Celtic will need all the help they can get when they welcome Motherwell to Parkhead this weekend. The Hoops will be full of confidence after having won against the Rangers at Ibrox. But that was not a brilliant performance from Martin O'Neill's side by any stretch of the imagination.

Truth be told, it has been quite some time since we saw Celtic at their best. For the most part, they have been scrapping by and squeezing out results, even when up against teams near or at the bottom of the table.

On the other hand, Motherwell have been one of the most impressive teams in the league this season. They have played some brilliant football while having the best defensive record in the Premiership.

There is a good reason why Jens Berthel Askou has been touted as Celtic's next manager and this weekend's Parkhead visit could be as good as an audition for him.

Unfortunately, Celtic will be without their captain when Motherwell come visiting. But there is some good news regarding Callum McGregor as well. While he won't be available this weekend, he is expected to be back soon after.

On the other hand, Kieran Tierney's availability for the game has been confirmed, further good news for Celtic. They will want to have two of their most experienced players and leaders available, as they aim to finish the season strong and win this title race ahead of Hearts and the Rangers.

According to STV News, O'Neill said when talking about the status of McGregor:  “Funny enough, Tim (Williamson), my physio, mentioned this to me earlier. There were rumours flying around that this is what it was. it’s got nothing to do with it. That was an Achilles injury, this is just a calf strain.

“He has done very well in recovery and we’d be hopeful for him for next week.”

Of course, that does give O'Neill something to think about when it comes to his midfield setup against Motherwell. They will not have McGregor on the day and controlling the middle of the park won't be simple without the captain, the club's most adept player at that job.

Celtic do have a number of options in midfield that O'Neill can go with, but filling McGregor's boots won't be simple, that is for sure.

Motherwell have given Celtic problems this season already. In their previous meeting at Parkhead, the Hoops came back from behind to win 3-2, needing a 92nd-minute winner from Daizen Maeda. Away at Fir Park, they lost 2-0.

The fans won't care how well they do against Motherwell at the weekend. What is important right now are the three points. Celtic have little scope for error and cannot slip up, as it will make the title race even more difficult than it already is.

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