Motherwell manager Graham Alexander was not surprised by Celtic’s derby performance in midweek but he will not change his approach for Sunday’s clash at Fir Park.
Celtic won 3-0 against Rangers on Wednesday and Alexander said he was expecting that sort of display from Ange Postecoglou’s side.
Celtic went top of the cinch Premiership after sweeping Gers aside in the first half with the type of fast, attacking football that Postecoglou demands.
“For me, the performance on Wednesday wasn’t a surprise,” Alexander said.
“I don’t see why anyone else was surprised. Obviously it was an Old Firm game but Celtic have been performing like that for a good few months to be honest with their intensity, their passing and how they play.
“Watching the game, it wasn’t really a surprise how they played. They were very good but we knew that anyway.
“My feeling after Wednesday was probably the same as it was on Wednesday morning, that Sunday is going to be a tough game but we have to plan to try to win it.
“We always set up to try to win games of football every week against every opponent.”
Alexander, whose team remain fourth after their midweek draw against St Mirren, added: “We are well aware of all the team’s qualities that we come up against. Some are a higher level than others but they are all extremely tough games.
“I don’t think any of the players are going to be surprised by what we speak about when we are planning for the game. I don’t think they are going to be wondering what we are going to be doing.
“They will understand that we always try to play in our way and we always talk about winning games of football, we never talk about anything else.”
Motherwell have not lost at Fir Park since October and have won 10 home games this season in all competitions.
Celtic will know all about Motherwell’s form on their own turf but Alexander does not believe that, or their derby win, will influence the visitors’ approach.
“Celtic are in a great vein of form and will be very buoyed by the other night because of the history of the fixture and how they played,” he said.
“But what I see from Celtic is that they respect all the opponents. I think they go into every game to play their way, they have done that since the manager came in.
“Our home record is good, it’s something for us to defend and enhance if we can by winning again and again.
“The players have done really well at Fir Park and the supporters have been brilliant with us as well to help us achieve those results, they have made it a great atmosphere for us to compete.
“We are going to have to bring all those things on Sunday. I think the atmosphere will be brilliant and my players have always always responded to that sort of environment.
“I think Celtic will respect us as well and know that we will try not to take a backward step.
“We will try and approach the game in the same way we have approached all the other home games because results speak for themselves and we want to win.”
