Motherwell clash with Aberdeen to go ahead after illness subsides
Motherwell's Ladbrokes Premiership clash with Aberdeen will go ahead after the Lanarkshire club's flu crisis levelled off.
Well boss Mark McGhee revealed on Thursday that they might have to submit a request to the Scottish Professional Football League to postpone the game if more players were struck down by a bug.
But the club will be able to field a team against the title challengers.
Motherwell wrote on their official Twitter account: "Although some are still ill, majority of the squad (who are not injured) are in to train this morning ahead of Saturday's match with the Dons.
"On that basis, the club have informed the SPFL there will be no requests made and tomorrow's game vs the Dons is good to go."
Motherwell were forced to postpone a development league game against Celtic on Tuesday after the entire under-20s squad were laid low, and then six first-team players - including Chris Cadden and Ben Hall - showed symptoms on Wednesday.
McGhee already had Stephen Pearson (punctured lung) and Louis Laing (groin) ruled out and both Keith Lasley (thigh) and James McFadden (ankle) are major doubts, while Josh Law and Joe Chalmers have been carrying foot injuries.
But Motherwell go into the game on the back of a three-match winning run and are looking to extend their lead over seventh-placed Dundee to five points.
The Steelmen - who are set to become the first fan-owned club in the Premiership after Les Hutchison and the Well Society reached a deal to transfer his majority shareholding in the coming weeks - also host Celtic before the split and McGhee wants to face both title challengers again during the run-in.
"That for me is the thing," he said. "I would love to be in the shake-up.
"If we can have a flavour of being in contention then we can certainly be a thorn in people's flesh. I am up for that."
Aberdeen have had no such illness issues and Niall McGinn is already excited that European football will be returning to Pittodrie next season - but his focus is on ensuring it is Champions League action.
The draw between St Johnstone and Ross County on Wednesday night sealed Aberdeen's third consecutive season on the European stage, but they could still enter Europe's elite competition for the first time since 1985.
The Dons sit one point behind Premiership leaders Celtic ahead of their trip to flu-hit Motherwell.
And McGinn, who is leading the league assists chart with 11 to his name this season, is looking to test himself at a higher level yet again.
"I think over the last couple of years European football has been brilliant for the club," the 28-year-old said.
"We've done well, but I think last year when we went out we reached a round further, and that's what we want to do next year as well.
"It's exciting times for the club, and it's a great place to be playing our football, and long may that continue.
"It's obviously a nice place to be in where we don't know (which European competition Aberdeen will be playing in) yet. We'll just keep pushing."
The only injury concerns for the Dons are Peter Pawlett (arm) and Adam Rooney (thigh) while Frank Ross is likely to drop out of the squad with a thigh strain.
"We're ticking the games off one by one, we're in a good run of form at the moment," added McGinn.
"We just want to keep going, we're eager to go again come Saturday. Motherwell's been doing well as late. They're happy to play football, they're an attacking team.
"But we know we're capable of that as well, so it's all for being a good game come Saturday."
Source: PAR
