Author Archives: celticfanzine

Motherwell v CELTIC Team News

Celtic are back in action tonight in Motherwell and with Hearts not playing have a chance to go level on points with the league leaders Hearts. Wilfried Nancy style of play has seen Celtic lose 4 games and win two since his arrival at the club. His 3 at the back system has failed to keep a clean sheet conceding 13 goals in total in his first 6 games.

Tonight would be a great time to start with a clean sheet but the odds are against it. Winning by 5 goals is the only way Celtic will sit top of the table on goal difference heading into 2026. Under Nancy Celtic have created countless chances and are guilty of terrible finishing with the woodwork and some good goalkeeping also playing a part in the poor return for chances created.

A clean sheet and win would give us all a big confidence boost ahead of the rangers visit to Celtic Park on Saturday for the Glasgow Derby.

Motherwell have been in great form and sit in fourth place in SPFL table. They lost at Ibrox at the weekend 1-0 but should have had a penalty. It was their first defeat in 11 games. They also reached the semi-final of the League Cup going out to St. Mirren.

Under Danish coach Jens Berthol Askou they have played a decent brand of football and their position in the table is proof of that. A win for Motherwell would take them to within 5 points of Celtic. The rangers currently sit between Celtic and Motherwell in the table and they take on St. Mirren tonight at Ibrox.

LAST MEETING

Earlier in the season Celtic beat Motherwell 3-2 at Celtic Park. Iheanacho opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Stamatelopoulos scored close to half time to equalise for the Steelmen. He scored again to put the visitors ahead in the second half before Nygren equalised. Thankfully Maeda scored a 93rd minute winning goal to save the day and all 3 points.

TEAM NEWS

Celtic central defender Stephen Welsh has impressed since joining Motherwell on loan but as terms of his loan deal between the club he will not be allowed to play. Celtic are still without injured Iheanacho, Johnston, Osmand, Sarracchi, Jota and Carter-Vickers. While Tounekti and Balikwisha are away on international duty at the African Cup of Nations

MATCH OFFICIALS

Ref: Kevin Clancy, Assistants Callum Spence/ Douglas Ross, VAR: Andrew Dallas/ Gary Hillard

ARMCHAIR VIEWING

Tonight’s game is live on Premier Sports coverage starts at 7:30pm. Kick off is 8pm. The game will be streamed on Celtic TV outside the UK and Ireland.

LATEST BOOKIES ODDS

Motherwell 10/3 – Draw 31/10 – Celtic 5/6

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast

Motherwell v CELTIC – All you need to know

There have been plenty of ups and downs following Celtic in 2025 and on Wednesday night we travel to Lanarkshire for the final game of the year to take on Motherwell who sit fourth in the SPFL table.

If the last two Celtic games are anything to go by then we can expect goals and hopefully Celtic can sign off 2025 by scoring more than Motherwell and with a win.

A Celtic win would put us level on points at the top of the table with Hearts going into the New Year Glasgow derby game against the rangers at Celtic Park.

Kevin Clancy is the referee, assisted by Calum Spence and Douglas Ross. Andrew Dallas is on VAR assisted by Gary Hilland.

Kick off is 8pm. The game will be shown on Premier Sports and streamed on Celtic TV outside Ireland and the UK.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

Jekyll and Hyde Style of Play

The Jekyll and Hyde style of play Wilfried Nancy has introduced at Celtic has left us vulnerable at the back and very exciting to watch going forward. Livingston exposed it on Saturday in the first 10 minutes taking the lead twice.

Better teams than Livi will expose our defence and punish us. Celtic are creating so many chances going forward and Saturday was the same. When it does finally click some team is getting pumped.

The January transfer window is so important for the new manager to get in both attacking and defensive players in to fit his system. After the past year I have little confidence in our football recruitment department or those pulling the purse strings to back the manager properly. I hope I am wrong and those running the club can finally get the finger out!

One player who has fitted into the managers new system is Benjamin Nygren he scored twice on Saturday and one of those goals was an absolute cracker. Kieran Tierney is another player stepping up to the challenge of playing in a new system.

Celtic now have a hard away game ahead of us on Tuesday evening  when we visit Motherwell. Livingston, have now gone 17 matches without a win and will struggle to stay up. At the top of the table Hibs done us a favour beating Hearts 3-2. The gap at the top is now down to 3 points and Celtic have a game in hand.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

Celtic Fans Final Farewell to Dixie Deans

Celtic fans will say a final farewell to former Celtic player Dixie Deans at Celtic Park on Monday morning at 10am when his funeral cortege will drive down the Celtic Way.

Dixie will be missed around Celtic Park on match days where he worked the lounges on match days with his great friend and former Celtic players George McCluskey and the late Tommy Callaghan. Dixie was a hero to Celtic fans of the 1970’s.

Match Day Livi v CELTIC All you need to know

Reo Hatate is back in the Celtic squad ahead of todays trip to Livingston. Will Reo come back into the team? or will Wilfried Nancy stick to his winning team who beat Aberdeen 3-1 last weekend at Celtic Park?

He will no doubt play some part in the game alongside James Forest who came off the bench to score Celtic’s third goal last week.

Kelechi Iheanacho, Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, Marcelo Saracchi,  Jota  and Cameron Carter-Vickers are all still out injured.

Kick off is 15:00 and the game is live on Sky Sports and Streamed outside the UK and Ireland on Celtic TV.

Referee is Matthew MacDermid. Running the line Frank Connor and Dougie Potter. VAR Nick Walsh and Graeme Leslie.

Full SPFL Fixture List

12:30 Hibs v Hearts (Live on Sky)

15:00 Dundee v Falkirk

15:00 Livingston v CELTIC (Live on Sky)

15:00 the rangers v Motherwell

15:00 St. Mirren v Kilmarnock

17:45 Aberdeen v Dundee United

Fair play to Livingston

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy cut a happier figure at the press conference for the away trip to Livingston this Saturday. The 3-1 win over Aberdeen which saw Celtic dominate for most of the game against a 10 man Dons team at Celtic Park. The win came after 4 defeats on the bounce and calls for new managers head from a small section of the Celtic support at Tannadice after the 2-1 defeat.

Fair play to Livingston for selling out their stadium and giving 3 sides of the ground to Celtic fans. Livi have had a poor start to the season since David Martindale’s side returned to the top flight of Scottish football. They have only 1 win and 6 draws and sit bottom of the SPFL on 9 points.

On paper it looks like a comfortable win on the cards for Celtic but we all remember when we travelled up to Perth last year only to lose 1-0 to then bottom of the SPFL table St. Johnstone. Celtic went on to win the league and the home side were relegated.

Kick off is 3pm and the game is live on Sky Sports Main Event after the Edinburgh Derby which kicks off at 12:30. Hopefully Hibs can do us a favour against League leaders Hearts. Our city rivals the rangers welcome Motherwell to Ibrox.

Betting Odds – Celtic win 2/5 – Livingston win 8/1 – Draw 9-2

Andrew Mine is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast