Celtic Face Motherwell as Both Teams Seek to End Losing Runs

Motherwell host Celtic on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in Matchday 8 of the Scottish Premiership, with both clubs looking to halt three-match losing streaks. Celtic travel to the match in second place with 18 points from seven games, while Motherwell sit ninth with eight points from the same number of fixtures.

According to the standings cited by Heavy.com, Celtic trail league leaders Rangers by one point but have a game in hand. Martin O'Neill's team have recorded six wins and one defeat in the league, with their most recent domestic loss coming against Rangers.

Motherwell have collected two wins, two draws and three defeats in their opening seven league matches. Their recent results leave them looking to regain consistency against a Celtic side also struggling across multiple competitions.

In its team news report, Heavy.com cited SportsMole as saying Motherwell could be without Callum Hendry, Johnny Koutroumbis, Jordan McGhee, Paul McGinn and Oscar Priestman because of injuries. Celtic are expected to be without Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Jota, while Benjamin Nygren is doubtful because of a virus.

According to Football Insider, O'Neill plans to abandon the three-center-back system used against Rangers and return to a conventional 4-3-3 formation. The tactical change would restore a back four after Celtic's recent defeat in the Old Firm Derby.

Motherwell's predicted starting lineup is Paulsen; Sparrow, Girdwood-Reich, Moormann, Longelo; Fadinger, Hodge; Maswanhise, Lowry, Vogt; Charles-Cook.

Celtic's predicted starting lineup is Sinisalo; Donovan, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Tierney; McGregor, Baur; Hassan, Tounekti, Duran; Hogh. These are predicted selections rather than confirmed starting teams.

Celtic's recent struggles extend beyond the league. The team have lost three consecutive matches across the Scottish League Cup, Scottish Premiership and UEFA Europa League, according to the results listed in Heavy.com's report.

Celtic lost 0-1 to Rangers on September 20 after a 1-3 defeat to Ferencvaros on September 17. Before those matches, they suffered a 3-0 loss to Rangers in the Scottish League Cup quarterfinals, ending their participation in that competition.

Earlier in September, Celtic recorded victories over Saint Johnstone and Saint Mirren. They beat Saint Johnstone 1-0 on September 9 and defeated Saint Mirren 2-1 on September 5.

The recent run of defeats also prompted questions about O'Neill's future, with reports suggesting he might resign. Heavy.com reported that the manager acknowledged considering the possibility but ultimately chose to remain in the role, citing continued backing from the club's board and his belief that he retained the energy and ability to advance the project.

Motherwell have also struggled in recent weeks. They lost 1-2 to Dundee FC on September 19 and suffered a 0-4 defeat to Aberdeen on September 15, following a 0-1 loss to Rangers on September 5.

Their results also include a 3-0 victory over Dundee United on September 2 and a 3-3 draw with Saint Mirren on August 30. Motherwell enter the Celtic fixture after three consecutive defeats, matching the visitors' recent losing sequence.