Celtic are preparing to face Motherwell for the first time in six months this weekend.
The Hoops will travel to Fir Park for the noon kick-off on Saturday and they may have a memory from their last meeting with the Steelmen lodged in the back of their mind.
Back in February, the Hoops saw off Stephen Robinson’s side by 4 goals to 1 at Celtic Park. However, the scoreline doesn’t tell half of the story from that ill-tempered clash. Controversy reigned supreme in the East End of Glasgow after the visitors netted a remarkable goal.
You had to see it to believe it as the Steelmen failed to return the ball to Celtic after they had passed it out following an injury to Ryan Christie. Young ‘Well forward James Scott raced away with Celtic Park stunned, before shooting on goal. Scott Bain saved the effort well but Gboly Ariyibi smashed it into the empty net to make things interesting.
Celtic will be fired up for Motherwell clash
Thankfully the Hoops added two more goals later on to secure the 4-1 victory. But there was a toxic atmosphere inside Parkhead that day, with the Celtic players and fans both incensed by the injustice.
Funnily enough, that meeting proved to be Brendan Rodgers’ final in charge of the club. His successor Neil Lennon will be aware of the situation but probably won’t mention it prior to kick-off in Lanarkshire.
The players, meanwhile, may have a different idea.
The match is given further hype by the David Turnbull transfer saga that raged on for the early part of the summer. The 20-year-old was not coming to Celtic, then he was, then he wasn’t, then he was. And then finally he wasn’t.
He’s remained at Motherwell this season but fear not Celtic fans – he won’t be playing on Saturday. He’s still injured.
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