| 3 | Rangers | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 23 |
| 4 | Dundee United | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 |
| 5 | Motherwell | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 19 |
| 6 | St Mirren | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | -4 | 18 |
| 7 | Dundee | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | -3 | 15 |
Richard Tait is confident that results are just around the corner for Motherwell after suffering cup heartbreak on Wednesday.
The defender is hungry to get back in to action just three days after the trip to Tynecastle.
But with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park up next, Tait is expecting a difficult game.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted on Wednesday,” he said. “But I think it showed in our performance that we’re back to ourselves.”
Keith Lasley is eager for the Steelmen to get back to action after Wednesday’s Betfred Cup defeat against Hearts.
Kilmarnock are up next for the Fir Parkers on Saturday as Premiership football returns.
“It’s good to have a quick turnaround after the cup defeat,” he said. “We have a chance to get straight back out there.”
It’s back to Ladbrokes Premiership action on Saturday as Motherwell head to Kilmarnock.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.
Kilmarnock have 10 points from six games so far in the 2018/19 season, compared to Motherwell’s four.
Motherwell though have won six of the last 10 trips to Rugby Park, although Killie won the only outing in the 2017/18 campaign, with Scott Boyd’s header the difference in a 1-0 victory.
Due to emergency gas works, temporary three-way traffic lights are now in place at Campbell Street’s junction with Holmquarry Road and Low Glencairn Street.
The lights will be manually controlled from 7am to 7pm to help minimise inconvenience. SGN have also put in place lane restrictions for southbound traffic in Campbell Street, near the junction.
To help improve traffic flow along the B7038, SGN have also closed Old Street at its junction with Campbell Street. Please plan your journey to Rugby Park accordingly.
You can pay at the gate at Rugby Park. Adult tickets are priced at £22. Concessions, deemed to be over 65s, under 21s or students, can get in for £17. Children aged under 16 can get tickets for just £5.
Please note that there will be no live television pictures from this game. Live audio is available to our streaming subscribers at tv.motherwellfc.co.uk.
Peter Hartley and Andy Rose will be assessed late to see if they are fit. Conor Sammon is free to play after being ineligible in midweek. Craig Tanner and Charles Dunne remain on the sidelines.
Keith Lasley spoke to the broadcast media ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Kilmarnock at the weekend.
Here’s what the assistant manager had to say.
“We felt a lot went right in the game for a start. Obviously the result is ultimately what you have to get in cup football and we managed that last season, more often than not, but not on Wednesday. What we will take from the match is the overall performance, there was a lot of good things: the energy, drive, determination and desire and some good play amongst it as well.
“When you look at the overall picture, there was a lot of good in it. It’s an obvious cliché about ways to win a match, but conversely, there’s also ways to lose a match and for us, as much as the result is hard to take, we thought we put a lot into it and there’s a great deal we can take out it.
“We’ve got to move on now, that’s football and we wish Hearts luck in the rest of the tournament, they’re a good side. We are now fully focused on Kilmarnock now and taking a lot of elements of our performance from Wednesday into this weekend.”
“Last season we worked hard at trying to create an identity where the team would show that energy and all the words I used previously in terms of drive, determination and good play in the right areas and I think a lot of that was there on Wednesday.
“We need to try and kick on now. The season is still early enough where we can still mould our own patch whichever way we choose, as long as we work hard enough and perform the way we can. It’s up to us to do that and show that now.
“As I’ve said, Wednesday was a disappointment as we had such success in the cups last year, but it’s still early in the campaign and still another cup to go and play in when that comes around and we’re confident we can still go on and have a decent season.”
“A massive test. I don’t think there’s much to add to the conversation about how good a job Steve Clarke’s done, it’s all been said. He really has turned the club around and I seen a stat the other day on social media that showed them top of the table when it comes to the 2018 calendar year. That’s a perfect indication of the job he’s done.
“It’s obviously down at there place and it’ll be a tough test for us. I was there watching their match with Celtic last weekend which they deservedly won, so we know what we’re up against – a group of players who have a real spirit amongst them, a great work ethic and some really talented individuals.
That all being said, it’s about us and what we do. Our focus over the last two days has been very much on that going into the match.”
“I’ve got to say I was surprised, that was my first reaction, certainly from a security point of view, and a logistical one in terms of turning the stadium around. Obviously I have no expertise in those areas, obviously, but if they feel they can do it and I am sure BT Sport will package it well on the television.
It’s two good semi-finals and hopefully it can showcase Scottish football, but I have to say, I was surprised about it. Hopefully it works out, although we’re just upset we’re not going to be part of it as I am sure it’ll be an exciting day.”
“Not at all, it’s still early and we still have it within our power to mould the season whatever way we want in terms of our own performances. It’s up to us to get results to back that up now as we are well aware it’s a results driven business.
“However, last Wednesday has convinced everyone that we’re capable of performing to that standard and we believe if we play like that we’ll win more games of football than we’ll lose and that’s what we’ll look to show on Saturday.
“So whilst we were hugely disappointed to lose, there were a lot of elements we were happy with and it’s now up to continue that level, but also getting results. We want to get up the table and give ourselves a chance of pushing on and having a good season.”
“We’ve had a few niggles and injuries that have impacted us from the start of the season and have held certain guys back – that said, I am sure a lot of clubs could say the same. When we have got everyone available, particularly in the striking area, we feel as if we have combinations up there that can cause teams some problems and one of them is Main and Bowman, who on their day are a real handful for anyone.
“I think they proved last season and hopefully, when we get them both up to full fitness and niggle free, we hope they can again go on to show their worth and how much of a handful they actually are. Wednesday showed some good signs of that and in the coming weeks, we hope we can improve on that even more.”
“We’ve got late decisions to make on Andy Rose and Peter Hartley. Andy trained Friday so that will be a late check. Charles Dunne is still a little bit away but he’s on the pitch again, which is a great to see him back.
“Craig Tanner had to have another operation and I believe everything has gone well with that. It was obviously a very serious injury at the time and with this setback, he’s still going to be a little bit of time away.
“That said, things went well with the latest surgery and with the determination he has, I am sure he’ll be back as soon as he can and when he does, it’ll be a big boost for us.”
Chris Cadden and Allan Campbell are in Scotland’s Under 21 squad for their next 2019 European Championship qualifiers.
The pair, regulars in Scot Gemmill’s squad, will face Ukraine and England on 12 and 16 October respectively.
Cadden, who also has full international honours, has been capped 10 times at Under 21 level, while Campbell has 11 caps.
The young Scots still have a chance of reaching either top spot or second in their group, with four of the nine runners-up automatically qualifying for the tournament.
The Ukraine match will be played in Kiev, before the Auld Enemy clash with England goes ahead at Tynecastle Park.
Looking for a hat-trick of cup semi-final visits to Hampden, Motherwell travelled to face in-form Hearts in the last eight of the Betfred Cup.
This is the Story of the Match.
Kilmarnock are next up for the Steelmen, as Stephen Robinson’s men look to bounce back from the disappointment of exiting the Betfred Cup at the quarter-final stage.
Let’s set the scene for the return to Ladbrokes Premiership action.
Motherwell put in a fighting performance against Hearts in midweek, before being hit with two late goals at Tynecastle to bow out the cup.
The display from Stephen Robinson’s men showed the sort of character and determination commonly associated with the team and will provide encouragement for the trip to Ayrshire.
Kilmarnock have had a mixed campaign so far in 2018/19, but their comeback, last-minute 2-1 win over Celtic last weekend will undoubtedly spur them on.
Of the last three outings between the two sides, the team that has scored first has gone on to win the game with a clean sheet.
Kilmarnock won the last two games by one goal to nil, while the Steelmen picked up a 2-0 victory earlier in 2017/18 at Fir Park.
The last game in which both teams have scored came in May 2017, as Motherwell won 3-1 at home.
On league duty this season, neither team has a player who has netted more than twice. Instead, the goals have been largely shared out.
For Killie, Eamonn Brophy and Greg Stewart both have two strikes to their name, with Scott Boyd, Chris Burke and Stuart Findlay netting one.
Saturday’s visitors currently have Danny Johnson on two goals, with Carl McHugh, Gaël Bigirimana, Alan Campbell and Peter Hartley all on one.
Motherwell return to league business on Saturday with a trip to face Kilmarnock on Saturday.
Here’s the game previewed in numbers.
The number of times Motherwell have emerged victorious from their last 10 trips to take on Killie.
The Ayrshire men won the only outing at Rugby Park in the 2017/18 campaign, with Scott Boyd’s header the difference in a 1-0 victory.
Six is also the number of points separating the two sides going into Saturday’s match.
Kilmarnock have 10 points from six games so far in the 2018/19 season, compared to Motherwell’s four. Wins over Celtic, Aberdeen and St Johnstone, as well as a draw with Livingston, have been their results so far.
Of the last 10 games played between the two clubs at Rugby Park, a total of 22 goals have been scored.
Those goals have been equally shared between the sides, each netting 11 each.
The minute in which Stuart Findlay struck against Celtic last weekend to secure a 2-1 win over Celtic that will live long in the memory of Kilmarnock fans.
After a run of two home defeats at the hands of Hearts and Rangers, Clarke’s men came from behind to stun the Scottish champions.
Motherwell put in a fighting performance but were undone by a late double from Hearts, exiting the Betfred Cup at the quarter-final stage in the process.
Curtis Main and Ryan Bowman netted for the Steelmen, but Steven MacLean, Peter Haring, Olly Lee and Steven Naismith scored for the Ladbrokes Premiership leaders.
Liam Grimshaw, Ryan Bowman and Curtis Main react after the 4-2 quarter final defeat against Hearts.
Despite a resilient showing in the capital, the Steelmen were knocked out of the competition they finished runners-up in last term.
Grimshaw said: “Coming to a place like Tynecastle and going up against a team in the form Hearts are in was going to be tough. We took them all the way though, but it just wasn’t to be.”
