Motherwell

Rangers made it three Scottish Premiership wins in a row as Ryan Naderi pounced on a mistake by Motherwell goalkeeper Alex Paulsen to score the only goal of the game at Ibrox.

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Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson: "They were better than us today, they deserved the three points.

"The main reason for the result today is two things - we have a very, very, very, very good keeper that keeps the scored down today, that's one; the second is that we don't play up to our best today.

"If you want to come to Ibrox and get a result, you need to perform at your best and we need to learn from that.

"You never want to concede a goal, it doesn't matter how it happens. The fact that it's only 1-0, is thanks to Alex Paulsen. It doesn't matter if you're a keeper, centre-back, full-back six, 10 winger or nine, you're going to make mistakes because it's not easy to play in that way always.

"We have 150, 180 passes more than Rangers today. The chance of making a mistake in that passing situation is higher for us. Obviously, that can happen."

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Deadline-day signings Venezuela striker Kevin Kelsy and Algeria winger Badredine Bouanani go straight into the Rangers squad.

Midfielder Dan Neil and defender Dujon Sterling return after missing the midweek win at Falkirk.

Left-back Tuur Rommens will return to full training in between the two upcoming Celtic games after recovering from a groin problem, while striker Youssef Chermiti is out long term with an ACL injury.

Motherwell remain without Johnny Koutroumbis, Oscar Priestman (calf), Paul McGinn, Callum Hendry (both knee) and Jordan McGhee (hamstring).

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• Rangers' Lawrence Shankland has scored 10 Scottish Premiership goals against Motherwell, his most against a single opponent. Shankland has three goals in his last two league appearances, including a brace against Falkirk last time out.

• Motherwell have scored eight goals in four Scottish Premiership games this season, their most at this stage of a campaign since 2019-20 (also eight), last scoring more after four league games in 2005-06 (10).

• Rangers have lost each of their last three home league games, including one against Motherwell in April (2-3). Never in their history have the Gers suffered four successive home league defeats.

• After their 3-2 win at Ibrox in April, Motherwell could enjoy successive league victories over Rangers for the first time since April 1960. The Steelmen have won three of their last five away league games at Rangers (L2), as many as their previous 59 beforehand (W3 D7 L49), and could win successive visits for the first time in their league history at the 143rd attempt.

• Rangers have only won one of their last six league meetings with Motherwell (D3 L2), a 1-0 victory in December 2025.

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Being "humble" and "confident" is Motherwell's mantra as they had to Ibrox on Saturday hoping for a unique quadruple.

The Steelmen go to Govan aiming to get a victory there for the fourth season on the spin, quite the feat considering their previous league win prior to that run came in 1997.

Now under the stewardship of Alfred Johansson, the Swede's side actually sit above Rangers in the Scottish Premiership standings at this early stage, having played one game less.

"I think it's a big task for us, it's a massive task to go there, last year I believe it's one victory and one loss, but two good performances last year there," he said.

"I think we played well away against Hibss, but we could have lost anyways, this is football right?

"So I think what I expect is that we go there with a strong mentality and with a big confidence, humble, humble as ever before, but confident, and if we focus on doing what we have to do in the pitch then we're going to have to see after when we shake hands how the result is ending right?

"But I want to try to keep on maintaining and developing the style of play and building on the relationships and doing it with being humble and confident."

Scott Mullen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson has been speaking to the media at Fir Park on Friday as his team prepares to go to Ibrox to face Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's the key points from him:

• Delighted with a quiet end to the transfer window and not to lose any players

• The squad now has depth to it, but there could also be some young players still to go out on loan for more minutes

• Motherwell will go to Ibrox with "a big confidence" but will also be humble

• When asked about the Scottish FA's summit at St Andrews on Friday, Johansson said he does not feel Scottish football brings through the amount of talent to first teams that it should have

• The squad will be the same as it was for the 3-0 victory over Dundee United from midweek

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Motherwell midfielder Olly Whyte has joined Championship outfit Ayr United on loan until the end of the 2026/27 campaign.

The 19-year-old spent last season on loan in the Scottish second tier with Stenhousemuir and will re-join Gary Naysmith at his new side Ayr.

Whyte made his senior debut earlier this season against HB Torshavn in Motherwell's Conference League qualifier and has played a further seven games under new manager Alfred Johansson.

"I want to wish Olly the very best for the season ahead," Johansson said.

"This move represents the opportunity for him to go up a level from last year and, hopefully, feature regularly. We hope he is able to continue his development underneath with a manager he worked with last year and achieved great things with.

"We'll be monitoring his progress closely."

Motherwell fans, we asked for your views after Wednesday night's 3-0 win against Dundee United at Fir Park.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Crawford: Playing against 10 men can be challenging but we kept the ball well and recycled it when called for. Impressed by our work-rate in midfield and delighted to see debutants scoring. A good night at Fir Park, the future looks to be in capable hands.

Alan: The manager's new acquisitions are performing very well and are helping the team to gel in becoming a force to reckon with in Scottish football. The three goals scored by Seb Palmer-Houlden, Alex Lowry and Dylan Levitt bodes well for the future. Having played four games in the league without defeat is a solid start to our campaign.

David: More debutant goals and a midfield that look to be saying Elijah Just who? Almost 30 attempts at goal and a clean sheet. Go the Steelmen.

James: Fantastic result a great team display. Keep it up and we are a top six side.

Watch all the highlights as Motherwell beat 10-man Dundee United 3-0 at Fir Park after an early red card for the visitors. Available to UK users only.

Dylan Levitt's debut goal helped classy Motherwell end their four-game winless run with a comfortable Scottish Premiership victory against 10-man Dundee United.

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Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson tells BBC Scotland: "It was a good performance today, we felt last week how it is to play with a red card, and [tonight] the opponent had to do it and I felt we dealt really well with that scenario and I'm proud of my players.

"We had huge chances in the first half to make it 2-0 early. It would have changed how the game was, and when they have one dangerous counter attack, it could be 1-1.

"We kept the focus today, and that's something we felt we didn't do on Sunday, and that's why I'm super proud and happy with my players at how they reacted to that.

[Alex Lowry] is doing really well, and I feel that he's also a player that is taking more responsibility tactically for the team as well, so he's a player I can be very demanding with and it's very good for the team and myself. And congratulations to Seb [Palmer-Houlden] and Dylan [Levitt] on their first goals for the club.

"[Palmer-Houlden] is a player with a lot of energy, he wants to contribute, press and run in behind. We need to help him contain this energy to use it in a smart way, in the right moment. I'm happy for him to get the goal.

"We were talking in the press conference about [Dylan Levitt] and his quality and pedigree, and we are pleased to have him.

It's always important to win, and I think it definitely makes life easier for everyone at the football club so to be able to do that is very good.

"I want to send my personal and also Motherwell's best regards to Jim Goodwin who couldn't be here today. I've heard he's already at home and I hope that he is well."

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Motherwell could hand a debut to former Dundee United midfielder Dylan Levitt against his old club on Wednesday in the Scottish Premiership after his arrival from Leyton Orient.

Johnny Koutroumbis, Oscar Priestman, Paul McGinn, Callum Hendry and Jordan McGhee remain out through injury.

United could give a debut to Lyall Cameron after the former Dundee midfielder joined on loan from Rangers.

But United boss Jim Goodwin is set to be absent from the dugout again as he recovers from illness, with assistant Lee Sharp taking the reins.

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• When the two sides last met in Premiership action, Motherwell triumphed 2-0 at Fir Park last season. Tawanda Maswanhise scored in the 37th and 46th minute.

• Motherwell are unbeaten in the past three Premiership matches against Dundee United. A win for the Tannadice outfit would be their first against Motherwell in the league since February 2025. During that period, Motherwell have outscored the Tangerines with four goals for and zero against.

• Hosts Motherwell played to a draw in their only previous Premiership contest at Fir Park this season. Well are looking to reverse a five-match Premiership home winless streak dating to March 21 against Hibernian. Dundee United have one win and one loss away from home this season in two league contests.

• In three league matches this season, Motherwell have one win and two draws. Dundee Utd, meanwhile, have one win, one draw, and two losses in four games.

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Motherwell boss Alfred Johansson expects players to leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

Midfielder Dylan Levitt became the Steelmen's 11th summer arrival on Tuesday and Johansson says there will likely be movement in the opposite direction.

"We have a large squad at the moment, but it's also because obviously a couple of players will move on loan, probably," he said.

"We also still have some long-term injuries, so then you're going to have to be a little bit thicker.

"Everything will be clear in the coming weeks. The loan deals you can do a little bit later obviously. Some windows stay open. So every player needs to decide for themselves what they want to do."

Having sold Elijah Just, Elliot Watt and Calum Ward earlier in the summer, there has been speculation linking key players Tawanda Maswanhise and Emmanuel Longelo with moves away from Fir Park in recent days.

"I want all the best players to stay," Johansson said. "But in the end, it's not going to be within my power if it happens.

"I am always focusing on the here and now and everyone is here and everyone is committed. So we'll have to take it if it comes."

Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

In a week where so much has happened, it feels like an eternity since my previous column.

Globe-trotting Motherwell have returned home from the continent for the final time this season after Freiburg proved why they were Europa League finalists last year with a 4-1 win sealing a 7-2 aggregate triumph.

I can't complain about how Thursday went - we failed to progress, but we were not failures.

A failure to me would have been a Sligo-level result at an earlier stage of qualifying.

People are quick to say Motherwell and clubs of a similar calibre drag Scotland's coefficient through the mud, but I would argue the opposite.

If we had faced the opposition Rangers or Hibs did, we could have feasibly gone through and would be playing league phase European football.

Having returned from Germany, we then squandered a two-goal lead in the Premiership against St Mirren, which is not good enough.

We could have put the game to bed, but we didn't and ultimately we did well to snatch a point having gone 3-2 behind.

St Mirren have adopted a similar style to ourselves which made it an enjoyable, but nerve-wracking, watch.

And the games continue to come thick and fast with Dundee United on Wednesday before Rangers on Saturday.

With both teams out of form and under pressure there is no better time to face them, especially with Rangers boss Derek McInnes serving a touchline ban when we visit Ibrox.

Not to mention with the potential for some last-minute additions potentially arriving before the transfer window closes on Thursday. The European glamour may be over, but the show must go on.

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Motherwell have signed midfielder Dylan Levitt from Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee.

The 25-year-old, capped 13 times by Wales, has penned a two-year deal at Fir Park with Motherwell holding the option for a further year.

Levitt came through the Manchester United academy and is a familiar face in Scottish football, having previously played for Dundee United and Hibernian.

"I'm super happy with the signing of Dylan," Johansson said.

"He fits the way that we want to do things really well. He's good playing forward. He's actually excited by the fact of playing balls forward to his team-mates to feed them and that's all you want in a six.

"He is also mobile and moves well around the pitch so obviously that, together with his experience from up here, is a good match with us.

"With Oscar Priestman being out for a couple of months now, then it's needed. Joe [Hodge] and Lukas [Fadinger] can't play every game.

"This place is a place where we get the best out of people. Myself included. All my co-workers, all my directors, bosses, they get the best out of me as well. And that's why I have a strong belief that we'll be able to do that with Dylan too."

Levitt himself added: "I feel like I should be able to slot in here quickly and easily. From the games I've watched this season, this is the perfect system for me to play in.

"There are some really good players in the building, and now it's my job to get to work and try to push into the team."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jack Walton (Dundee United): Five saves and a clean sheet - job done.

Felix Passlack (Hibernian): An assist from the consistently impressive German.

Bert Esselink (Dundee United): Powerful performance and an away clean sheet.

Grant Hanley (Hibernian): Was it intentional? Who cares. Great assist for Martin Boyle.

Will Ferry (Dundee United): Glorious strike with his less favoured right foot as United put Kilmarnock to the sword.

Callum Wright (Hibernian): Another goal for the English midfielder just gives him the nod here over new addition Jacob Devaney, who was also very good.

Emmanuel Agyei (Dundee United): Two key passes and a goal from the Ghana international.

Alex Lowry (Motherwell): Five key passes and always looking to get Motherwell on the front foot.

Samuel Ramos (St Mirren): A goal and two assists from the Spaniard.

Camilo Duran (Celtic): The difference maker against Falkirk with two goals.

Mehdi Merghem (Dundee United): The Algerian more than played his part in an outstanding away display with two assists.

We asked for your views after Motherwell played out a thrilling six-goal Scottish Premiership draw with St Mirren.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Ross: Thoroughly entertaining game all round. Our football gets a bad rep, but there was some great play today from both teams. We really should have been out of sight in the first half, but a point was fair in the end.

Ian: Clearly need to sort out the middle of the defence, as most of what St Mirren threatened us with came that way. That said, we should have been 4-0 up and out of sight before there was any danger.

David: Stunning strike from Jardell Kanga, but we should have been out of sight after 30 minutes. Need to get much tougher at the back though. Really missing Stephen Welsh this season.

Jim: Should have been out of sight after the first half-hour. Then the team collapsed for 10 minutes before half-time, although VAR could have come to our rescue for a couple of fouls leading up to the first goal! Still, the way the game finished made it feel a lot better. A lot of work required in defence in training.

Debutant Jardell Kanga's incredible last-minute goal rescued a Scottish Premiership point for Motherwell in a six-goal thriller against St Mirren.

Read the full match report here

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