Celtic couldn't beat us because we didn't have any egos in our team, says Well boss

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell says a lack of ego amongst his players was key to them taking a point from Celtic this afternoon.

The Steelmen took the first points off Ange Postecoglou's men at Celtic Park this season and halted a run of 17 wins in a row in all competitions for the defending Scottish champions.

Kevin van Veen's 55th-minute goal levelled Callum McGregor's deflected first-half strike to take a valuable point back to Lanarkshire.

That left Motherwell five points behind seventh-placed Livingston, going into the split, with their relegation troubles a distant memory.

Kettlewell said: "The biggest thing for me is not having an ego and it's something I believe in so much.

"For us to set ourselves up and play the way we did today, if one player has an ego, the whole thing falls down and Celtic comfortably win that game.

Kevin van Veen bagged his 24th goal of the season in all competitions in the draw (SNS Group)

"That's the bit that pleased me, and that's when you know you've got buy-in.

"It's so easy to crumble, and even with their goal it's a deflected shot that I think Liam Kelly gathers, and you're right, you can go under, you can feel sorry for yourself.

"I'm just delighted for the players, delighted that they bought into what we asked them to do today and for that longer period for myself, and that run of form we've been on.

"I think it's a different test when you come to a place like this and you play against that level of opposition."

Celtic missed a number of chances, including this header by substitute Oh (SNS Group)

Motherwell weren't without their problems, with knocks to goalkeeper Liam Kelly, Dan Casey and Callum Slattery, with the latter two substituted, but Kettlewell says it was a collective effort.

He said: "Nobody has been able to come and take anything off them here, and I don't want to be celebrating points, but I think when the nature of the game and the deficit and gulf in finance, stats of the club and all that, I think that speaks volumes for my players - I thought they were outstanding to a man.

"We had a couple of tests with guys coming off the park and a couple of wee knocks and niggles, but the players that replaced them were ready to go."

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