Motherwell caretaker boss Stevie Hammell has warned his side will need to be at their “absolute best” to beat St Johnstone at Fir Park tomorrow.
Callum Davidson’s side travel to Lanarkshire looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat against Hibs last weekend, while Hammell looks to grab back-to-back wins, having downed St Mirren in Paisley on Sunday, thanks to Kevin van Veen’s penalty strike.
Hammell says the Steelmen have been preparing all week for the game, and will do everything they can to deliver three points for their fans.
But he admits there has to be improvement on their performance in Paisley last time out.
He said: “It’s huge to get back-to-back wins and to get points on the board early, but every game is difficult, there’s not an easy game in this league, home or away.
“We’re under no illusions how difficult this is going to be tomorrow, but it’s a home game.
“We’re going into it on the back of a very good result last week, we need to take positives and build on that.
“They’re a good team. It’s another game that we’re going to have to be at our absolute best to get something from.
“That’s where the focus is, it’s not anywhere near me or what’s going to happen with me, and that doesn’t bother me.
“Are we as prepared as we can be to face a very difficult team, to try and get a positive result and performance – that’s it.”
Hammell added: “I know Callum well, we did the pro licence together a few years ago and I’ve kept in touch with him.
“He’s a fantastic coach, he’s a very impressive individual, and I know they’ll be well coached, well drilled, and they’ve got threats that can hurt you on the pitch, which we need to be aware of.
“I can’t emphasis enough how much of a difficult game it’s going to be.
“We need to be prepared for that, but in a home tie we need to make sure we set our stall out early.
“It’s our first home game at Fir Park, we need to be ready, need to be at it, and ready to go.”
Hammell was pleased with their win over St Mirren last Sunday, but says there are elements that have to be improved.
“We showed a side of the game that I was proud of,” he said. “We saw what the boys have been through, that the results and performances against Sligo weren’t good enough, and I think we accept that.
“A manager leaving is never nice, so I think to see that performance they put in was excellent.
“It’s good to know they’ve got that in their locker, but we need to be more than that. In and out of possession we need to be better.
“We need to be more of a threat in the final third, to create more. We need to be more positive with our running, a little bit fitter and stronger, but that takes time.
“We are as prepared as we possibly can be to have a positive performance and result, but some things happen in the game – ie Ricki Lamie getting sent off on Sunday – that we can’t account for and need to be prepared for.”
Motherwell played a bounce game against Championship side Dundee on Tuesday to get some “much-needed minutes into some of these boys’ legs” as they step up their fitness.
Paul McGinn will be assessed following his clash of heads with St Mirren’s Mark O’Hara, while Lamie is suspended following his red card.
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