Preview: Motherwell vs Dundee United - prediction, team news, lineups

Dundee United will endeavour to build on their emphatic four-goal Scottish Premiership victory at the weekend when they travel to Fir Park to face Motherwell on Wednesday night.

While the Tangerines have accumulated four points from as many games and sit eighth in the table, the Steelmen are one point and two places higher in sixth spot.

Match preview

Motherwell are one of three Premiership teams who are yet to lose in the 2026-27 season, along with champions Celtic and second-placed St Mirren, having picked up five points from the opening three matches (W1 D2).

Their opening-weekend victory at Hibernian (2-1) was followed by a goalless stalemate with Falkirk and a frantic 3-3 draw with St Mirren on Sunday, in which they let a two-goal lead slip before Jardell Kanga scored a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser to salvage a point.

Motherwell’s form across all competitions is patchy to say the least, though, as Alfred Johansson’s side have posted four wins, three draws and three defeats across 10 competitive games, failing to win any of their last four (D1 L3).

The nature of Motherwell’s first-half collapse against St Mirren left Johansson ‘concerned’ and he has insisted that his players must “never stop” if they wish to control the momentum of matches going forward.

The Steelmen will fancy their chances of returning to winning ways on Wednesday, as they have won each of their last five home meetings with Dundee United, scoring at least two goals on each occasion.

Dundee United have not won at Fir Park since a 2-1 success in April 2023, and they travel to Motherwell this week on the back of their best performance and result of the season so far against basement club Kilmarnock.

The Tangerines were without under-pressure manager Jim Goodwin, who was hospitalised with an illness last Thursday, but goals from Emmanuel Agyei, Zac Sapsford, Will Ferry and Jesse Randall made the 44-year-old “chuckle”, according to his assistant Lee Sharp.

A 4-0 triumph at Rugby Park represents their first Premiership win of the new season and is also their biggest on the road in the top flight since defeating their upcoming opponents Motherwell by the same scoreline in November 2013.

Dundee United are now bidding to win back-to-back league games for the first time since April, while they have not celebrated successive away wins in the top tier since March/April 2025.

Motherwell Scottish Premiership form:

Motherwell form (all competitions):

Dundee United Scottish Premiership form:

Dundee United form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Motherwell trio Paul McGinn, Callum Hendry (both knee) and Jordan McGhee (hamstring) all remain sidelined as they continue to recover from injuries.

Goalkeeper Alex Pauslen received high praise from Johansson after last weekend’s draw and the Bournemouth loanee is expected to continue between the sticks, while Kanga will be pushing to start in an advanced role after netting the crucial equaliser.

After scoring a team-high 22 goals last season, Tawanda Maswanhise has found the net just twice in nine appearances across all competitions so far this term. However, the Zimbabwe international is set to continue on the right side of attack, joining Regan Charles-Cook and Ibrahim Said in the front three.

As for Dundee United, Agyei needed just 12 minutes to score the opener against Kilmarnock on his return from injury, and the midfielder will hope to retain his starting spot alongside Panutche Camara and Abdoulaye Yoro.

Goodwin is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, though Jesse Randall scored as a substitute last time out and will be pushing to replace Mehdi Merghem on the right flank.

Motherwell possible starting lineup:

Paulsen; Sparrow, Knight-Lebel, Moormann, Longelo; Hodge, Fadinger; Maswanhise, Lowry, Said; Charles-Cook

Dundee United possible starting lineup:

Walton; Rawlins, Esselink, Forbes, Ferry; Yoro, Agyei, Camara; Randall, Sapsford, Bennie

We say: Motherwell 2-1 Dundee United

Dundee United enter this contest in high spirits and will back themselves to win again if they produce another collectively cohesive performance, though they will be fully aware of the distinct strengths their hosts possess.

Indeed, Motherwell will still be regarded as favourites on home soil, and they should ultimately have enough quality in the final third to outscore the Tangerines.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.