Celtic will look to bounce back from their first league defeat of the season in the final match before the international break as they prepare for a showdown against Motherwell on Sunday in their next Scottish Premiership match.
Motherwell vs Celtic – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 11th October.
- Kick-off: 12pm BST.
- Venue: Fir Park, Motherwell.
Motherwell team news
Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson reported no fresh concerns from international duty but must navigate an extensive preexisting injury list at Fir Park.
The Steelmen are definitely without defender Dylan Williams, who sustained a fresh hamstring injury, while forward Regan Charles-Cook is not yet ready to return despite stepping up his rehabilitation.
They join a lengthy casualty list featuring Paul McGinn, Jordan McGhee, Callum Hendry, Johnny Koutroumbis, and Oscar Priestman.
After struggling for offensive productivity and scoring only one goal during a three-match losing streak, Johansson may shuffle his attacking options to revitalize the frontline.
Wide threat Tawanda Maswanhise is anticipated to spearhead the attack, heavily supported by creative midfielders Alex Lowry and Ibrahim Said as the home side seeks a crucial breakthrough against the champions.
Celtic team news
Manager Martin O’Neill is expected to make a significant tactical adjustment, reverting Celtic to a traditional 4-2-3-1 formation with a standard four-man defense after an unsuccessful back-three trial against Rangers.
On the injury front, the Hoops receive a massive psychological boost with winger Jota returning to full training and potentially the matchday squad following a long-term knee injury.
However, the league leaders will still be missing several key figures. Right-back Alistair Johnston remains sidelined with a hamstring issue alongside Callum Osmand (ankle) and Yang Hyun-jun (hamstring), ensuring Colby Donovan keeps his spot at right-back.
Furthermore, center-back Cameron Carter-Vickers faces a late fitness assessment. Adding to O’Neill’s selection dilemmas, Swedish winger Benjamin Nygren remains a primary doubt for the starting lineup after contracting a virus during the international break.
Form
Motherwell
Celtic
Celtic started their league campaign flawlessly with six consecutive victories, including dominant wins over Aberdeen and Kilmarnock. However, the league leaders entered the international break in a worrying slump, enduring three consecutive losses across all competitions. They suffered a heavy 3-0 League Cup exit to rivals Rangers, a 3-1 Europa League phase loss to Ferencváros, and a narrow 1-0 Premiership defeat to Rangers just before the break.
Predicted lineups
Motherwell: Paulsen; Sparrow, Girdwood-Reich, Moormann, Longelo; Fadinger, Hodge; Seb Palmer-Houlden, Alex Lowry, Ibrahim Said; Maswanhise
Celtic: Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Hassan, Tounekti, Duran; Hogh
How to watch Motherwell vs Celtic?
The Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Celtic will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra HDR in the UK.
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