Motherwell may turn to Tony Watt against St Mirren

Tony Watt could make his first start for Motherwell in the Ladbrokes Premiership game against St Mirren at Fir Park on Saturday.

Chris Long is out with a thigh injury and Mikael Ndjoli has a knee problem which he will have scanned.

Another Well striker, Christy Manzinga, is suspended after being sent off against St Johnstone in midweek.

Watt, 26, signed for the Fir Park club last Friday on a deal until the end of the season after leaving CSKA Sofia in January.

The former Celtic attacker has come off the bench twice but could lead the line from kick-off quicker than Stephen Robinson anticipated.

The Motherwell boss said: "Chris Long won't be available, probably be out for a couple of weeks.

"Unfortunately Mikael Ndjoli, whom we thought would get a little run in the side now, got injured in training.

"He felt a lot better this morning which is positive but we will get a scan.

"So we have to make a decision whether Tony Watt is ready to start the game.

"I don't feel he quite is but needs must and we have young Ross Maciver, who certainly didn't let us down against Hibs and he can get better and better.''

Motherwell have not won in their last five games and face a double-header against St Mirren after their William Hill Scottish Cup tie in Paisley ended in a 1-1 draw, with the replay at Fir Park on Tuesday night.

Robinson is still smarting from the late 2-1 defeat at McDiarmid Park in midweek which dropped the Steelmen into fourth place behind Aberdeen on goal difference.

However, the Northern Irishman stressed that Well could leapfrog the Dons on Saturday, with Derek McInnes' side playing leaders Celtic on Sunday.

Robinson said: "We know that we are a good side, that's not changing.

"We know that we have very good players and we obviously want to get a win again.

"When we played St Mirren last time, we were flying, we were the best team in the world, apparently.

"Now we will probably be the worst team in the world with the negative voices that seem to get louder all of a sudden.

"But I said to the boys that we are not interested in outside noise, we will concentrate on doing what we are doing.

"I said to them to remember how good a side we are. We are not doing a whole lot wrong, we are being punished for little things at the moment.

"We are not going to rip up the script, not ripping up what we have done.

"We are a very good side and we will continue to prove that and will come back out the other side.''

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