Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Motherwell v Rangers

Saturday 21 November 2026, 20:00 · Fir Park · Round 14

Forecast

MotherwellRangers
Expected goals1.151.66
Win26%49%
Expected Points1.031.72
Clean sheet19%32%

Motherwell 26%Draw 25%Rangers 49%

Most likely score 1–1, 12%. Both sides score 56%.

Rangers goalsMotherwell goals0123456+0123456+7%8%5%2%6%5%2%4%7%5%3%1%2%3%2%1%9%12%10%

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

Motherwell

  1. L2–317 OctKilmarnock (A)xG 3.37–1.64
  2. L0–211 OctCeltic (H)xG 1.10–2.85
  3. L1–219 SepDundee FC (A)xG 1.10–1.38
  4. L0–415 SepAberdeen (H)xG 0.85–0.90
  5. L0–15 SepRangers (A)xG 0.70–4.29
  6. W3–02 SepDundee United (H)xG 2.39–0.16

Rangers

  1. D2–217 OctDundee FC (A)xG 1.80–1.77
  2. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  3. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  5. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  6. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00

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

Season to date

MotherwellRangers
Position10th2nd
Played99
Won, drawn, lost2–⁠2–⁠56–⁠2–⁠1
Points8 (0.89 per game)20 (2.22 per game)
Expected Points per game1.401.98
Goals11–⁠1613–⁠7
xG per game1.71–⁠1.852.13–⁠1.10
Home: points, xG per game1.00, 1.40–⁠1.112.25, 2.60–⁠1.20
Away: points, xG per game0.80, 1.96–⁠2.432.20, 1.75–⁠1.03
ManagerAlfred Johansson (9)Derek McInnes (9)

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

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackMotherwell1.33, 4thRangers1.90, 2ndDefence (lower is better)Motherwell1.32, 5thRangers1.00, 2nd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctMotherwell attack: 1.33Rangers attack: 1.901.901.33RangersMotherwellDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctMotherwell defence: 1.32Rangers defence: 1.001.321.00

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

MotherwellRangers
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play+23%+3%+41%−42%
Counter-attacks+12%+74%+8%+3%
Set pieces−48%−11%+29%−16%
Penalties+14%+71%+14%−43%
Headers−41%−13%+26%−26%
Left side−39%−14%+14%−22%
Centre+9%+1%+56%−28%
Right side+49%+40%+18%−41%

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 createdRangers concededLeft side−39%−41%Centre+9%−28%Right side+49%−22%Open play+23%−42%Counter-attacks+12%+3%Set pieces−48%−16%Headers−41%−26%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdMotherwell concededLeft side+14%+40%Centre+56%+1%Right side+18%−14%Open play+41%+3%Counter-attacks+8%+74%Set pieces+29%−11%Headers+26%−13%

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

MotherwellRangers

1.71xG2.13
1.85xG against1.10
57%Possession55%
14.2Shots20.2
16.3Shots against9.6
4.7Shots on target6.6
2.6Big chances2.8
24.9Touches in the opposition box38.4
561Passes452
87%Pass accuracy80%
4.9Corners7.2
59%Field tilt60%
50.8Final-third entries47.5
14.1Box entries18.6
14.8Passes per defensive action11.4

Per league match this season before kick-off. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

Motherwell

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level352.001.50
Ahead152.331.42
Behind401.232.32

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level472.071.41
Ahead321.950.74
Behind112.910.83

xG by period

Motherwell

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.290.211–3
16–300.420.303–1
31–450.280.252–5
46–600.270.441–4
61–750.240.292–1
76–900.200.362–2

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.310.193–1
16–300.430.131–0
31–450.420.323–3
46–600.340.152–0
61–750.290.191–1
76–900.330.143–2

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

Most used players by position

Motherwell

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPaulsen 9Sparrow 9Girdwood-Rei… 4Girdwood-ReichKnight-Lebel 3O'Donnell 2Moormann 9Longelo 8Williams 1Fadinger 9Priestman 2Hodge 6Levitt 1Maswanhise 5Vogt 3Kanga 1Lowry 5Charles-Cook 3Booth 1Said 5Longelo 1Houlden 1Houlden 3Maswanhise 2Said 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-4-2 (2), 4-2-2-2 (1)

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 9Sterling 7Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 9Godfrey 1Makhanya 7Rommens 1Penrice 7Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 7Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 6Diomande 1Curtis 3Bouanani 2Kim 2Kim 4Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 8Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 3Naderi 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-1-4-1 (1), 4-4-1-1 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

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
5 September 2026Rangers1–0MotherwellxG 4.29–0.70
26 April 2026Rangers2–3MotherwellxG 2.70–0.76
11 February 2026Motherwell1–1RangersxG 1.57–1.65
27 December 2025Rangers1–0MotherwellxG 4.14–1.07
2 August 2025Motherwell1–1RangersxG 2.15–0.83
1 March 2025Rangers1–2MotherwellxG 1.35–0.78

21 league meetings since 2020/21: Motherwell won 3, Rangers won 12, and 6 were drawn. Goals 23–45 and xG 0.79–2.49 per game.

Key players

Motherwell

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Maswanhise7581120.530.15
Lowry7602310.300.23
Longelo9746000.070.28
Said6533100.160.18

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi5546410.650.15
Kim6487000.400.13
Gassama8646020.310.17
Raskin7595100.190.11

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