Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Motherwell v Dundee United

Saturday 23 January 2027, 15:00 · Fir Park · Round 24

Forecast

MotherwellDundee United
Expected goals1.601.11
Win48%26%
Expected Points1.701.04
Clean sheet33%20%

Motherwell 48%Draw 26%Dundee United 26%

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

Dundee United goalsMotherwell goals0123456+0123456+7%7%4%2%7%2%9%5%2%5%5%3%1%2%2%1%10%12%9%

From the forecast as it stood on 11 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

Form

Motherwell

  1. L0–211 OctCeltic (H)xG 1.10–2.85
  2. L1–219 SepDundee FC (A)xG 1.10–1.38
  3. L0–415 SepAberdeen (H)xG 0.85–0.90
  4. L0–15 SepRangers (A)xG 0.70–4.29
  5. W3–02 SepDundee United (H)xG 2.39–0.16
  6. D3–330 AugSt. Mirren (A)xG 2.45–2.92

Dundee United

  1. W1–010 OctHibernian (H)xG 1.68–0.77
  2. W3–019 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 1.60–0.99
  3. D1–15 SepFalkirk (H)xG 2.66–1.27
  4. L0–32 SepMotherwell (A)xG 0.16–2.39
  5. W4–029 AugKilmarnock (A)xG 3.42–1.13
  6. L0–222 AugDundee FC (H)xG 1.19–1.43

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

Season to date

MotherwellDundee United
Position9th6th
Played88
Won, drawn, lost2–⁠2–⁠43–⁠2–⁠3
Points8 (1.00 per game)11 (1.38 per game)
Expected Points per game1.271.49
Goals9–⁠1310–⁠11
xG per game1.51–⁠1.871.62–⁠1.46
Home: points, xG per game1.00, 1.40–⁠1.111.25, 1.79–⁠1.23
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.61–⁠2.631.50, 1.44–⁠1.68
ManagerAlfred Johansson (8)Jim Goodwin (96)

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

Ratings

0.51.01.52.0League average 1.34AttackMotherwell1.30, 5thDundee United1.25, 6thDefence (lower is better)Motherwell1.32, 5thDundee United1.43, 6th

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctMotherwell attack: 1.30Dundee United attack: 1.251.301.25Dundee UnitedMotherwellDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctMotherwell defence: 1.32Dundee United defence: 1.431.431.32

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

MotherwellDundee United
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play+6%+1%−24%+17%
Counter-attacks−12%+81%+57%−71%
Set pieces−42%average+64%−23%
Penalties+20%+80%−40%−40%
Headers−43%−1%+1%−39%
Left side−32%−13%−18%+12%
Centre−31%+19%+3%−2%
Right side+58%+22%+43%−21%

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 createdDundee United concededLeft side−32%−21%Centre−31%−2%Right side+58%+12%Open play+6%+17%Counter-attacks−12%−71%Set pieces−42%−23%Headers−43%−39%

Dundee United attacking

Dundee United createdMotherwell concededLeft side−18%+22%Centre+3%+19%Right side+43%−13%Open play−24%+1%Counter-attacks+57%+81%Set pieces+64%averageHeaders+1%−1%

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

1.51xG1.62
1.87xG against1.46
58%Possession50%
14.0Shots16.1
16.4Shots against15.4
4.4Shots on target5.4
2.1Big chances2.4
24.6Touches in the opposition box30.0
571Passes398
88%Pass accuracy78%
5.1Corners6.2
59%Field tilt46%
50.8Final-third entries39.0
14.1Box entries14.0
14.8Passes per defensive action12.2

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

Motherwell

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level331.601.37
Ahead172.361.40
Behind401.082.49

Dundee United

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level241.931.19
Ahead291.741.14
Behind361.301.89

xG by period

Motherwell

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.320.181–2
16–300.280.342–1
31–450.270.242–5
46–600.140.460–3
61–750.280.262–0
76–900.220.392–2

Dundee United

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.230.383–3
16–300.160.160–1
31–450.490.235–1
46–600.210.300–3
61–750.250.220–3
76–900.280.172–0

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

Most used players by position

Motherwell

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPaulsen 8Sparrow 8Girdwood-Rei… 4Girdwood-ReichKnight-Lebel 3O'Donnell 1Moormann 8Longelo 7Williams 1Fadinger 8Priestman 2Hodge 5Levitt 1Maswanhise 4Vogt 3Kanga 1Lowry 4Charles-Cook 3Booth 1Said 4Longelo 1Houlden 1Houlden 2Maswanhise 2Lowry 14-2-3-1 in 5 of 8 starts

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

Dundee United

GKRBCBCBLBCMCMCMRWSTLWWalton 8Rawlins 7Yoro 1Esselink 8Forbes 8Ferry 5Ciubotaru 3Camará 4Sevelj 3Iqbal 2Tait 6Agyei 4Cameron 3Yoro 2Randall 4Merghem 4Metsoko 3Sapsford 3Rose 2Bennie 6Randall 1Sapsford 14-3-3 in every start

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

DateHomeAwayxG
2 September 2026Motherwell3–0Dundee UnitedxG 2.39–0.16
28 February 2026Motherwell2–0Dundee UnitedxG 2.12–0.31
13 December 2025Dundee United0–0MotherwellxG 0.49–0.68
29 October 2025Motherwell2–0Dundee UnitedxG 1.08–0.48
22 February 2025Dundee United1–0MotherwellxG 1.25–1.09
14 December 2024Motherwell4–3Dundee UnitedxG 2.09–2.02

19 league meetings since 2020/21: Motherwell won 9, Dundee United won 6, and 4 were drawn. Goals 25–19 and xG 1.58–0.99 per game.

Key players

Motherwell

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Maswanhise6491120.600.05
Lowry6534210.260.23
Longelo8656000.080.24
Fadinger8689100.180.06

Dundee United

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Randall5506220.360.35
Bennie6457110.450.09
Tait6610000.090.15
Forbes8720100.120.04

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