Matches › 2022/23

Motherwell 2–4 Rangers

Saturday 18 March 2023, 12:30 · Fir Park · Round 29 · Half-time 1–1 · Referee Nick Walsh · Attendance 8,892

Motherwell van Veen 3', Mugabi 59' · Slattery sent off 76'

Rangers Tavernier 23', Sakala 47', Cantwell 62', Tillman 69'

Post-match

Result and Expected Points

Measure	Motherwell	Rangers
Goals	2	4
xG	0.88	4.09
Expected Points	0.10	2.84

Motherwell 2%Draw 5%Rangers 93%

Most likely score 1–4, 11%. Final score 2–4, 4%.

Own goals have no xG.

xG race

Each side's xG added up shot by shot through the match. Stoppage time is shaded as far as the last shot or event recorded in it. Triangles along the foot mark each side's substitutions.

Match stats

MotherwellRangers

0.88 −0.32xG4.09 +1.88

1.14 +0.07xG on target3.45 +1.17

3 −8Shots28 +8

2 −1.3Shots on target10 +2.8

1 −0.6Big chances7 +3.6

6 −10Touches in the opposition box39 −1

23% −26Possession77% +10

213 −144Passes700 +109

58% −9Pass accuracy90% +5

8% −41Field tilt92% +10

15 −19Final-third entries86 +18

2 −6.3Box entries23 +1.1

47.1 +34.1Passes per defensive action7.3 −2.4

1 −4.0Corners3 −4.4

18 +2Tackles14 −1

9 −0.1Interceptions5 −2.2

15 −3Clearances4 −7

6 +3.3Saves0 −1.3

9 −4Fouls12 +1

0 −1.9Offsides1 −1.3

The small figure beside each value is its difference from the side's average per league match this season before this one. Field tilt is each side's share of the open-play passes completed in the final third; entries are completed open-play passes and carries into the final third and the box; passes per defensive action (PPDA) counts the opponent's passes in its own 60% of the pitch for each tackle, interception, challenge, or foul there.

Chance locations

Zones Shots

Motherwell

Rangers

Each area's share of the side's xG from open play and set pieces, with the xG in it. The two wide areas of the box count together, as on the club pages. Shots shows each of those shots instead, sized by its xG, with goals filled in.

Chance types

MotherwellRangers

0.54 1 shot, 1 goalOpen play3.25 23 shots, 3 goals

0.18 1 shot, 0 goalsCounter-attacks0.00 0 shots, 0 goals

0.16 1 shot, 1 goalSet pieces0.84 5 shots, 1 goal

xG by type of chance, with each side's shots and goals beside it.

Game state

1–01–11–22–32–4

Level: 33 min (34%) · Motherwell 0.72, Rangers 1.88 xG
Motherwell ahead: 20 min (21%) · Motherwell 0.00, Rangers 0.20 xG
Rangers ahead: 44 min (45%) · Motherwell 0.16, Rangers 2.02 xG

Line-ups

Motherwell substitutes

53' Mugabi for McGinn · goal 59'
70' Mandron for Cornelius
71' Tierney for Goss
84' Blaney for van Veen

Rangers substitutes

65' Tillman for Sakala · goal 69'
65' Morelos for Colak · 1 assist
71' Arfield for Yilmaz
78' Souttar for Lundstram
78' Kamara for Cantwell

Players

Motherwell

Player	Pos	Min	G	A	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
Kelly	GK	90			0.00	0.00	0	0.03	3	0
Johnston	RWB	90		1	0.00	0.41	1	0.17	1	2
McGinn	CB	53			0.00	0.01	0	0.04	2	6
Butcher	CB	90			0.00	0.00	0	0.01	1	7
Casey	CB	90			0.00	0.00	0	0.02	1	6
Furlong	LWB	90			0.00	0.01	0	0.01	4	7
Cornelius	CM	70			0.00	0.00	0	0.01	0	2
Goss	CM	71			0.00	0.01	1	0.03	3	3
Slattery	CM	76			0.00	0.00	0	0.01	1	7
van Veen	ST	84	1		0.72	0.00	0	0.02	1	1
Spittal	ST	90			0.00	0.00	0	−0.02	1	1
Mugabi	DF	37	1		0.16	0.00	0	0.01	1	5
Mandron	FW	20			0.00	0.00	0	−0.01	0	1
Tierney	MF	19			0.00	0.00	0	−0.01	0	0
Blaney	DF	6			0.00	0.00	0	0.00	0	0

Rangers

Player	Pos	Min	G	A	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
McGregor	GK	90			0.00	0.00	0	0.01	0	1
Tavernier	RB	90	1	1	0.66	0.65	3	0.18	13	2
Goldson	CB	90			0.13	0.01	0	0.07	3	0
Davies	CB	90			0.00	0.02	0	0.17	14	2
Yilmaz	LB	71			0.02	0.01	0	0.01	3	5
Cantwell	CM	78	1		0.45	0.20	2	0.12	9	0
Lundstram	CM	78			0.13	0.03	0	0.03	3	2
Jack	CM	90			0.05	0.17	4	0.35	19	2
Kent	AM	90			0.21	0.37	2	0.28	16	4
Colak	ST	65			0.78	0.02	0	−0.07	2	1
Sakala	ST	65	1		0.49	0.18	1	0.10	2	2
Tillman	MF	25	1		0.06	0.36	3	0.35	2	1
Morelos	FW	25		1	0.85	0.12	2	0.10	2	0
Arfield	MF	19			0.25	0.21	0	−0.01	0	0
Souttar	DF	12			0.00	0.03	1	0.04	3	1
Kamara	MF	12			0.00	0.02	1	0.03	1	0

Starters, then substitutes in the order they came on. KP is chances created and Def defensive actions (tackles, blocks, clearances, and interceptions). xT is the expected threat added by the player's completed open-play passes and carries, and Prog counts progressive passes and carries.

Pass networks

Motherwell

Rangers

Each starter at the average position of their passes and receptions until the side's first substitution or red card, sized by completed passes. Lines join pairs who passed to each other often, thicker for more passes.

Passing combinations

Motherwell

From	To	Passes
Butcher	Kelly	7
Kelly	Mandron	6
Johnston	McGinn	4
McGinn	Butcher	4
Butcher	Goss	3

Rangers

From	To	Passes
Goldson	Davies	20
Cantwell	Tavernier	17
Jack	Kent	16
Davies	Jack	15
Goldson	Jack	15

The five pairs with the most completed passes from one to the other over the whole match.

Defensive actions

Motherwell

Against its average of 28 matches

Rangers

Against its average of 28 matches

Where each side made its tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocks, recoveries, challenges, and fouls, attacking up the page. Areas are shaded by the difference from the side's average per match this season before this one: amber for more, blue for fewer.

Threat

Motherwell

Rangers

Expected threat added by completed open-play passes and carries, by where the move started, attacking up the page. Expected threat is the chance that possession in an area leads to a goal; a move adds the difference between where it ends and where it starts.

Ratings

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday (ring) and after it (dot); a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs after the matchday, spread up and down only so they don't overlap. The change takes in the whole matchday.

League probabilities

Chance	Before	With this result	Change
Motherwell
Top six	1%	<1%	−1
11th	3%	4%	+1
Bottom	1%	1%	0
Rangers
Title	4%	5%	+1
Celtic
Title	96%	95%	−1

From the forecast before the match (18 March 2023): each chance then, and across the simulations in which the match ended this way. The change is in percentage points.

Pre-match

As things stood before kick-off.

Forecast

Measure	Motherwell	Rangers
Expected goals	0.66	2.20
Win	9%	72%
Expected Points	0.46	2.35
Clean sheet	11%	52%

Motherwell 9%Draw 18%Rangers 72%

Most likely score 0–2, 14%. Both sides score 43%.

From the forecast as it stood on 18 March 2023: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

League probabilities by result

Chance	Now	Motherwell win	Draw	Rangers win
Motherwell
Top six	1%	4%	1%	<1%
11th	3%	1%	3%	4%
Bottom	1%	–	<1%	1%
Rangers
Title	4%	1%	2%	5%
Celtic
Title	96%	99%	98%	95%

Each chance before the match and across the simulations ending in each result. Other teams are listed where a chance moves by at least 3 percentage points.

Form

Motherwell

Rangers

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

Measure	Motherwell	Rangers
Position	9th	2nd
Played	28	28
Won, drawn, lost	8–⁠6–⁠14	22–⁠4–⁠2
Points	30 (1.07 per game)	70 (2.50 per game)
Expected Points per game	1.26	2.35
Goals	34–⁠40	68–⁠25
xG per game	1.20–⁠1.32	2.21–⁠0.63
Home: points, xG per game	0.92, 1.19–⁠0.99	2.71, 2.52–⁠0.54
Away: points, xG per game	1.20, 1.21–⁠1.60	2.29, 1.90–⁠0.72
Manager	Stuart Kettlewell (4)	Michael Beale (13)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

This season

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

Chances	Motherwell		Rangers
Chances	Created	Conceded	Created	Conceded
Open play	−16%	+6%	+85%	−51%
Counter-attacks	+45%	+14%	−4%	−74%
Set pieces	−6%	+6%	+32%	−25%
Penalties	+13%	−44%	+69%	−100%
Headers	−18%	+20%	+56%	−48%
Left side	+4%	−3%	+58%	−46%
Centre	−19%	+21%	+67%	−44%
Right side	−12%	−9%	+82%	−48%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Motherwell attacking

Motherwell createdRangers concededLeft side+4%−48%Centre−19%−44%Right side−12%−46%Open play−16%−51%Counter-attacks+45%−74%Set pieces−6%−25%Headers−18%−48%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdMotherwell concededLeft side+58%−9%Centre+67%+21%Right side+82%−3%Open play+85%+6%Counter-attacks−4%+14%Set pieces+32%+6%Headers+56%+20%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

MotherwellRangers

1.20xG2.21

1.32xG against0.63

49%Possession67%

11.5Shots19.6

11.8Shots against7.1

3.3Shots on target7.2

1.6Big chances3.4

16.5Touches in the opposition box39.8

357Passes591

66%Pass accuracy85%

5.0Corners7.4

50%Field tilt81%

34.2Final-third entries68.5

8.3Box entries21.9

13.0Passes per defensive action9.7

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

Motherwell

State	Minutes per game	xG per 90	xG against per 90
Level	39	1.22	1.62
Ahead	19	1.16	1.01
Behind	32	1.19	1.13

Rangers

State	Minutes per game	xG per 90	xG against per 90
Level	28	2.57	0.66
Ahead	46	2.19	0.61
Behind	17	1.67	0.65

xG by period

Motherwell

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.08	0.23	2–5
16–30	0.15	0.25	5–7
31–45	0.22	0.23	5–5
46–60	0.21	0.21	9–6
61–75	0.29	0.18	5–11
76–90	0.25	0.21	8–6

Rangers

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.38	0.10	10–7
16–30	0.33	0.11	7–2
31–45	0.36	0.09	10–4
46–60	0.40	0.12	15–5
61–75	0.28	0.07	12–2
76–90	0.47	0.13	14–5

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Motherwell

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (11), 4-3-3 (8), 3-4-1-2 (4), 4-4-2 (2), 3-5-2 (1), 4-5-1 (1), 4-1-4-1 (1)

Rangers

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (24), 4-3-3 (3), 4-3-1-2 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

Date	Home	Score	Away	xG
28 December 2022	Rangers	3–0	Motherwell	xG 2.55–0.41
16 October 2022	Motherwell	1–2	Rangers	xG 0.17–1.16
23 April 2022	Motherwell	1–3	Rangers	xG 0.43–1.92
27 February 2022	Rangers	2–2	Motherwell	xG 3.26–1.39
31 October 2021	Motherwell	1–6	Rangers	xG 0.55–3.09
19 September 2021	Rangers	1–1	Motherwell	xG 2.65–0.27

9 league meetings since 2020/21: Motherwell won 0, Rangers won 6, and 3 were drawn. Goals 9–26 and xG 0.62–2.43 per game.

Key players

Motherwell

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
van Veen	26	2,282	13	1	0.48	0.08
McKinstry	10	1,045	4	1	0.16	0.16
Tierney	4	555	2	0	0.20	0.10
Spittal	26	2,003	4	5	0.11	0.19

Rangers

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
Morelos	10	1,128	9	4	0.83	0.20
Sakala	14	1,158	6	7	0.52	0.31
Colak	17	1,319	13	1	0.63	0.10
Tavernier	28	2,496	12	5	0.35	0.25

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.