The familiar chant of 'We're going to win the league' has echoed around Fir Park for decades, but traditionally it has been the voices of Celtic and Rangers supporters filling the Lanarkshire air as they celebrated victories en route to Premiership glory. This season, however, a remarkable shift is occurring, with Motherwell fans now daring to belt out those very words themselves, fueled by a campaign that has transformed them from also-rans into genuine contenders.
A Revelation in the Premiership
Under the astute management of Jens Berthel Askou, Motherwell have been nothing short of a revelation in the Scottish top flight. The full-time whistle following their latest triumph was met with a now-customary standing ovation, a testament to the belief coursing through the stands. While a ten-point gap to league leaders Hearts remains a significant hurdle—potentially reducible to seven with a game in hand against Dundee—the sheer consistency of this side makes the improbable seem possible.
Building an Unbeatable Momentum
With just a single defeat in their last twenty outings, the prospect of Motherwell navigating the remainder of the season unbeaten is no longer a fanciful notion. Their success is built on solid foundations, not fleeting fortune. A recent victory over Dundee United propelled them to within a single point of Celtic in third place, with second-placed Rangers firmly within their sights. Even if overhauling Hearts proves a step too far, the minimum ambition for this squad must now be the historic feat of splitting the Glasgow Old Firm.
The weekend's hero was talismanic striker Tawanda Maswanhise, whose brace took his phenomenal tally to 21 goals across all competitions. Yet, this was a victory forged by collective excellence. From a resolute defence that offered United scarcely a glimpse of goal to a fluid, inventive attack, Motherwell controlled the match with an authoritative canter.
Managerial Insight and Fan Belief
Manager Askou praised his team's disciplined performance, highlighting their improvement from a previous outing against St Mirren. "We were excellent and worked hard to keep them away from chances," he stated. "The transitions and letting them get chances—some of the things I wasn't happy about in Paisley—we didn't do today. United went man-for-man so it was a game of space by moving them where we wanted to move them then exploiting the space."
On the burgeoning belief among the 'Steelmen' faithful that a title challenge is viable, the Danish coach added: "We owe them to try to create that excitement and both the results and performances have led to more excitement during the season as it's grown. We are pinching ourselves to wake up to that every Saturday. It's amazing and we hope we can keep earning that privilege."
Match Dominance and Controversial Moments
Motherwell's dominance was established from the opening whistle, with early chances including a clever flick from Maswanhise setting up Ibrahim Said, only for Ashley Maynard-Brewer to make a fine save. While United briefly threatened through Julius Eskesen and Max Watters, they were largely chasing shadows.
The deadlock was broken in controversial fashion on 37 minutes. Maswanhise went down off the ball following contact from Vicko Sevelj's elbow. After intervention from VAR official Ryan Lee, referee Nick Walsh reviewed the incident and awarded a penalty, booking Sevelj. Maswanhise calmly converted from the spot.
A furious Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin lamented the decision post-match: "Maswanhise went down like he'd been punched with full force in the ribs. It gives VAR something to look at but I'd love a referee to see it again and say that's not a penalty and play on. He obviously didn't deem it violent conduct because he gave him a yellow. It's not a penalty and I wouldn't want penalties like that given. We seem to be saying the same thing about refereeing in this country. It's going from bad to worse."
Sealing the Victory
Maswanhise's second goal, which sealed the three points, carried a touch of fortune. The Zimbabwean international showed strength to hold off Sevelj, turned, and saw his shot take a decisive deflection off the defender before nestling in the net. Despite Goodwin making four substitutions on the hour mark, United could not alter the course of the game.
For Dundee United, the result leaves them twelve points adrift of the top six, effectively ending league ambitions and shifting focus to a crucial Scottish Cup quarter-final against Falkirk. For Motherwell, the fixtures cannot come quickly enough as they ride a wave of confidence and ambition that has the entire Premiership taking notice.
