Motherwell in spotlight as Old Firm eyes turn to Rugby Park

Old Firm fans will be fully focused on news from Rugby Park this afternoon as anything less than victory for Motherwell against Kilmarnock would ensure Celtic could win the title at Ibrox on Sunday.

Motherwell are level on points with Rangers and Fir Park manager, the former Ibrox midfielder Stuart McCall, said: “I’ve got friends who are Rangers supporters, and family, and it’s probably mixed for them. They don’t want to see Motherwell jump too far ahead, but don’t want the opportunity for their greatest rivals to have a party in their stadium.

“But it will be in their own hands as well. They have got a game against Celtic, you can never call a derby. Both teams are coming off the back of disappointing defeats. It’s got all the ingredients of a torrid affair. But we’ll just concentrate on what we can do on Saturday. We want to amass as many points as we can. We are still wary of the teams below us and we will be focused.”

McCall has laughed off Kenny Shiels’ suggestion his depleted Kilmarnock side will struggle when the teams meet at Rugby Park today. Shiels is without seven players, including centre-backs Mohamadou Sissoko, Manuel Pascali and Ryan O’Leary, but he has the experienced Michael Nelson and Zdenek Kroca as cover.

Motherwell last week beat Aberdeen with young central defensive partnership Jonathan Page and Adam Cummins keeping a clean sheet amid suspensions to Shaun Hutchinson and Tim Clancy and Achilles injuries for Stephen Craigan and Steven Saunders.

So McCall will take nothing for granted in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash despite Shiels’ protestations. “I think Kenny tried a few mind games last week against Celtic and it looks like it worked,” McCall said. “I take his point, he has a couple of key men suspended and a couple of injuries. We’re still without [Keith] Lasley, Craigan is still out, Saunders is not back yet. Last week, we had to bring in a couple of [under] 19s boys and the lads certainly rose to the challenge.

“I’m sure Kilmarnock have a big enough squad to cover, I don’t think they will be bringing kids in. But if they do, they have good youths to come in as well.”

Kilmarnock have performed better against the top sides this season, beating Rangers home and away, leading 3-0 against Celtic in October as well as beating them in the Scottish Communities League Cup final. The Ayrshire side are also unbeaten against top-six sides Motherwell and Hearts.

“We’ve had two really good games against Kilmarnock this season, but both, strangely enough, finished goalless,” McCall said. “Both games could have finished 2-2, both goalkeepers were in fine form. We’re well aware of what Kilmarnock can produce. They will probably say they have been a little bit inconsistent, but they have had some wonderful results and won the cup, which is a fantastic achievement.

“But if someone were to say we were going to be 20 points ahead of them, I wouldn’t have believed it because we are very even as sides and as squads.”

McCall confirmed the club had begun talks with Steve Jennings over a contract extension amid reports that the midfielder was attracting interest from clubs in the npower Championship.