Motherwell

Liam: Dundee started the better and appeared more up for the game. Easily the better team in the first half. Motherwell made changes in the second half and came into the game. Wingers made a difference. Think Dundee just deserved to edge it.

Andrew: Anybody that thinks we are a top-six side is delusional in consideration of this performance. Total disgrace and unacceptable. Too many times the club get into a strong league position to throw points away at home against average opposition. The manager has to shoulder the blame for his tactics, lack of awareness and team selection.

Anon: Off the pace all day against Dundee. Well looked jaded instead of rejuvenated after the international break. Three or four individuals in particular were making repeated mistakes in terms of ball control and basic passes. Simon Murray up front for Dundee was miles ahead of any Well striker in terms of work and energy. Lyall Cameron in midfield ran the show.

Eddie: Outplayed and out-thought, never won a ball in the air but still continued to play high balls. Dundee defence was solid yesterday and a deserved win.

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• Dundee have beaten Motherwell for the first time in the Premiership since 27 November 2021, a run of four games without a win.

• Motherwell attempted 371 passes in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee attempted 15 shots in this game, their highest total in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Liam Gordon attempted 59 passes in this game, the highest total for a Motherwell player in the Premiership this season.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell: "We tried but I can't stake a claim for how we played today. We had a rally in the last 30 minutes in fits and starts.

"Overall we end up changing the plan two or three times today because we didn't execute the first one well enough. We didn't do the second one either.

"We got to stage three and we had a little bit more of a threat and Dundee were hemmed in. We had one or two opportunities but nothing too clear cut.

"We looked dazed, our decision making and quality on the ball was poor throughout the day. It was a bad day for us, we fell short of our standards."

Dundee earned a first Scottish Premiership win in six matches as a polished performance defeated in-form Motherwell at Fir Park.

The decisive, and only, goal came in the first half when Lyall Cameron slid the ball into the bottom corner after Simon Murray's header was blocked by Ewan Wilson.

Were you at Fir Park or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here, external.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Motherwell have been excellent in recent weeks but their intensity was notably lower here.

Lennon Miller, their standout player, looked tired after travelling back from Kazakhstan where he starred for Scotland under-21s.

The absence of captain Paul McGinn's calm authority and ability to play progressive passes was keenly felt, as Motherwell went too direct.

His absence for the foreseeable future with a thigh issue will be a concern.

Stuart Kettlewell's disgruntlement was clear as he changed Stamatelopoulos and Zach Robinson for Tony Watt and Moses Ebiye at half-time, before swiftly adding winger Tawanda Maswanhise and Tavares to go with four attackers.

But they managed just three shots on target and fashioned few chances. Kettlewell will hope it is a one off after an encouraging start to the season.

Having won their last two league matches it's no surprise Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell makes just one enforced change. Paul McGinn has a thigh injury and drops out, but Dan Casey is back from suspension and comes into defence.

Stephen O'Donnell captains the side in McGinn's absence.

• Follow the action

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Motherwell captain Paul McGinn drops out with a thigh problem but Dan Casey returns from suspension. Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson (both knee), Harry Paton (ankle), Ross Callachan (hamstring) and Jack Vale (calf) are long-term absentees.

Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla is suspended while Jordan McGhee’s swift recovery from a calf injury has given him a chance of featuring. Joe Shaughnessy is making good progress from a long-term knee injury.

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It's hard to believe the Motherwell midfielder is just 18, with 50 club appearances clocked up already.

Lennon Miller has two Premiership goals and three assists to his name so far this season, along with a couple of League Cup penalties.

He added to his burgeoning reputation with a lovely strike and assist in Scotland U21's defeat in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Miller is a portrait of composure on the ball and his quick thinking from a free-kick led to the opener in Motherwell's win at Easter Road.

That was the fourth 2-1 in a row for 'Well, with three of those going their way, and Miller has been instrumental in such a good start. He makes the team tick.

Read the rest of this weekend's Premiership picks

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Leanne Crichton reckons Stuart Kettlewell is "absolutely the right man" to lead Motherwell as they look to continue their flying start to the season.

The Fir Park side have won five of their last six games in all competitions and have a League Cup semi-final against Rangers to look forward to at the start of next month.

Crichton thinks the Motherwell players are truly buying in to Kettlewell's ideas, with the Steelmen fourth in the Scottish Premiership.

"I think there’s a huge amount of clarity in the way that he wants his players to play, how he expects them to perform, defensively what's expected of them," she said on BBC Scotland’s Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think Kettlewell has managed to deliver that message, along with his staff and he's now getting the response.

"He's having to juggle and fight fires at times as well, which for any manager, it’s never that straightforward. The likes of Zach Robinson have come in, he now to me looks like he's starting to get up to speed and understand the expectation of being a Motherwell player.

"Andy Halliday, I’ve watched a number of the games, now that he’s had a run in the team, you can start to see his influence and I don’t think you can get away from how good Lennon Miller has been the entire season and he continued that form into the international stage for the under-21s midweek as well. He's just such a joy to watch.

"When you’ve got that at the heart of your team, it must just make everybody else around you better, and a notable mention to Aston Oxborough in goal who has been outstanding this season, and signed an extension to his contract.

"Kettlewell is absolutely the right man to be in that job at Motherwell."

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• Motherwell have only lost one of their last 14 Scottish Premiership games against Dundee (W9 D4), going down 0-3 in November 2021.

• Dundee are winless in seven Scottish Premiership away games at Motherwell (D3 L4) since a 3-2 victory in April 2017.

• Motherwell have won four of their last five league games (L1), including both of their last two. The Steelmen last won three league matches in a row in September 2023.

• Dundee have won just one of their last 15 league games (D6 L8), a 3-1 victory over Heart of Midlothian in August. Away from home, the Dee have won just one of their last 11 in the Scottish Premiership (D4 L6), beating St Johnstone 2-1 in March.

• Excluding penalties, Motherwell have scored more goals from set-pieces (6) than any side in the Scottish Premiership this season.

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Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell has been speaking to the media prior the Premiership visit of Dundee on Saturday.

Here are the key lines:

• He says he has suffered a bit of "disruption" because of players being away on international duty, but he will never "find that as a negative".

• Kettlewell says "there's a real feelgood factor" at the club and it is "up to us to keep that going".

• But he recognises Dundee will pose a "real tough" test for his side.

• Kettlewell says "competition is fierce to get into the matchday squad" and he won't "accept petulance" from players who don't get selected.

• Asked how much he can enjoy periods like this, he replies: "I don't... I'm not one to sit here and pat myself on the back."

• Kettlewell says talks are ongoing over further contract extensions and he hopes "there are other bits of news to break".

• The Well boss says nothing surprises him with 18-year-old Lennon Miller, who scored while on international duty with Scotland Under-21s, and he has "no doubt" he could play for the senior squad.

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Teenage full-back Ewan Wilson has signed a contract extension at Motherwell after "impressing everyone with his consistency," says manager Stuart Kettlewell.

The defender's new deal will run until the summer of 2027, with the club holding an option of a further year.

The 19-year-old has cemented himself in the first team this season after having a loan cut short with Stirling Albion last term.

Wilson then ended the campaign with non-league Beith Juniors before going on to establish himself in Kettlewell's side.

"He's worked so hard to get to this point," the Well boss said. "And he's shown a professional mentality during the summer.

"We're now seeing the rewards of all that effort and I hope he continues the way he has started."

Scotland Under-21 international Wilson added: "This season has been really good for me. The hard work won't stop. I want to keep my place and continue to improve."

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Stuart Kettlewell has revealed Motherwell captain Paul McGinn will be out for a "significant period of time" with a thigh problem.

The 33-year-old defender picked up the injury in training during the international break.

Speaking prior to the Fir Park side's home league game against Dundee on Saturday, Kettlewell confirmed McGinn will "miss a good chunk".

"We have a disappointment, we've lost Paul McGinn for a significant period of time," he added.

"A muscle injury, completely innocuous when striking the ball, and it looks like he has a tear.

"We will be a bit more specific on that, but the fact of the matter is we are going to be without our captain."

McGinn had a brief spell out injured at the start of the season but has since played in each of the Lanarkshire side's seven league games.

Well have enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, sitting fourth in the Premiership with a League Cup semi-final against Rangers, which McGinn will miss, on the way.

That is despite Kettlewell enduring significant injury problems throughout the season, with Sam Nicholson, Jack Vale, Harry Paton, Callum Slattery and Ross Callachan among a lengthy absentees list.

"We can't do anything about it," the Well boss said.

"We work very closely with our sports science and medical staff who are top drawer, absolute masters of their trade, but sometimes that happens in football, you get injuries.

"We have tried to mitigate those circumstances, but sometimes it happens."

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Lennon Miller's second goal for Motherwell against St Mirren in September stood after being reviewed for a possible handball, and Scottish FA head of referees Willie Collum said the VAR officials were "unable to find the evidence to be categorical" about a foul.

Later in the same game, Well's Dan Casey handled the ball on the goal-line to deny Killian Phillips a goal and was shown a straight red.

Mark O'Hara had the resulting penalty saved in the 2-1 defeat.

"In our opinion, this is the correct call," said Collum. "It's a very good piece of teamwork between the assistant referee and the referee.

"There's nothing there for the VAR to think that the referee has made an error there in terms of showing a red card."