Brendan Rodgers knows what it takes to get a win for Celtic away at Motherwell.
The manager has been at the helm of the Glasgow giants on a number of occasions when they’ve been taken to the limit by the hosts at Fir Park.
Tom Rogic was known for late Hoops heroics there while Matt O’Riley spoiled the party last season with a dramatic late winner.
It has been, in the main then, a happy hunting ground for Rodgers and his squad but this weekend is slightly different.
Just off the back of an energy-sapping evening in Bergamo, Celts played against Atalanta in midweek and managed an impressive draw in the end.
But it was a shattering 90 minutes and ‘Well boss Stuart Kettlewell will have his side set up to test the Celtic defence after they showed a different side on Wednesday.
Rodgers understands that. The Northern Irishman knows his counterpart in the opposite dugout will be ready.
“I think it’s always been a tough place to go,” Rodgers admitted. “I always really enjoy going there. It’s always a really good atmosphere. We bring a great support behind the goals. So, yes, they’re always tough games.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  CelticCeltic | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 22 |
| 2 |  AberdeenAberdeen | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 22 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 16 |
| 4 |  Dundee UtdDundee Utd | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 15 |
| 5 |  MotherwellMotherwell | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 13 |
| 6 |  DundeeDundee | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 14 | -1 | 9 |
| 7 |  KilmarnockKilmarnock | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 9 |
| 8 |  ST MirrenST Mirren | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 8 |
| 9 |  ST JohnstoneST Johnstone | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 19 | -8 | 7 |
| 10 |  Ross CountyRoss County | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 17 | -9 | 7 |
| 11 |  Heart Of MidlothianHeart Of Midlothian | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 15 | -5 | 5 |
| 12 |  HibernianHibernian | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 14 | -6 | 5 |
Rodgers commented on Celtic’s record of late winners at Motherwell
“Stuart has his team set up well. They go between, obviously a back five and then whether they play two strikers up front and three midfield or a sort of 3-4-3 structure. It can just depend. The last few weeks, it’s been more 5-3-2. So, we’ll expect a team that will be well organised. Stuart organises his teams very, very well, very organised, very committed.
“They’ll be disappointed with the last result. So, they want to bounce back from that. And for us, we know what we need after a Champions League game. It’s a big energy, a big attitude and continue with a great start to the season for us.”
The previous hard-fought wins for Rodgers and Celtic are likely to remain in the Steelmen’s memories and not in a positive way.
The same can’t be said for Celts.
Celtic are at the top of the Scottish Premiership table
In fact, Rodgers will always remember the chaos at Fir Park as it has given him some of his best memories in the Scottish Premiership.
“Are those wins more satisfying? Yes, especially some of those games last season,” he added.
“I think in some of the games when we were searching for that late win, I think Matt (O’Riley) scored a great goal at the back post. The ball could have been easily just pumped forward and into the mix, but we kept that calmness and then made a great cross in the half-space ago we got the winner.
“And it was everything that we would want. So, yes, scoring a late win away from home is always really nice and it’s great for the supporters. But, of course, whichever way it comes, you just want to win.”
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