Motherwell boss expects ‘best version’ Celtic on Boxing Day

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The Celtic Star

·24 December 2024

Motherwell boss expects ‘best version’ Celtic on Boxing Day

Stuart Kettlewell expects Celtic to be their ‘best version,’ ahead of Thursday’s Boxing Day clash at Celtic Park…

Stuart Kettlewell Motherwell manager, photo by Vagelis Georgariou

The Motherwell boss spent majority of his media conference yesterday afternoon lamenting referee Chris Graham’s atrocious decision to send off defender Dan Casey at Fir Park on Friday evening in his side’s 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock.

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Motherwell’s Dan Casey leaves the pitch after being shown a red card during the Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Kilmarnock at Fir Park Stadium Motherwell on Friday 20th December 2024 Photo Andy Buchanan/Shutterstock

Casey was sent off for a push on Danny Armstrong’s chest – to which Graham was sent to the monitor to review – but remarkably stuck with his original decision causing much confusion amongst Scottish football over the weekend.

Subsequently, the Steelmen sit impressively in fourth spot with 26 points after 17 matches and are now only eight points off Aberdeen in third position.

Meanwhile, Celtic dropped points in the Scottish Premiership for only the second time this season on Sunday following a stalemate at Tannadice.

Adam Idah and Brendan Rodgers at Tannadice, Dundee Utd v Celtic, Sunday 22 December 2024. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Missing several players through injury and illness, the Scottish champions failed to breakthrough a defensive Dundee United side who managed to become the first domestic team to keep a clean-sheet against Celtic since Rodgers’ men 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle in March.

Both Motherwell and Celtic met earlier on in the campaign at Fir Park. The Hoops ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in Lanarkshire courtesy of strikes from Luke McCowan, Alistair Johnston and Adam Idah.

Speaking to the media yesterday, Stuart Kettlewell recognises it will be a difficult afternoon and expects Celtic to respond after their frustrating performance at Tannadice.

“Always expect Celtic to be their best version. I just think their level of consistency for such a long time has been incredible, they constantly pose you a threat and I think you can see that relentless nature and how they attack games of football,” he said.

“Maybe one or two will talk about how it wasn’t their best performance yesterday [against Dundee United], bit of a surprise not to see them on the scoresheet in any game of football no matter the opposition with the quality they have, but it’s not so much I expect a reaction, I just expect Celtic to do what they have been doing for a number of years now, and finding that level of consistency and being incredibly difficult to go and play against at Celtic Park.”

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Greg Taylor celebrates after scoring Celtic’s first goal during the Premier Sports Cup Final victory over theRangers at Hampden on 15 December 2024. Photo AJ for The Celtic Star

Discussing the subject of playing through Christmas and January with no winter shutdown this year, Kettlewell explained, “we’ve made peace on the lead up to this, I think everybody has – that there is no winter break. How we have to look after ourselves in between games, how we have to patch up players and having to get that level of working between games – how much recovery you get in there. But, it’s the job, it’s what you sign up for, I love football but as I would expect from players there should be a burning desire to do as much as you can.

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“I didn’t feel that way on Friday night, and I took me a wee while on Saturday based on some of the things I came across [on Dan Casey’s red card]but I feel you’ll struggle if you’re feeling sorry for yourself with the number of fixtures and playing through Christmas and New Year. I think you’ll embrace it, if you take it on and understand that is the task at hand.”

Conor Spence

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