FORMER Celtic skipper Stephen McManus reckons Motherwell will be ready for the challenge in their Premiership encounter at Parkhead tomorrow.
The Fir Park side were hammered 5-0 in the Betfred League Cup in the east end of Glasgow earlier in the season, but is confident they can get something on this occasion.
McManus said: “We had a good week in preparation. Obviously, the manager, Mark McGhee, was away with Scotland, but James McFadden took training which was good.
“We had a tough, high intensity week which was just to get our head right for a hard game against Celtic.
“It’s been a good break for us and Saturday is going to be a difficult one for us, but at the same time we have nothing to lose.
“You kind of base it on the last two games that you play against teams and those are the last game of last season and the Cup match this season.”
The 34-year-old central defender looked back at the 7-0 thumping on the final day of the campaign which brought down the curtain on Ronny Deila’s two-year reign as Hoops boss.
McManus added: “Not a lot was riding on the match for us and that gave Celtic the ability to play on the front foot and it was a case of once the game’s done, the season is done, so I don’t think we were properly at it that day.
”We then played against them in the League Cup and our boys were at it 100 per cent, but we couldn’t get near Celtic that night.
“They were moving the ball at a tempo, they were passing it to hurt you, they were looking to penetrate and they were keeping possession to score goals.
“I think there’s a big, big difference this season and it’s clear for everyone to see.
”However, we can go there and play with freedom, be relaxed and, of course, we need to be very well organised, which, hopefully, we will be on Saturday.
“We’ll give it our best shot and on the day anything can happen. We know how difficult it’s going to be but we certainly believe we can get something out of the game.”
