Matches › 2026/27

Motherwell 3–0 Dundee United

Wednesday 2 September 2026, 19:45 · Fir Park · Round 5 · Half-time 1–0 · Referee Calum Scott · Attendance 6,412

Motherwell Houlden 19', Lowry 65', Levitt 67'

Dundee United Agyei sent off 14'

Post-match

Result and Expected Points

Measure	Motherwell	Dundee United
Goals	3	0
xG	2.39	0.16
Expected Points	2.77	0.14

Motherwell 89%Draw 10%Dundee United 1%

Most likely score 2–0, 24%. Final score 3–0, 20%.

Own goals have no xG.

xG race

Each side's xG added up shot by shot through the match. Triangles along the foot mark each side's substitutions.

Match stats

MotherwellDundee United

2.39 +0.42xG0.16 −1.55

1.79 +0.16xG on target0.18 −1.23

25 +11Shots5 −12

8 +3.7Shots on target1 −3.0

3 0.0Big chances0 −3.0

37 +14Touches in the opposition box14 −18

71% +16Possession29% −26

755 +225Passes296 −135

93% +5Pass accuracy80% +1

90% +42Field tilt10% −39

83 +46Final-third entries25 −18

20 +9Box entries9 −6

10.7 −1.9Passes per defensive action29.1 +20.1

9 +5.3Corners3 −1.5

16 0Tackles18 0

5 −1.7Interceptions3 −10.5

20 −8Clearances30 −2

1 −2.3Saves5 +1.2

8 −6Fouls6 −6

1 −0.7Offsides1 −0.8

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

Dundee United

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

MotherwellDundee United

2.16 19 shots, 3 goalsOpen play0.07 2 shots, 0 goals

0.00 0 shots, 0 goalsCounter-attacks0.04 1 shot, 0 goals

0.22 6 shots, 0 goalsSet pieces0.06 2 shots, 0 goals

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

Game state

0–01–03–0

Level: 19 min (21%) · Motherwell 0.76, Dundee United 0.00 xG
Motherwell ahead: 71 min (79%) · Motherwell 1.62, Dundee United 0.17 xG

Line-ups

Motherwell substitutes

46' Girdwood-Reich for Knight-Lebel
59' Levitt for Fadinger · goal 67'
59' Bjørgolfsson for Houlden
68' O'Donnell for Sparrow
68' Vogt for Lowry

Dundee United substitutes

20' Tait for Yoro
46' Randall for Merghem
57' Farrugia for Bennie
58' Rose for Sapsford
64' Ciubotaru for Ferry

Players

Motherwell

Player	Pos	Min	G	A	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
Paulsen	GK	90			0.00	0.00	0	0.02	0	4
Sparrow	RB	68		1	0.00	0.14	1	0.10	6	2
Knight-Lebel	CB	46			0.00	0.18	1	0.10	7	6
Moormann	CB	90			0.00	0.05	1	0.03	2	2
Longelo	LB	90			0.21	0.44	3	0.41	12	2
Hodge	DM	90			0.05	0.08	1	0.18	16	5
Fadinger	DM	59			0.09	0.13	1	0.14	6	1
Kanga	RW	90			0.02	0.15	2	0.11	6	0
Lowry	AM	68	1		0.36	0.21	2	0.06	7	3
Houlden	LW	59	1		0.66	0.08	2	0.07	0	5
Maswanhise	ST	90		2	0.66	0.10	2	0.15	2	3
Girdwood-Reich	DF	44			0.00	0.03	0	0.16	9	6
Levitt	MF	31	1		0.14	0.03	0	0.06	2	2
Bjørgolfsson	FW	31			0.00	0.00	0	−0.02	0	0
O'Donnell	DF	22			0.00	0.00	0	0.00	0	1
Vogt	FW	22			0.20	0.01	0	−0.01	0	1

Dundee United

Player	Pos	Min	xG	xA	KP	xT	Prog	Def
Walton	GK	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.01	1	1
Rawlins	RB	90	0.00	0.01	0	0.01	1	9
Esselink	CB	90	0.00	0.00	0	0.04	1	12
Forbes	CB	90	0.00	0.01	0	0.03	2	8
Ferry	LB	64	0.00	0.01	0	−0.01	0	12
Camará	CM	90	0.02	0.12	1	0.17	9	4
Agyei	CM	14	0.00	0.00	0	0.00	2	2
Yoro	CM	20	0.00	0.00	0	0.01	0	0
Merghem	RW	46	0.00	0.00	0	0.05	3	0
Sapsford	ST	58	0.00	0.00	0	0.02	1	1
Bennie	LW	57	0.00	0.00	0	0.05	4	5
Tait	MF	70	0.06	0.01	0	0.01	3	2
Randall	FW	44	0.04	0.00	0	0.01	3	1
Farrugia	MF	33	0.00	0.01	1	0.04	2	0
Rose	FW	32	0.04	0.00	0	−0.01	0	0
Ciubotaru	DF	26	0.00	0.00	0	0.02	2	3

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

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
Moormann	Hodge	21
Hodge	Fadinger	18
Hodge	Kanga	18
Moormann	Levitt	17
Girdwood-Reich	O'Donnell	15

Dundee United

From	To	Passes
Forbes	Esselink	15
Esselink	Forbes	11
Esselink	Rawlins	10
Rawlins	Esselink	8
Esselink	Camará	8

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

Defensive actions

Motherwell

Against its average of 3 matches

Dundee United

Against its average of 4 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

Dundee United

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	77%	82%	+5
11th	1%	1%	0
Bottom	1%	<1%	−1
Dundee United
Top six	21%	16%	−5
11th	12%	14%	+2
Bottom	8%	11%	+3

From the forecast before the match (2 September 2026): 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	Dundee United
Expected goals	1.77	1.02
Win	55%	21%
Expected Points	1.88	0.87
Clean sheet	36%	17%

Motherwell 55%Draw 24%Dundee United 21%

Most likely score 1–1, 12%. Both sides score 54%.

From the forecast as it stood on 2 September 2026: 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	Dundee United win
Motherwell
Top six	77%	82%	74%	66%
11th	1%	1%	1%	2%
Bottom	1%	<1%	1%	1%
Dundee United
Top six	21%	16%	22%	31%
11th	12%	14%	12%	8%
Bottom	8%	11%	7%	4%

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

Dundee United

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

Season to date

Measure	Motherwell	Dundee United
Position	6th	8th
Played	3	4
Won, drawn, lost	1–⁠2–⁠0	1–⁠1–⁠2
Points	5 (1.67 per game)	4 (1.00 per game)
Expected Points per game	1.54	1.41
Goals	5–⁠4	5–⁠7
xG per game	1.97–⁠1.80	1.71–⁠1.56
Home: points, xG per game	1.00, 1.27–⁠0.55	0.50, 1.42–⁠1.44
Away: points, xG per game	2.00, 2.32–⁠2.43	1.50, 2.00–⁠1.67
Manager	Alfred Johansson (3)	Jim Goodwin (92)

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		Dundee United
Chances	Created	Conceded	Created	Conceded
Open play	+6%	−19%	−32%	+15%
Counter-attacks	+28%	+30%	+77%	−46%
Set pieces	−41%	+1%	+15%	−1%
Penalties	+98%	+17%	+5%	−1%
Headers	−49%	−32%	+14%	−17%
Left side	−13%	−29%	−38%	−11%
Centre	−42%	+4%	−15%	+10%
Right side	+84%	−4%	+50%	−2%

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. Until a side has played six matches its figures are blended with last season's, or with the league average where there is no last season to use.

Matchups

Motherwell attacking

Motherwell createdDundee United concededLeft side−13%−2%Centre−42%+10%Right side+84%−11%Open play+6%+15%Counter-attacks+28%−46%Set pieces−41%−1%Headers−49%−17%

Dundee United attacking

Dundee United createdMotherwell concededLeft side−38%−4%Centre−15%+4%Right side+50%−29%Open play−32%−19%Counter-attacks+77%+30%Set pieces+15%+1%Headers+14%−32%

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

MotherwellDundee United

1.97xG1.71

1.80xG against1.56

55%Possession55%

14.0Shots16.8

17.3Shots against15.8

4.3Shots on target4.0

3.0Big chances3.0

23.3Touches in the opposition box32.5

530Passes431

88%Pass accuracy79%

3.7Corners4.5

48%Field tilt49%

37.0Final-third entries42.8

11.3Box entries14.8

12.6Passes per defensive action9.0

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	54	1.89	1.07
Ahead	21	2.71	2.74
Behind	15	1.20	3.16

Dundee United

State	Minutes per game	xG per 90	xG against per 90
Level	33	1.80	0.83
Ahead	24	2.62	1.44
Behind	33	0.95	2.35

xG by period

Motherwell

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.56	0.05	1–0
16–30	0.23	0.06	1–0
31–45	0.41	0.41	1–3
46–60	0.20	0.40	0–1
61–75	0.16	0.29	0–0
76–90	0.41	0.59	2–0

Dundee United

Minutes	xG per game	xG against	Goals
1–15	0.26	0.38	1–2
16–30	0.10	0.04	0–0
31–45	0.48	0.24	3–1
46–60	0.24	0.48	0–3
61–75	0.30	0.28	0–1
76–90	0.31	0.14	1–0

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

Most used players by position

Motherwell

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

Dundee United

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 February 2026	Motherwell	2–0	Dundee United	xG 2.12–0.31
13 December 2025	Dundee United	0–0	Motherwell	xG 0.49–0.68
29 October 2025	Motherwell	2–0	Dundee United	xG 1.08–0.48
22 February 2025	Dundee United	1–0	Motherwell	xG 1.25–1.09
14 December 2024	Motherwell	4–3	Dundee United	xG 2.09–2.02
30 October 2024	Dundee United	1–2	Motherwell	xG 1.43–1.06

18 league meetings since 2020/21: Motherwell won 8, Dundee United won 6, and 4 were drawn. Goals 22–19 and xG 1.54–1.03 per game.

Key players

Motherwell

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
Maswanhise	37	3,043	18	2	0.50	0.08
Said	28	2,507	4	0	0.17	0.14
Charles-Cook	10	954	1	2	0.18	0.12
Longelo	34	2,977	8	4	0.14	0.14

Dundee United

Player	Starts	Min	G	A	xG per 90	xA per 90
Sapsford	33	2,878	10	2	0.38	0.10
Ferry	36	3,246	5	7	0.05	0.26
Farrugia	10	952	0	0	0.12	0.13
Sevelj	32	2,800	0	3	0.13	0.09

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes. Until a side has played six matches, last season's minutes at the club count too.