Balmer, Wilson, Zdravkovski, Halliday, Miller, Sparrow, Stamatelopoulos.
Substitutes: Hegyi, Seddon, Robinson, Casey, Blaney, Koutroumis, Ebiye, Watt, Maswanhise.
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Valle, McCowan, Bernardo, Hatate, Forrest, Kyogo, Maeda.
Substitutes: Sinisalo, Taylor, Palma, Idah, Kuhn, Yang, Carter-Vickers, Engels, Ralston.
Image source, SNSMotherwell have Tom Sparrow back after a minor injury while Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has recovered from the upset stomach that forced him off against Dundee.
Paul McGinn (thigh), Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson (both knee), Harry Paton (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring) and Jack Vale (calf) are long-term absentees.
Celtic hope to have Cameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor back from injury.
Image source, SNSApostolos Stamatelopoulos says he’s enjoying getting stuck into a busy Premiership schedule after suffering a stop-start time at Motherwell.
The Australia international was sidelined for six weeks after suffering an injury on his first start against Rangers – having already had his debut delayed while his move from Newcastle Jets was sorted out.
He opened his goalscoring account against Hibs, before suffering an upset stomach which forced him off against Dundee last weekend.
“These next few weeks for me are vital, I think, especially knowing myself as a player, getting consistency for me is going to be the thing where I feel like I can show my best,” he said.
“So, once I get a run of games, I think I’ll start to perform at a higher level.”
The 25-year-old bagged 17 goals in 25 games for in the A League last season, putting himself into international reckoning.
“I guess you could say I was a bit of a late bloomer,” he said.
“Last year was the first time where I’d put together more than three or four games in a row, and I was able to show what I could do, and I feel like this season’s going to be the same.
“Once I get a run of games, I can show everyone in Scottish football what I can do.”
Image source, SNSCameron Carter-Vickers and Greg Taylor could both return for Celtic
Motherwell have midfielder Tom Sparrow back after a minor injury, while striker Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has recovered from the upset stomach that forced him off against Dundee.
But Paul McGinn, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson, Harry Paton, Ross Callachan and Jack Vale are long-term absentees.
Celtic hope to have centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers and left-back Greg Taylor back from injury.
