Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell is looking to change the narrative by defeating Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final this weekend.
The Steelmen climbed to within three points of Rangers in the Scottish Premiership standings after securing a 2-1 win over Dundee United on Wednesday. This comes on the heels of Rangers’ defeat to Aberdeen, adding further intrigue to the upcoming encounter.
The two teams previously faced off at Hampden Park earlier this season, where Rangers edged out a 2-1 victory. Both clubs will return to the iconic venue on Sunday desperate to cement their place in December's final, heightening the stakes.
Over 8,000 Motherwell supporters are expected to travel to the national stadium, while Rangers fans are grappling with the reality of trailing nine points behind both Celtic and Aberdeen in the league. Rangers boss Philippe Clement is under severe pressure and Kettelwell knows his squad have it in them to add more misery to the Light Blues' season.
“It’s a massive occasion for us as a football club," he told Motherwell's in-house media. I’m delighted that myself, the staff and the players have been able to give the supporters that occasion to look forward to.
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“They travelled again in their numbers. It’s difficult financially to be paying for your semi-final ticket, to get to Tannadice on a Wednesday night, to come through the roadworks and the traffic, but I tell you what, they do it, they do it manfully, they are 100 per cent behind us.
“And hopefully Sunday can be a day we look forward to and we acquit ourselves really, really well.
“Always the expectation will be that Rangers beat us, that’s simple, that how it always is in Scottish football.
“But if we can get that type of performance and a lot of the ones we have had over the course of the season, I believe that this group can be unbelievably competitive. And who knows where that takes you in cup competitions?”
Kettlewell provided an injury update ahead of the Hampden Park clash with vice-captain Stephen O'Donnell a doubt after sustaining a knock last time out. However, there's positive news on the availability of Liam Gordon and Tony Watt.
“We will pick up the pieces with one or two knocks and niggles that we have, we will welcome Liam Gordon and Tony Watt back in the squad, which is good because we need that extra strength in depth because physically the players have exerted a lot on Sunday and Wednesday,” he confirmed.
“But you always get a spring in your step with a win and that tees us up well for Sunday.”
