No Fear For Fir Park Visit

No Fear For Fir Park Visit
~~~~~~~~~~ Official TC Match Preview ~~~~~~~~~~


February: Adam Idah scored a brace of goals to clinch a 3-1 win when these sides last met


Fir Park, Motherwell
Sunday, 27 October 2024
15.00 GMT

Attention turns back to the Premiership this weekend, as the Hoops travel across Lanarkshire to take on 5th placed Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday afternoon.

Coming off a tremendous effort against Atalanta to pick up a precious Champions League point on Italian soil - a defensive performance that the Bhoys will take a lot of confidence from - Brendan Rodgers now needs to get his side prepared for this next challenge.

The Hoops have an outstanding record against Motherwell. In fact, it was 2015 the last time that the Steelmen got the better of this fixture, while Neil Lennon was the last Celtic manager to lose at Fir Park - and that was during his first stint in charge, back in 2013!

While those stats do tell a story, it doesn't necessarily tell thw whole story.Nor does it reflect how tight or crucial some of these games have been.

That was the case again in all 3 meetings between these teams last season, as the Steelmen really did show what they were made of, and caused the Bhoys more than a few headaches, and in all 3 the games not decided until at least after the 90 minutes had ticked over and well into time added on before the crucial decided it - and that goes for both of Celtic's wins at Fir Park as well as the draw at Parkhead in between.​

Liam Scales produced another impressive Champions League display against Atalanta in midweek​

As for Sunday's hosts, they have been in reasonable form to start this season, and will be coming into this game on the back of 3 wins in the last 4 overall. Recent wins over St Mirren and Hibs has seen them rise to 5th on the table, as well as progressing to set up another visit to Hampden in the League Cup Semi-Final with Sevco, next weekend.

However, Dundee's 1-0 win last week did put a dent in that, marking Motherwell's first loss at home this season. But that was through no lack of effort, as the Fir Park side finished with 4 strikers on the pitch, in a bid to take something from that game.

While this is indicative of Stuart Kettlewell's belief, it also underlines part of his problem, in that the Steelmen have had 8 different goalscorers (not including the one own-goal) in the league, yet of all these only two have more than a single league goal - and both of those only have 2 each.

And of the 11 total goals scored so far, at least 7 have come from set piece occasions (penalty/freekick/corner/throw-in). Which again highlights the importance of Celtic being able to deal effectively and defend from these situations.

Elsewhere, teenager Lennon Miller continues to improve and impress in the heart of the Steelmen's midfield, but it must also be a concern for their fans that they have not managed to keep a clean sheet in the league since the 0-0 v County, on the first day of the season.

The bottom line is, the Bhoys should have no fear of going to Fir Park, so long as they realize that this is not simply a matter of showing up or that they can afford any complacency, or expect an easy ride because of the exertions in northern Italy this week.

Motherwell have proven all too often that they are fully deserving of respect and Celtic will need to play for the full 90 minutes and beyond, in order to earn the 3 points up for grabs.​

Midfielder Lennon Miller continues to impress this season with 4 goals & 3 assists already

By the Numbers​

• The Hoops have been undefeated in the past 28 meetings (W23 D5) with Motherwell since December 2015.

• The Hoops have won each of the last 9 visits to Fir Park (8LG 1LC) and are unbeaten in the league there since April 2013.

• Motherwell have a 100% win record when they have scored first, while they have lost 3 of their 4 games when conceding first.

• The Steelmen have not kept a clean sheet in the league since the first day of the season.

Team News

The Bhoys will continue to be without Greg Taylor, as he only just made his first tentative return from a calf strain with some light training on Friday, however Cameron Carter-Vickers could be available, after having returned to training last week, but was not considered for the trip to Italy for the Atalanta match.​

Cameron Carter-Vickers has resumed training and could be in consideration for Sunday

As for the hosts, they will once again be without the quintet of Harry Paton, Jack Vale, Callum Slattery, Sam Nicholson and Ross Callachan.

Kettlewell may also be looking to make an adjustment regarding who he has leading the attack, with Zach Robinson's single goal in the 13 starts since joining the club in the summer coming in the 1-0 League Cup Quarter Final win, but otherwise has been unable to replicate any of the success that he had over the past two seasons at Dundee.

Referee: David Dickinson

The Hoops have won each of the 6 games when Dickinson has had the whistle previously - although it has been a while since the last time that he officiated a Premiership game involving Celtic, as Ange Postecoglou was still the manager, in April 2023.

Celtic's 0verall Record
M6 W6 D0 L0

VAR: Alan Muir



~~~~ Head to Head ~~~~

Overall
P: 302 W: 183 D: 68 L: 51​

Last 5 Meetings
W D W D W

~~~~ 2023/24 Form ~~~~ ​

Overall
D D W L W ~ L W W W L

SPFL
D W W W W ~ L W W L W​