Anyone searching for the Motherwell vs Celtic standings usually wants to know two things: where each club sits in the Scottish Premiership table, and what that gap could mean when the teams meet. The two sides play at Fir Park on Sunday 11 October 2026 in round eight of the league. This guide gives you the current table positions, each club’s recent form, the head-to-head results from last season, and what to watch for on match day.
All figures below reflect the league table after the seventh round of games, played around 20 September 2026. A new table will appear once matches resume after the current break, so treat the numbers as a snapshot of where things stood on that date.
Current Standings: Celtic and Motherwell Side by Side
Celtic lead the Premiership after seven matches, while Motherwell sit in eighth place. That is a gap of ten points and twelve places in goal difference terms, but the early season table is very tight below the top three, so Motherwell are closer to the middle of the pack than the position suggests.
| Club | Position | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | 1st | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 4 | +10 | 18 |
| Motherwell | 8th | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 11 | -2 | 8 |
Celtic’s only defeat so far came at home to Rangers, which narrowed their lead at the top to two points. Motherwell have gathered their eight points from two wins, two draws and three defeats, and they share that total with St Johnstone, Aberdeen and Dundee United. In a table this close, one good weekend can move a team up several places, and one bad one can drop it just as far.
The Full Scottish Premiership Table
Here is the complete league table so you can see how the two clubs compare with everyone else.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | +10 | 18 |
| 2 | Rangers | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | +4 | 16 |
| 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | +6 | 13 |
| 4 | Dundee | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | +2 | 10 |
| 5 | St Mirren | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 10 |
| 6 | St Johnstone | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 8 |
| 7 | Aberdeen | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 8 |
| 8 | Motherwell | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 8 |
| 9 | Dundee United | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 8 |
| 10 | Hibernian | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 7 |
| 11 | Falkirk | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | -3 | 6 |
| 12 | Kilmarnock | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -9 | 5 |
How the Premiership Table Works
Understanding the format helps explain why every point matters. Twelve clubs play each other three times, which makes 33 matches each. The league then splits into two groups of six, with the top six fighting for the title and European places and the bottom six trying to avoid relegation. Each team plays the others in its group once more, so every club finishes with 38 games.
When two clubs finish level on points, the table is separated first by goal difference, then by goals scored, and after that by head-to-head results. This is why goal difference already matters this early in the season. Motherwell’s -2 currently places them just above Dundee United, who share the same total of points and the same goal difference but are ranked lower.
Celtic’s Form: Strong League Run, Some Recent Wobbles
Celtic began the season with six straight league wins, which is the longest winning run in the division so far. Manager Martin O’Neill has steered the team through a run that included a heavy 5-1 away win at Kilmarnock and clean-sheet victories over sides such as Dundee and Aberdeen. Captain Callum McGregor continues to anchor the midfield, and attackers such as Benjamin Nygren and Camilo Durán have both been among the early scorers.
The mood around the club has cooled a little in recent weeks, however. Celtic were knocked out of the League Cup by Rangers at Ibrox on 13 September, then lost 1-0 to the same opponents at Celtic Park in the league a week later. The team is also juggling European fixtures, including a midweek Europa League match against Ferencváros, which puts extra strain on the squad. Motherwell will know that Celtic have shown a few weaknesses when pressed hard in midfield.
Motherwell’s Form: A New Manager and an Uneven Start
Motherwell are adapting to a new era. Jens Berthel Askou, who guided the club to fourth place last season, left for Toulouse in May, and Alfred Johansson was appointed as his replacement on 18 June 2026. The squad has also changed. Goalkeeper Calum Ward, who kept 17 clean sheets last season and was named in the league’s team of the year, moved to Queens Park Rangers in July, and midfielders Elliot Watt and Elijah Wood have also departed.
The results so far show a team still finding its balance. Motherwell have beaten Dundee United 3-0 at Fir Park and won 2-1 away at Hibernian, and they have drawn 0-0 with Falkirk and 3-3 at St Mirren. Their defeats came against Aberdeen (a 4-0 home loss on 15 September), Rangers and Dundee. Austrian midfielder Lukas Fadinger has been one of the brighter performers, with three goals and two assists in the opening weeks, and Paul McGinn remains the club captain.
Head-to-Head: What Happened Last Season
The most useful guide to this fixture is how the two clubs did against each other last term, and it makes interesting reading. They met four times in the 2025-26 Premiership, and Celtic won three of them.
| Date | Match | Result |
|---|---|---|
| October 2025 | Celtic vs Motherwell | Celtic 3-2 |
| 30 December 2025 | Motherwell vs Celtic | Motherwell 2-0 |
| 14 March 2026 | Celtic vs Motherwell | Celtic 3-1 |
| 13 May 2026 | Motherwell vs Celtic | Celtic 3-2 |
Across those four games Celtic scored nine goals and Motherwell scored seven, so Motherwell were rarely out of the contest. The December win at Fir Park was a major result, because it added to the pressure on Celtic’s then manager Wilfried Nancy, who left the club in early January. The May meeting was even more dramatic. Celtic needed a result at Fir Park to keep their title hopes alive, and their 3-2 win set up a final-day decider against Hearts, which they won 3-1 to claim a fifth straight league title.
Fir Park also carries a famous memory for Celtic supporters and for Martin O’Neill in particular. On 22 May 2005, on the last day of that season, Motherwell won 2-1 at home while Rangers won at Hibernian, and the title went to Ibrox in a day fans still call Helicopter Sunday. O’Neill was Celtic’s manager then, and he spoke ahead of last May’s game about how familiar the ground still felt.
Last Season’s Final Table
Looking back at the 2025-26 finish gives useful context for the current standings. Celtic won the title with 82 points from 38 games, two ahead of Hearts. Motherwell finished fourth on 61 points, their best league position in years, and earned a place in the Conference League qualifiers. Their forward Tawanda Maswanhise finished as the league’s top scorer with 17 goals, which shows how well the club performed under Askou.
Motherwell therefore arrive at this match as a proven top-four side that has made a slow start, rather than a team fighting relegation. That is worth remembering when comparing the two positions in the table.
Match Details: Motherwell vs Celtic, 11 October 2026
The game takes place at Fir Park, Motherwell, which holds 13,677 spectators, and the scheduled kick-off is 12:00 UK time on Sunday 11 October 2026, which is 11:00 UTC. The Sunday lunchtime slot means fans should check their local time carefully. Kick-off times can be moved for television coverage, so it is sensible to confirm the time on the official club or league websites nearer the date.
What to Watch For
Motherwell’s best chance lies in the home crowd and in the way they beat Celtic last December, with a compact defence and quick attacks. Their back line has conceded eleven goals in seven games, though, so they will need to tighten up against a Celtic attack that has scored fourteen. For Celtic, the priority is to rebuild confidence after two derby defeats in eight days and to protect a narrow lead over Rangers. A win would take them to 21 points, while a Motherwell victory would lift the home side to 11 points and possibly into the top half.
Because the league table is so close below the top three, the result could change the picture for several clubs. Fans who follow the standings should also keep an eye on the games around it, since Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Johnstone are all level with Motherwell on points.
How to Follow the Standings Live
The league table updates after every round of matches, so the numbers in this article will change. The most reliable places to check current positions are the official Scottish Professional Football League website, the clubs’ own websites, and major sports apps that show live tables during matches. Compare the points column first, then goal difference, since those two measures decide most tie-breaks in the Premiership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is higher in the table, Motherwell or Celtic?
Celtic are first with 18 points, and Motherwell are eighth with 8 points, based on the table after seven matches.
When do Motherwell and Celtic play next?
They meet at Fir Park on Sunday 11 October 2026 in the Scottish Premiership.
Who won when they last played?
Celtic won 3-2 at Fir Park on 13 May 2026.
How many points separate the two clubs?
Ten points, though this will change after the next round of matches.
Disclaimer
The standings, results and match details in this article were checked against publicly available league and club information at the time of writing and reflect the position after the seventh round of the 2026-27 Scottish Premiership. League tables, fixtures and kick-off times change often, so please confirm the latest details on official club and league websites before making plans. This article is for information only and is not betting or financial advice.