Celtic stand in the way on Sunday as Motherwell look to bounce back from derby day disappointment.
The table toppers will be tough opposition for Stephen Robinson’s side, who are on the hunt for a spot in the top six.
And with some crucial games on the horizon, Sunday’s showdown with the Hoops is a hurdle the Fir Park side are relishing.
Stephen Robinson is aiming for some big performances and a few surprises from his Motherwell squad as they go into a tough run of fixtures.
After the challenge of Celtic on Sunday, Rangers and Aberdeen come to Lanarkshire in quick succession.
But the Northern Irishman is looking forward with a positive mind set.
“The attitude we have is we’ll try and take maximum points from them all,” Robinson said.
“Is that realistic? It’s definitely what we set out to do. Whether we achieve that remains to be seen.
“We will go positive. We will go against people and make sure that we are competitive.
“We do need to take points, of course. We’ve got the three games coming up at home and we’ve got a very good home record.
[pullquote]We will make sure they are tough, tough games and we will go into them confident. Why not?[/pullquote]
Motherwell will come off the run with an away trip to face St Johnstone, before heading to Hampden Park for the fourth time this season in their William Hill Scottish Cup semi final against Aberdeen.
Expectations have long been surpassed in the cup competitions but Robinson says his targets remain the same as always.
“My objective from the board is to stay in this division,” he said. “My aims are much higher than that. We’ve been able to achieve that this season with a final and a semi final. We’re sitting seventh in the league.
“But first and foremost, let’s get the points that make sure we are in the division. Everything else is a bonus.”
Centre back Tom Aldred is relishing the challenge of Celtic on Sunday.
The centre back looked ahead to the first fixture of a tricky spell in which Rangers and Aberdeen will also visit Fir Park.
The 27-year-old believes a positive performance could hold the club in good stead going in to those important games.
“When you have a result like last weekend you need a reaction,” Aldred said. “We disappointed not just with the result but with the performance.
“But to be honest, I don’t think you need much more incentive than we have when you go up against Celtic, so we’ll be ready.
“We’ll be ready for the run of games coming up. As a player they’re the games that you don’t just look forward to but you pride yourself on going out and getting a result in, so we’ll be right up for it.”
Tickets are available at the Fir Park ticket office or by calling 01698 333333.
Celtic supporters should contact their club for ticket information.
Kick off at Fir Park on Sunday is at 2.15pm.
Admission prices are as follows:
ADULTS | £27/20 |
CONCESSIONS | £18/£16 |
JUVENILES | £14/£10 |
FAMILY (1 ADULT + 1 JUNIOR) | £27 |
Concessions are applicable to 60 and over and full time students with a valid matriculation card. Juveniles are applicable to aged 15 and under. The cheaper price is for the John Hunter stand.
Motherwell fans who require ambulant or wheelchair access should contact Brian Davidson on 07428 225254 or tickets@mfcdsa.com. Fans must contact Brian by Wednesday night before the match.
If you can’t make it along, you can follow the match on Twitter @MotherwellFC. Live audio commentary will be available on mixlr.com/motherwellfc
You can see the match highlights on MFC TV’s YouTube channel, as well as full reaction and a match report right here on the official website.