Motherwell ready to get their hands dirty at Rangers as fear factor axed and quadruple Ibrox achievement eyed

Alfred Johansson says Motherwell are ready to combine the beautiful with the ugly as his side prepare for Rangers.

The Steelmen are eyeing a rare feat of winning in Govan for the fourth consecutive season, having not won a league game at Ibrox prior to their current run since 1997, and go into battle against Derek McInnes’ side unbeaten from four Premiership matches played. They swept 10-man Dundee United aside 3-0 on Wednesday with eye-catching passing football but boss Johansson senses their short trip along the M8 may require some more dirty work alongside belief in their possession-orientated style.

”Obviously going there is going to be a big task for us but we have to go there with confidence,” said Johansson. “Stay humble, because that's been a success factor for this group, since the start of the season. But not being too humble going to away games, we need to be confident as well. We've been doing really, really well. I think you can't expect to go and dominate. With all due respect, I just think you need to stay true to yourself, but you're also going to have to get your hands dirty in away games.

How will Motherwell approach Rangers?

"I don't think you should fear playing football. You should fear other things in life. I think you should always try. It's not easy to achieve that but you should always try to believe in yourself as a player, in yourself as a team, in the way that you do things, the direction a club or a manager, or we as a club has taken.

“I think we're in a moment right now where a foundation has been laid for a couple of years and the style of play last year, obviously, and so on. So I feel that there is a big belief. So I think we're better off focussing on ourselves than the occasion and the opponent."

Tom Sparrow has been Motherwell’s stand-in captain on the pitch amid injuries at Fir Park this season and scored during March 2025’s 2-1 win over Rangers. He also featured in April of this year when the Steelmen prevailed 3-2 through a dramatic 90th minute Emmanuel Longelo goal but it was the game last year that provided a hint to Motherwell’s new era. Michael Wimmer had brought high-octane methods during his short head coach tenure that were refined by successor Jens Berthel Askou en-route to finishing fourth last term, and as Sparrow enjoys life under Johansson, much of the recent success traits can be found in a previous Ibrox success story.

Former Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer | Getty Images

Tom Sparrow on goal vs Rangers

"That goal at Ibrox was probably the highlight of my career so far, to be honest,” said the right-back. “We managed to win that day as well, so it's a really positive memory. Wimmer was the first manager that introduced this kind of style and the way we've recruited. Since then, as a football club, we've really taken off in the right direction.

“Every manager has added to that. Some of the work behind the scenes to keep recruiting the right players and keep the positivity is amazing as well. Everyone's in a good place on and off the pitch. We won at Ibrox in April as well, under Jens. I'm under no illusion that it's not normal for this club but it does give you the confidence that we can definitely go there and compete.”

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