Preview:Motherwell vs Aberdeen - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams still searching for their first win in the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership will clash on Saturday when Motherwell host Aberdeen at Fir Park.

The hosts have drawn all of their first five league fixtures, while the visitors sit rock bottom of the standings after one draw and four losses.

Match preview

Motherwell were forced into a managerial change over the summer as former boss Michael Wimmer opted to leave the club to return to Germany, with the Steelmen appointing Jens Berthel Askou to lead them forward.

The new manager is yet to taste defeat as Motherwell boss, having recorded five wins and six draws from the first 11 matches of the season.

Despite the undefeated start across all competitions, Askou will be concerned that his side have failed to register a victory in the Scottish Premiership, having drawn all of their five fixtures to date.

The Steelmen will be eager to end that streak with a first win on Saturday, and given they defeated the Dons 1-0 in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals last weekend, Motherwell will be confident of replicating that result.

That confidence will be further boosted by the horrific form of their visitors, as Aberdeen sit at the foot of the Scottish Premiership table with one draw and four defeats from their five matches.

The Dons have actually won just one of their first nine games across all competitions, recording a 3-0 win over Scottish Championship side Greenock Morton in the Scottish League Cup second round.

Their dismal start to the season has already seen Aberdeen knocked out of both the Scottish League Cup, against Motherwell, and the Europa League, losing 5-2 on aggregate to FCSB in the playoff qualifying round.

Rather remarkably, Aberdeen have not only failed to win any of their first five league fixtures, but the Dons remain the only side in the division yet to score a goal.

With the pressure rising on Jimmy Thelin's managerial position, the boss will be desperate for his side to put an end to their miserable start to the campaign with a crucial win on Saturday.

The Dons will look to draw belief from their recent record against the Steelmen in the Scottish Premiership, as Aberdeen have won seven of the last nine league meetings.

Motherwell Scottish Premiership form:

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Motherwell form (all competitions):

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Aberdeen Scottish Premiership form:

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Aberdeen form (all competitions):

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Team News

Motherwell will be unable to call upon the services of Filip Stuparevic, Sam Nicholson, Tom Sparrow and Zach Robinson due to ongoing injury issues.

New signing Regan Charles-Cook scored the winning goal against Aberdeen last weekend, and the forward should start alongside Ibrahim Said, Tawanda Maswanhise and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos in attack.

As for Aberdeen, Kristers Tobers has remained out of action for the Dons since the Scottish FA Cup final in May, and the defender is not expected to feature until early next month.

Thelin could make several changes from their most recent starting 11 in the 2-0 defeat to Dundee United, especially in the attack as the Dons still search for their first goal of the league campaign.

Motherwell possible starting lineup:

Ward; Koutroumbis, Gordon, Welsh, Longelo; Fadinger, Watt; Maswanhise, Said, Charles-Cook; Stamatelopoulos

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:

Mitov; Jensen, Dorrington, Knoester, Gyamfi; Armstrong, Nilsen; Milanovic, Karlsson, Bilalovic; Yengi

We say: Motherwell 2-0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen may have a strong record in this fixture, but the Dons have had a disastrous start to this term, and given Motherwell won this meeting just last weekend, we expect the Steelmen to replicate that result with another win here.

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