Motherwell and Rangers resume league duties at Fir Park on Saturday after the international break. The home side earned a point against Celtic in the last outing and will hope for more following the lunchtime kick-off.
Back to back encounters against the Glasgow pair will always present a formidable challenge but the Steelmen took to the first game with such confidence and commitment that it needed a refereeing error to blunt the attacking threat that might have delivered a win. The red card issued to Kipré was subsequently withdrawn and the centre back will return to provide a sizeable obstacle to opposition forwards.
Tait wins the header
Cadden, Campbell, Carson and Kipré had commitments with their national squads this week and it appears that they have returned unscathed. That should allow the manager to field an unchanged eleven. Given the injuries to Tanner and Rose that looks like a likely scenario, although Ciftci may join the fray.
Motherwell still have an outside chance of scrambling into the top half of the table but that would require near maximum points from our next three matches and a collapse from Hearts against Dundee and Aberdeen. Still, with the prospect of a second cup final still alive, a comfortable ‘best of the rest’ end to the league campaign would not be a disaster.
The visitors also had a handful of players on representative duty including one former Fir Park favourite, Jamie Murphy. His formative years were spent at Fir Park with 200 appearances and almost 50 goals in his account. Despite his wearing the wrong colours on Saturday he should receive a respectful welcome from the home stands.
Rangers will fight hard to avoid a third consecutive loss but the ‘Well players will turn to the October triumph at Hampden if any reassurance is needed. Hard work may deliver a 2-1 win.