'Be ourselves' – Berthel Askou urges Motherwell to stand up against Celtic

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is confident his side's mentality against the best in the league will stand them in good stead against Celtic on Wednesday night.

Celtic travel to Fir Park a point behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts while fourth-placed Well are four points above Hibs.

Motherwell know a victory would seal a European place before Saturday's trip to Easter Road, while defeat for Celtic could deny the Hoops a final-day decider.

Askou, who watched Celtic secure a fifth consecutive league win on Sunday against Rangers, said: "It's obviously a team that is in a good place, the best place they've been for a long time. But also a team that suddenly have a lot to lose, which can maybe also affect the mental state of the game.

"There will be momentum shifts in the game from start to finish and we need to deal with that emotional state of the game as well."

Askou has moulded his players into a team with no inferiority complex against the top three. They beat Celtic in December, have taken five points against Rangers, and have drawn three times with Hearts.

"It's something that has helped us, especially at Ibrox last time, also against Hearts the other day," the Dane said.

"I am confident that it will also give us an advantage that we have practised that again, and again, and again when we played the big teams, to really try to be ourselves all the way through.

"I trust the players that they will be able to show their best side, not only technically and physically but also mentally.

"Obviously, it's a combination of the mental part and then the tactical approach that they have to suit each other and enhance each other.

"If we tell them not to take risks or show fear from the leadership perspective and don't trust them or react very emotionally and frustrated when we don't succeed, and still tell them to do it, then they're going to be in a place where they get confused and insecure.

"Obviously, when the big mistakes have been there – and they have been there – then it's about considering them and addressing them as mistakes for growth.

"That has been extremely important to keep looking at how to develop and how to use that going forward into making either better decisions or just improving the situations, the execution.

"Time will tell over the last couple of games how far we've come, and especially [on Wednesday] which is probably the biggest test so far of them all."