Motherwell

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Hearts' Claudio Braga could win an awards double after he was shortlisted for the Scottish Football Writers' Association player of the year award.

The Portuguese forward is nominated alongside teammate Lawrence Shankland and Motherwell duo Elijah Just and Tawanda Maswanhise.

The manager of the year award could also go to Tynecastle or Fir Park, with Derek McInnes and Jens Berthel Askou both nominated.

Falkirk boss John McGlynn and Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill are also on the shortlist.

Four Scottish players are in the running for young player of the year - Falkirk striker Barney Stewart, Kilmarnock's on-loan Rangers winger Findlay Curtis, Dundee defender Luke Graham and Dunfermline's Andrew Tod.

The winners will be announced on Sunday, 17 May.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Kieran O'Hara - Dundee

A clean sheet and a penalty save as Dundee safeguarded their Premiership status.

Findlay Curtis - Kilmarnock

A star showing from Curtis with two huge goals over fellow relegation rivals St Mirren.

Stephen O'Donnell - Motherwell

What a block to deny Lawrence Shankland. Gave everything for the Motherwell cause.

Kieran Tierney - Celtic

There feels like there is so much more impetus about Celtic ever since the international break. Seasoned campaigners like Tierney have really come to the fore as Celtic make their final charge to defend their title. An assist for Maeda's first goal.

Jordan Obita - Hibernian

On the scoresheet in what was a big away win at the Falkirk Stadium.

Josh Campbell - Hibernian

Two well taken goals on the way to a big result which keeps alive Hibs hopes of catching Motherwell.

Callum McGregor - Celtic

A captain's performance as the Celtic leader marshalled his teammates to great effect throughout a potentially pivotal Old Firm victory.

Cam Congreve - Dundee

Another goal for the consistently excellent Welsh international on loan from Swansea.

Toyosi Olusanya - Aberdeen

Finally, his first goal for Aberdeen. Big moment for the former St Mirren man.

Lawrence Shankland - Hearts

Denied by O'Donnell, but you don't keep the Hearts captain down for long. When the next chance came along there was never any doubt Shankland would find the net. Could be a huge goal.

Daizen Maeda - Celtic

In a decidedly mixed season, Maeda was outstanding in the Old Firm derby. Time seemed to stand still as his stupendous overhead kick looped into the net behind Jack Butland. Maeda never stood still throughout this match, his energy levels saw him chase down Rangers players throughout. Two goals on the day and six goals in four games. Coming to the boil at just the right time.

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Motherwell fans, we asked for your views on the 1-1 draw with Hearts at Fir Park. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Mark: That was one of the most entertaining matches this season. Both teams going at it full force, with a draw the right result. When Stephen O'Donnell got home after the game and emptied his pocket he took out his wallet, keys and Claudio Braga! A stellar performance and man of the match for me. Get a result against Celtic and we will be known as kingslayers.

John: Pulsating game, with both teams going for three points. Plenty of contentious decisions, but a draw was a fair result. Onwards to Celtic on Wednesday - Europe here we come!

Robert: We were poor tonight, but we had resilience. That's been absent for years. I still hope Hearts go on and win league, but I am equally extremely proud of the Motherwell team.

Adam: We got away with one, I think every day of the week that's a penalty and finally incompetent officiating went in our favour. Thought we started well but Hearts took control of the game without causing us many issues. Draw basically seals fourth for us. Great season.

Robert: Very obvious penalty, soft variety but there's contact - for no reason, he's running towards the corner flag just let him go. Can't see us putting up much of a fight against Celtic, our seasons done and I'm just over the moon to finish in the European places.

Sinky: We've played better and lost games, so that was a good point. The team did great to defend under increasing pressure. Hopefully we have a couple of players back for Wednesday night.

Stuart: Really good game and an excellent atmosphere. Both teams had chances to win it and in the end a draw probably fair. Just hope we can get over the line and keep fourth place.

Crawford: We stayed brave, even with a makeshift rearguard. Hearts are a gutsy team and we went toe-to-toe. If only we had a Lawrence Shankland!

Alan: Another composed and confident display by Motherwell against the longstanding leaders of the league. All systems worked well and the atmosphere from the crowd made it a night to remember. Europe here we come!

Leaders Hearts nudged four points clear of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race by drawing at Motherwell - but missed an opportunity to put maximum pressure on the defending champions before Sunday's Old Firm derby.

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Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou: "I don't think there's enough in that to give a penalty [Maswanhise on Kyziridis].

"There is some form of contact, but it is minimal and Kyziridis does his best to make it look like there's more contact than there is.

"I was actually quite shocked that that he didn't give a penalty because decisions like that have gone against us all season.

"We had a call that's gone our way and I think we deserved that. I am just glad it wasn't decided by a wrong decision."

"We had the highest attendance here for more than 20 years and we hope for a huge night on Wednesday. I don't think the final chapter has been written.

"I think our performance in general was outstanding. I thought we took control of the game in the beginning. We drove the tempo, took initiative, and we were brave.

"We defended very bravely and strongly in the box besides their goal in the first half, so that was one of those moments we should have done better."

Blair Spittal, 30, is pushing for a Hearts start against former club Motherwell after recent impressive performances off the bench. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external

Saturday's Scottish gossip

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Motherwell full-back Johnny Koutroumbis is pushing for a comeback while Eythor Bjorgolfsson and Zach Robinson remain out.

Hearts boss Derek McInnes hopes Harry Milne (calf) and Cammy Devlin (muscle) can return after injury, but Oisin McEntee, Calem Nieuwenhof (both hamstring), Tomas Magnusson, Ageu (both thigh) and Craig Gordon (shoulder) remain out.

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Elijah Just is embracing the pressure that accompanies the race for Europe as Motherwell aim to secure a fourth-place Premiership finish.

The Steelmen are six points ahead of Hibs in fifth with three matches of the season to play. They host Hearts and Celtic before a final-day trip to Easter Road.

And New Zealand international Just is determined to seal fourth spot - and a guaranteed European place - as soon as possible.

"I think in the beginning of the season, there weren't too many expectations on us to finish in Europe," he said.

"But the way we've played and the position we've put ourselves in, now it's become an expectation for us.

"So we want to get the job done, especially at home. And we have a really good opportunity this weekend against Hearts.

"If we can manage to finish in fourth and secure that Europe spot, then it will feel like a job well done.

"And if things were to happen that meant we dropped out and finished in fifth, I think that's the worst position to be in, to be waiting for Celtic and Dunfermline to play [in the Scottish Cup final] and be hoping for a Celtic win.

"We want to get the job done on our own terms and just secure fourth place.

"There is pressure on us. Like I said before, I think people would probably look at the season with a bit of a different light if we did finish in fifth."

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Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday has announced he will retire at the end of this season.

The 34-year-old has made just two Premiership appearances this season - both as a substitute - following five matches in the Scottish League Cup.

He started his senior career with Livingston, before permanent spells with Middlesbrough, Bradford City, Rangers and Hearts, before signing for Motherwell in 2024. He has also played on loan for Walsall, Blackpool and Azerbaijani side Gabala in an 18-year playing career.

Halliday won the Scottish Championship twice - with Rangers in 2016 and with Hearts in 2021.

"I feel that time is right for me to step away from the playing side of the sport I adore," Halliday said in a statement on the Motherwell website.

"There have been some ups and downs along the way, but when I look back on my career, I have zero regrets. So many players may not get to experience some of the things I've managed over the years, and for that, I'm grateful.

"Being a footballer isn't easy. It's required a lot of sacrifice over the years, which is all part of what I signed up for, but for my loved ones, I owe them my deepest thank you. I simply wouldn't have been able to get to where I got to without them. Their support has been incredible on this journey, and I don't know what I would have done without them all.

"I want to thank my teammates and staff at Livingston, Middlesbrough, Walsall, Blackpool, Bradford City, Rangers, Hearts and Motherwell for being a part of my journey. I've met some friends for life through this sport, and at every club I hold the fondest of memories that will stick with me. Thank you.

"Despite this announcement and my appreciation for all the kind messages I've received recently, I don't want any distractions for the boys as they look to finish this incredible season on a high. We're all desperate to close out as strongly as possible and gather as many points as we can, starting tomorrow against Hearts. Thank you to the Motherwell fans for their support all season long, and let's get stuck into these last three games."

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Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou would be a "very good" choice to fill Celtic's managerial vacancy this summer, according to Robbie Neilson.

Dane Askou, 43, has transformed the Steelmen into a slick passing side this season and has the club on course for a fourth-place finish.

Former Hearts and Dundee United boss Neilson believes Celtic should move quickly in a bid to secure Askou, with the club facing a major squad rebuild.

"I think he's done a fantastic job and he'd be one of the main candidates," Neilson told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"There was talk of Kieran McKenna at Ipswich but they've just been promoted, he's not leaving the Premiership in England for Celtic.

"Robbie Keane [currently at Ferencvaros], maybe. Askou in my opinion would be a very good appointment and he knows the league now.

"The biggest problem Celtic have is what direction are they going in? At the moment they don't have a head coach for next season, they don't have a head of recruitment and they don't have players lined up.

"How are you going to play? How can you recruit players if you don't know what the manager wants to do?

"So I think they need to get something sorted very, very quickly to get plans moving forward. Askou would be a really good appointment."

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• Both of Motherwell's past two home league games against Hearts have finished 0-0, despite a combined 35 shots (15 Motherwell, 20 Hearts) and 2.38 xG (0.85 Motherwell, 1.53 Hearts).

• Hearts are unbeaten in six league meetings with Motherwell (W3 D3) since losing 3-1 in August 2024.

• Motherwell have won just one of their past seven league games (D1 L5). Since the start of March they have picked up the fewest points of any Scottish Premiership side (four).

• Hearts have won their past three Premiership games, despite falling 1-0 behind each time – including a 3-1 win over Motherwell in April. The last side to win four successive games in the competition despite trailing in each were Kilmarnock in September/October 2018.

• Lawrence Shankland, who has scored in six of his past nine league starts, has won 73% of his appearances in the competition this season – the highest rate of any player to play 25+ games. By contrast, Hearts have just four wins in nine league games without the forward this campaign (44%).

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"They could have beaten us in all three games."

Derek McInnes needs no reminding of the threat Motherwell pose as he bids to inch Hearts closer to the title with victory at Fir Park on Saturday.

While Jens Berthel Askou's impressive Steelmen have yet to beat the Tynecastle side in three attempts this season, they've provided plenty of problems.

Motherwell led 3-0 in Gorgie back in August before the hosts mounted an incredible comeback in the final 25 minutes to salvage a point.

Then came a goalless stalemate at Fir Park in November, before Hearts needed another Tynecastle rescue when the sides met again last month, the visitors eventually losing 3-1 after spurning chances to burnish their lead.

"They carved us open a few times," McInnes said of that encounter.

"But they're a team who constantly test your organisation throughout the game, and they can make little subtle tweaks and little different ways of playing that can maybe test your organisation.

"I'm not the only opposition manager to sit before you play Motherwell and say how well they've done.

"They're a good team, well coached, they're a confident team, they look like a team who enjoy playing and what they've been asked to do."

Hearts forwards Claudio Braga and Lawrence Shankland and Motherwell attacking duo Elijah Just and Tawanda Maswanhise were the four candidates for PFA Scotland's Premiership player of the year award.

Braga was the eventual winner but McInnes thinks his opponents don't get enough credit for the individual quality throughout their side.

"I think they've also got very good players," he said.

"I sometimes think that gets left behind, it's all about how well coached they are and how they play, the style, but they've actually got really good individual players as well.

"I know you've said they've been problematic, and they have, but they've been problematic for most teams. But we have to be honest, they could have beaten us in all three games.

"But we've managed to do our job well enough for long enough in all the games to pick up points against them.

"And this game will be tough again for loads of reasons.

"You have to be so on point when you're out of possession, because if you're not, they're the type of team that can punish you.

"And that's what happens when you're up against good teams and well-coached teams."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou insists not finishing fourth in the Scottish Premiership would be as big a disappointment for his club as it would be for Hearts if they don't win the title.

The Dane insists his side are focused on the "massive" achievement of securing fourth place and European football next season, and are not interested in being "kingmakers" or getting in the way of other clubs' ambitions.

Victory over Derek McInnes' men on Saturday evening would almost certainly mean Hibernian could not catch the Fir Park side in the race to secure a European place, and would be Motherwell's latest say in the title race after recently beating Rangers at Ibrox.

"I know there's been a lot of talk about now we play against teams who have a lot of pressure on them and they can win the title," Askou said.

"We're also in for a big thing for us.

"It will be an equally big disappointment for us as it is for Hearts if they don't finish on top now after they've been there for so long, we've been in this position for so long, we're so close.

"It is a massive achievement for us if we can keep this position in the league, and especially by securing it, winning against possibly the coming champions either on Saturday or the next game.

"We beat another title contender a few weeks back and now it's an opportunity to do that again. We cannot wait to give our best."

Despite their recent Ibrox triumph and posing a challenge to Hearts' title bid, Askou has no interest in being the supposed kingmakers in the title race.

"It's about us, I've said that many times," he said.

"We're not dreaming of becoming kingmakers or in this for getting in the way of other people.

"We want to leave as many teams under us and behind us in the league table to end up in a position where we achieve something massive and that is massive for us if we can.

"On top of a very interesting, exciting and developing season for us as a club, to also clinch a position and hang on to a position and end in a position that gives us some extra journeys after the summer."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Jens Berthel Askou has been speaking to the media before Motherwell host Premiership leaders Hearts on Saturday evening.

Here are the key points:

• Askou insists if Motherwell don't secure the "massive achievement" of fourth place it would be "an equally big disappointment for us as it is for Hearts if they don't finish on top now after they've been there for so long".

• The Dane, whose side can all but clinch fourth with victory on Saturday, adds: "We're not dreaming of becoming kingmakers or in this for getting in the way of other people. We want to leave as many teams behind us in the league table to end up in a position where we achieve something massive."

• Motherwell have yet to beat Hearts this season but ran them close in each meeting, taking two draws and then leading at Tynecastle before succumbing to a 3-1 loss. Askou says: "We play some really tight and intense games against Hearts. We haven't come out on top with three points yet but we've been very, very close in all three games and we can't wait to really reach out for that opportunity when it comes on Saturday again."

• Only Falkirk have defeated Motherwell at Fir Park this season, with the manager pointing to set-pieces as being key against a Hearts team that use that as one of their strengths.

• Askou insists "it's not that complicated" keeping players focused despite the speculation over interest from other clubs. The Dane says if his team do secure fourth, he can "guarantee" they will still give their all to win the remaining games.

• There are no new injury concerns, with Johnny Koutroumbis benefiting from an extra week of training.

Celtic continue to scout Motherwell midfielder Elijah Just and had the 26-year-old New Zealand international watched in action against Falkirk on Saturday as they weigh up a summer bid. (Scottish Sun), external

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou says European football would help attract better quality players to the club - and keep existing ones at Fir Park amid interest in attackers Tawanda Maswanhise and Elijah Just. (The Scotsman), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Jenna Thomson
Fan writer

Falkirk, Falkirk, Falkirk.

Out of all the teams I thought we would pick up only one point from 12 against, I didn't expect it to be the newest arrivals in the league.

I have to applaud them for their success - they have found us out in almost every game this season. We weren't at our best, but it is not the end of the world.

It was unfortunate that Tawanda Maswanhise and Elijah Just missed out on the PFA player of the year award, but losing it to Claudio Braga from Hearts is something I can live with.

We now need to turn our attention to the real tests coming our way, with Braga's Hearts visiting Fir Park on Saturday before Celtic arrive next midweek.

It feels impossible at the moment to provide any insight into our remaining games without looking at the wider picture in the league.

I will feel slightly guilty if us taking points off Hearts is what hands Celtic the title; however, putting as much distance as possible between us and Hibs is the priority.

We are fortunate that Hibs play Falkirk this weekend, and with a bit of luck it will end in a draw - or even better, a Hibs defeat.

That would take some pressure off us going into the final game of the season at Easter Road.

Watch the Sportscene panel analyse Motherwell's wastefulness in another defeat to Falkirk.

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Watch the best of the action as Falkirk boost their European hopes with a third win over Motherwell this season. Available to UK users only.

Motherwell fans, we asked for your views on the 1-0 loss to Falkirk on Saturday. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Alan: Falkirk seem to be our bogey team and we have failed to capitalise on many opportunities we have had against them. However, we continue to play attractive competitive football which is pleasing to the eye and in the completion of number of points taken.

Let's take all of the positives from the season - the solid defence, the creative midfield, the resilience in attack, alongside the brilliance of individual players across the season - and show Hearts what we are capable of.

Taylor: Fair play to Falkirk, they've had our number this season and were the better team. Been saying since March that Tawanda Maswanhise should be dropped, showed nothing today and doesn't even to be considered for Player of the Year with how poor he's been since returning from AFCON.

Stuart: No big surprise after the heroics at Ibrox. The team worked hard but sadly thought Falkirk deserved the win. The team have been really good and just need to pick themselves up for Hearts.