The Rugby Park outfit have performed superbly over the first half of the season and boast the best defensive record in the league.

Victory will put them just three points behind Rangers but manager Bobby Williamson is quick to squash any talk concerning championship aspirations.

"I don't set targets. These days, two or three bad results can get a football manager the sack, so looking that far forward has not merit whatsoever," he said.

Ally McCoist: A prolific goalscorer

"We've just got to concentrate on getting points from our matches and these Motherwell one is the first and therefore the most important of those at the moment."

Williamson awaits a fitness report on midfielder John Henry, who has been suffering from flu.

The prolonged absence of Jerome Vareille with a shoulder injury leaves him a straight choice between veteran Ally McCoist or Mark Roberts to partner Paul Wright in attack.

"A lot of people have been waiting for something to happen to us, expecting it to end, but we deserve to be where we are and we are heading in the right direction," said 'keeper Gordon Marshall.

Motherwell will make a late decision on their line-up, and boss Billy Davies has plenty of respect for the visitors.