Preview: Motherwell vs. Ross County - prediction, team news, lineups

The Steelmen earned a share of the points against Kilmarnock last time out, while the Staggies were unable to collect anything from their clash with St Johnstone.

Match preview

Motherwell managed to extend their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions on Saturday afternoon by sharing the points with Kilmarnock at Fir Park, although the hosts had to show their powers of recovery to ensure that they earned anything from the Premiership clash.

Killie led through an unlikely source in the 13th minute as right-back Lewis Mayo netted his maiden goal of the 2023-24 campaign, but the Steelmen were able to force a split of the spoils, with Canadian Theo Bair breaching the net of Will Dennis before the half-time break.

Despite just the single defeat in their last seven Premiership contests, Stuart Kettlewell's side sit 10th in the Scottish Premiership standings, four points by sixth-placed Dundee, who have been boosted by a number of loan signings from strategic partners and Premier League side Burnley.

Two men are currently leading the Steelmen's Golden Boot race well ahead of the others, with 24-year-old Bair and Mika Biereth - now on loan at Sturm Graz from Arsenal - netting seven and six league goals respectively this term - third-placed marksman Conor Wilkinson has only scored on three occasions.

Earning two wins and scoring seven goals during their last three home matches across the Premiership and the Scottish Cup, Motherwell should be relatively confident of clinching a positive result on Tuesday night - only title-chasing Rangers have defeated the Steelmen at Fir Park since November 11.

Ross County's winless run across the Premiership and cup competitions stretched to eight matches on Saturday afternoon, when fellow strugglers St Johnstone arrived at Global Energy Stadium and managed to escape back to McDiarmid Park with all three points.

The Staggies had the better of the possession and chance-creation statistics over the course of the 90 minutes but were unable to breach the net of Dimitar Mitov, with Swedish striker Benjamin Kimpioka scoring his maiden goal in Scotland to hand the visitors a rare maximum.

Since back-to-back successes over St Mirren and Motherwell at the beginning of December, a worrying run of form has seen Derek Adams's men slip down to 11th in the Premiership table, lying seven points behind sixth-placed Dundee and just six ahead of basement dwellers Livingston.

No side in the division has won fewer away matches than the Staggies, whose only victory on the road in the league this term arrived all the way back on September 2, when a second-half strike from Simon Murray secured a one-goal success at the BBSP Stadium against Kilmarnock.

As alluded to earlier, Ross County's most-recent victory was against Tuesday's hosts Motherwell, with goals from Murray, former Swansea City youngster Yan Dhanda and Ben Purrington sealing a 3-0 win in Dingwall on December 5, representing the Staggies' biggest triumph of the season so far.

Motherwell Scottish Premiership form:

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Motherwell form (all competitions):

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Ross County Scottish Premiership form:

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Ross County form (all competitions):

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Team News

After providing admirable ammunition from the flanks for goalscorer Bair last time out, Motherwell pair Harry Paton and Blair Spittal should keep their spots in the side.

After making appearances off the bench last time out, Lennon Miller and Sam Nicholson are pushing for starts at the expense of Davor Zdravkovski and Andrew Halliday.

Ross County are expected to name a new partner for six-goal striker Murray in a two-man attack, with Jordan White set to make way for Eamonn Brophy.

Former Manchester United youngster Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is on loan with the Staggies from Polish side Slask Wroclaw, and the centre-back should start once again on Tuesday night.

Motherwell possible starting lineup:

Kelly; O'Donnell, Mugabi, Butcher, McGinn, Gent; Paton, Zdravkovski, Halliday, Spittal; Bair

Ross County possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Ayina, Nightingale, Borthwick-Jackson; Brown, Jenks, King, Harmon, Dhanda; Brophy, Murray

We say: Motherwell 2-1 Ross County

Motherwell have been relatively prolific at Fir Park in recent contests, and they will be confident of continuing their ruthless streak against an out-of-sorts opposition.

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