Alex MacQuoid
Motherwell faces Celtic at Fir Park, 13 May, in a match that could further clarify the Scottish Premiership Championship phase pecking order. Not much separates the teams in terms of fighting spirit lately, but the gap in recent form and squad quality, frankly, is stark. Celtic’s perfect run in the Championship phase contrasts sharply with Motherwell’s inconsistent output. Kieran Tierney’s calm defensive prowess for Celtic and Emmanuel Longelo’s rare attacking bursts from the back for Motherwell could shape the game, but don’t sleep on Daizen Maeda—his six-goal run in the last four matches is a freakish hot streak. Motherwell’s coach Jens Berthel Askou faces a tall order to halt Celtic, especially with Martin O’Neill’s side boasting a 100% win rate over their last five.
Hot stat: Celtic have scored 14 goals in their last five matches, averaging nearly three per game, steamrolling their way through this phase.
| 🏆 Tournament: | Scottish Premiership 2025/26 Championship |
| 🏟 Venue: | Fir Park, Motherwell |
| 🗓️ Date: | 13.05.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 21:00 CEST |
Motherwell vs Celtic prediction
The value lies squarely with Celtic. The bookmaker odds have them as strong favourites, and it’s hard to argue. Celtic’s form is scary: five wins on the bounce, 14 goals scored, just five conceded. Their attacking trio, led by Maeda and Iheanacho, are ruthless. Motherwell, by contrast, have won just once in their last four, leaking goals and struggling to find fluency up front.
Motherwell’s recent games have been scrappy, picking up 8 yellow cards in five, and committing 32 fouls. Celtic are even more aggressive—13 yellows, 63 fouls—but their higher ball control (pass count: 1595 to Motherwell’s 1253) lets them dictate matches, even as they play physically. Expect both sides to rack up cards and fouls, which might disrupt rhythm, especially for Motherwell. If the home side loses their shape under pressure, Celtic could punish them with pace and directness.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Over 4.5 cards |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | Yes |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Celtic over 7.5 |
Team Analysis
Motherwell are coming off a gritty 1-1 draw with Hearts. The Well snatched a point late, but offered little attacking spark for much of the game. Defensively, they’ve been shaky—four goals conceded in three Championship matches, and relying on individual moments like Longelo’s rare goals from the back. Their win against Rangers (3-2) a few weeks ago showed bite, but since then the wheels have looked loose, especially at home (loss to Falkirk stung). Midfielders like Callum Slattery and Elliot Watt try to set tempo, but build-up play often stalls, and there’s not enough cutting edge up front.
Celtic, fresh from a 3-1 win over Rangers, are in cruise control. Their last five: five wins, 14 goals, and a sense that their gears mesh at every level. Maeda has been unplayable, Kelechi Iheanacho a constant threat. Even with rotation, O’Neill’s men have depth; midfield maestro Callum McGregor pulls strings, while the defense, anchored by Auston Trusty and Liam Scales, has bent but not broken. They crushed Hibernian and Falkirk, and while they can look vulnerable at set pieces, their open-play dominance is absolute.
Most recent Head-to-Head Matches
| Statistic | Motherwell | Celtic |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 4 | 14 |
| Total shots | 32 | 71 |
| Free kicks | 0 | 3 |
| Corner kicks | 12 | 29 |
| Total fouls | 32 | 63 |
| Pass accuracy (%) | 79.3 | 84.1 |
| Interceptions | 26 | 16 |
| Offsides | 10 | 6 |
🚨Check out our dedicated Motherwell vs Celtic stats page for more info.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Celtic the favourite
- Moneyline Motherwell 4.49 | Celtic 1.65
- Draw 4.20
- Over/Under Over 2.5 1.85 | Under 2.5 2.00
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes 1.80 | No 2.00
Celtic’s price is short and justified; their relentless form, firepower, and depth dwarf Motherwell’s patchy home record. The over/under line is fair given both teams’ recent scoring trends—Celtic’s 14 in five, Motherwell’s vulnerability at the back. Both teams scoring looks a solid angle, as Motherwell have netted in big games lately but always look exposed. Draw odds are long, and we think that’s about right—Motherwell would need everything to go right and Celtic to be off it for a point.
Possible Starting Lineups
Motherwell possible starting eleven
- GK: Calum Ward
- DF: Stephen O’Donnell, Paul McGinn, Liam Gordon, Emmanuel Longelo
- MF: Elliot Watt, Callum Slattery, Tom Sparrow, Lukas Fadinger, Elijah Henry Just
- FW: Sam Nicholson
Ward has played every minute in goal lately. Defense almost picks itself—O’Donnell and Longelo on the flanks, Gordon and McGinn central. Watt and Slattery handle the midfield, with Sparrow and Fadinger offering creativity, Just adding width. Nicholson leads the line by default, though he’s struggled for goals. Motherwell stick to a 4-2-3-1, but lack punch up top; Longelo is the man to watch with his knack for surging forward and scoring from deep.
Celtic possible starting eleven
- GK: Viljami Sinisalo
- DF: Anthony Ralston, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Kieran Tierney
- MF: Callum McGregor, Arne Engels, Alistair Johnston
- FW: Daizen Maeda, Kelechi Iheanacho, Yang Hyun-Jun
Sinisalo starts between the sticks. Defense looks solid—Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney, all with high recent involvement and discipline. McGregor orchestrates from deep, flanked by Engels and Johnston. Up front, Maeda is undroppable right now, Iheanacho plays as a classic nine, with Yang Hyun-Jun supporting. Celtic also play 4-2-3-1 but with sharper movement and more threat from wide positions. Maeda’s form and Tierney’s attacking support make them the danger men.
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Motherwell. Source: Official Website
TipsGG Match Prediction
We think Celtic win this with goals to spare, maybe 3-1. Motherwell will fight, probably snatch a goal—set pieces their best hope. Celtic’s class, form, and attacking depth are just too much. The stats scream it. Motherwell’s fouling, card tally, and lack of cutting edge up top play into Celtic’s hands. If Maeda stays hot, it could get ugly. Honestly, anything other than a Celtic win would be a shock.
