Good afternoon and welcome to the live commentary of the SPL clash between Celtic and Motherwell.

Neil Lennon will be looking for a response from his side following their narrow defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League in midweek despite them putting in a solid performance.

The Bhoys are performing well in the SPL and have dropped just two points this season. They are tied at the top of the table with Inverness Caledonian Thistle but have a game in hand on them.

Motherwell are also flying high in the SPL and are third in the table following their 3-1 victory over Ross County last week. Stuart McCall's side are unbeaten in their last six games since their defeat to Inverness in the second week of the campaign.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon believes that his side's clash with Barcelona as given them a real hunger and motivation to produced their best football, week in, week out, he told BBC Sport: "When you have been competing against the best teams and challenging them, it gives you a great lift. The players came in today and the quality of training was exceptional. They have had a look at what the top level of football really is and they are not far away and they will get a huge lift out of that so in terms of motivating for the game, I don't think they will have much of a problem."

Motherwell boss Stuart McCall is wary of the task that faces his side this afternoon, he told BBC Sport: "We have managed to beat them at home three times but it's a tough place to go. Since I have been at the club, this is the only ground we have not got anything from. We have had three 1-0 defeats there and pushed them close. But we have to go there with no fear. We are on a decent little run ourselves, the lads are playing with confidence and it's a great place to go and play football."

The team news has just been announced and we'll begin with the home side.

CELTIC STARTING XI: Forster, Lustig, Ambrose, Van Dijk, Izaguirre, Matthews, Brown, Mulgrew, Commons, Stokes, Pukki.

CELTIC SUBS: Zaluska, Biton, Balde, Kayal, Atajic, Forrest, Henderson.

MOTHERWELL STARTING XI: Hollis, Hammell, Ramsden, Hutchinson, McManus, Sutton, Vigurs, Lasley, Carswell, Francis-Angol, Ainsworth.

MOTHERWELL SUBS:Nielsen, Lawson, Cummins, McHugh, Kerr, Moore, Anier

Celtic have made one change from their side that lost to Barcelona. Teemu Pukki comes into the starting lineup to replace Giorgos Samaras who misses out due to illness.

Motherwell have made two changes to their team that beat Ross County last week. James McFadden and Henri Anier miss out due to injury and are replaced in the lineup by Lionel Ainsworth and Iain Vigurs.

Expect Lennon's side to line up in a 4-4-2 formation with Pukki and Stokes leading the line. The Bhoys' boss has kept faith with skipper Scott Brown despite his dismissal against Barcelona and he will anchor the midfield alongside Mulgrew, with Matthews and Commons operating on the wing. Fraser Forster will be hoping for a quieter game than the one he had in midweek, as he looks to boost his England chances.

Motherwell will lineup like for like with Celtic in a 4-4-2 formation. Their attack will be led by Ainsworth and Sutton, with McHugh in support down the flank. Vigurs and Lansley will anchor the midfield in front of the back four.

PREDICTION: Games between these two sides are usually close and this one will be no different, but expect Celtic to edge it just in 2-1 victory, to move back to the summit of the SPL.

The players should be making their way onto the pitch shortly, so we should be underway soon.

We're underway at Celtic Park.

The home side are quickly into their rhythm in these early stages as they seem confident knocking the ball around their midfield without pressing the Motherwell defence so far.

CHANCE! Izaguirre does well to get down the left and he lifts a cross to the backpost, which evades the handes of Hollis, Stokes and then Brown try to turn the ball in but their efforts are blocked by two Motherwell defenders and Hollis gathers.

The home side are dominating possession at the moment and Commons has seen a lot of the ball but they're lacking that penetration they need in the final third of the pitch as the visitors are pushing them back with vigour.

Matthews raids forward and drives into the box, the ball is in front of him and Lasley gets back to make a hefty challenge knocking the ball behind for a corner. The winger looks in some discomfort as he appeared to land on his shoulder.

From the resulting McCall's side clear the danger with ease as Ramsden heads away. Meanwhile a stretcher has been called for Matthews as he appears to have sustained a serious injury.

SUBSTITUTION: James Forrest replaces Matthews on the wing.

Celtic build down the left and Commons squares the ball to find Mulgrew, he takes his time to find an opening but is eventually crowded out before he can get an effort away.

CHANCES! Brown races through on goal but the Motherwell defence get back at him and instead of shooting he lifts a cross to the backpost where Stokes heads at goal, but his effort is blocked but only as far as Commons but he blasts his shot over the bar.

Celtic take the lead and Stokes gets the breakthrough as he rifles the ball in from close range after Lustig collected Brown's pass and raided down the right, he crossed into the area and Commons left the ball for the striker to slot in.

CHANCE! Forrest's turn down get down the right and threaten and he lifts a cross into the area and Commons gets his head on the ball but he can't direct his header on target.

The home side are in complete control of the match and the moment and look like they're in the mood to get two or three at this rate.

SAVE! Van Dijk finds the run of Commons with a through ball, playing the midfielder through on goal but his left-footed effort is well saved by Hollis. Forrest comes in with the follow up but McManus clears his shot off the line.

Pukkis thinks he's through on goal as Brown plays a through ball to play him behind the Motherwell defence but the flag is raised for offside.

First real foray forward for the visitors as Van Dijk is forced to turn Ainsworth's low cross into the penalty area behind for a corner. The cross comes in from the right and is cleared but only as far as Vigurs who shoots but his effort is well blocked by Ambrose.

CHANCE! Celtic have had a lot of success down the flanks in the half and Izaguirre repeats this feat as he raids down the left and cuts inside on his right foot, 20 yards from goal he strikes the ball towards the target but his shot goes just wide of the post.

Izaguirre and Pukki linkup this time down the left with a neat one-two and the left-back raids down towards the bye-line and looks to hit Stokes in the area with a cross but his delivery is poor and the ball goes out for a goal kick.

Ainsworth pushes forward down the right and tries to take the ball past Izaguirre but he gets clattered by the left-back and the visitors win a free kick. The winger appears to be hurt and is forced to go off for treatment.

Lasley whips in the free kick from the right but the Bhoys have no problem clearing the danger as Van Dijk gets up highest in the area to head the ball away.

Celtic seem quite content to sit on their lead as the half draws to a close as they're not committing as many men forward as they were in the opening 35 minutes or so.

Just when you say that, Stokes breaks forward down the left and he pushes over the half-way line, he takes a touch to beat Lasley and strikes a vicious right-footed shot at goal but McManus puts his body on the line to block the ball.

Celtic spurn a great chance for a breakaway as Forrest came away with the ball with several Motherwell players caught upfield, he played a one-two with Pukki but the return pass from the striker was overhit and the ball went out for a goal kick.

Francis-Angol gets down the left for the visitors he loops a cross into the box and Van Dijk heads clear but only as far as Ainsworth on the edge of the area, he shoots on the volley but his effort flies well over the bar.

Celtic have the lead at the break and they fully deserve that advantage as they've dominated the first half. If anything they should be further ahead but their finishing hasn't quite been there today bar Stokes's goal.

The visitors have offered very little going forward and are content to hit the Bhoys on the break when they can, which hasn't been very often. Defensively they've been under the cosh and have held up well against the pressure with some good blocks from the likes of Ramsden and McManus. They'll need to play with more attacking freedom in the second half to get back into this one though.

SPL Scores: Dundee Utd 0-0 Kilmarnock, Hearts 0-1 St Mirren, Ross County 0-0 Aberdeen, St Johnstone 2-0 Inverness.

Big news for Celtic and Motherwell is that league leaders Inverness are losing away at St Johnstone. If Lennon's side hold on here, they'll return to the summit of the SPL.

We're back underway at Celtic Park.

CHANCE! Forrest finds space down the right and drives forward into the Motherwell half, he cuts inside on his left foot and drills an effort at goal but Hollis there to make the save.

Celtic double their lead as Commons drives through the middle of the Motherwell defence with a brilliant solo goal, he beats the challenges of McManus then Lasley and lifts his shot over Hollis into the net.

The Bhoys are in full control of this game now and look set to add to their tally this afternoon. Motherwell don't have an answer at the minute.

Van Dijk surges forward from the back and gets to the edge of the area and he blasts an effort at goal but Hammell gets in the way of the goalbound shot with a great block.

CHANCE! Hollis keeps his side in the game with a fine save with his feet to deny Forrest from close range after Ambrose had moved up from the back and squared to ball to Commons, who jinked inside the area and teed up the winger.

CHANCE! Forrest is having his way down the right and he carves out yet another opening for Lennon's side, as he beats his man and fires a cross into the area, where he finds Stokes, but the striker can only slice his shot over the bar.

That was an absolute sitter from Stokes, hopefully he won't come to regret that miss!

Ainsworth goes down again off the ball and it looks as though he is going to be forced off with his injury.

The visitors have a chance to threaten from a corner after Anier does well down the right. He takes the corner himself but Mulgrew gets up highest in the penalty area and clears the danger.

Motherwell have come into the game slightly in the past few minutes but can't get any penetration into the Celtic box at the moment.

Celtic are trying to take the pace out of the game at the minute and seem content just to knock the ball around the midfield to keep McCall's side out of the match.

Celtic work the ball nicely down the left again as Brown, Izaguirre and Commons exchange passes before the latter takes the ball through the middle and drives at goal, he shoots from 25 yards out with his right foot but his effort sails miles over the bar.

Commons is at the heart of yet another Celtic attack and he creates room for Forrest with a lovely bit of skill with a back heeled pass but the winger takes a touch and before he can shoot he's crowded out.

A half chance for Motherwell as the Bhoys clear their lines from a corner as Ambrose heads away but his clearance goes only as far as Anier, who drills a low effort at goal, which looks to be on target but Van Dijk makes a crucial block to divert his shot away from goal.

Stokes finds space inside the area and tries to beat Hutchinson with some skill, he manages to create a yard to find a shot but his effort is blocked by the covering McManus.

Celtic are looking dangerous on the break as Forrest gets the ball on the right and picks out Commons with a wonderful crossfield pass and the winger advances down the left and tries to find Stokes at the back post but he overhits his cross and it goes out for goal kick.

Lasley whips a dangerous cross into the penalty area but as ever Van Dijk is there to clear the danger. Lasley knocks the ball back into the area but this time Forster is there to jump through a crowd of players to claim the ball.

CHANCE! Lasley whips another corner in and Forster punches the ball clear but only as far as Anier, who drills an effort at goal but Van Dijk is there to clear the ball away from goal.

SAVE! Sutton almost gets a goal back to make the last five minutes an interesting affair but his low shot is fantastically saved by Forster as he somehow gets his hand to the ball and the striker can only turn his shot wide on the rebound.

A late surge by Motherwell but they can't get on the scoresheet thanks to some excellent defending by Van Dijk and Ambrose and fantastic keeping from Forster, who is doing his England claims no harm at all.

There will be three minutes of added time.

Celtic record a comfortable win at Celtic Park over Motherwell and as a result move back to the top of the SPL after Inverness slipped to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of St Johnstone.

The Bhoys fully deserved their win this afternoon as they outclassed McCall's side from start to finish and goals from Stokes and Commons were enough to guide them to victory.

Motherwell were far from their best this afternoon and barely tested the home side bar the last five minutes when Sutton came close but forced a brilliant save from Forster. McCall will not be pleased with his side but given their start to the season can't be overly critical.

SPL Scores: Dundee Utd 1-0 Kilmarnock, Hearts 0-2 St Mirren, Ross County 1-0 Aberdeen, St Johnstone 4-0 Inverness.

Thanks for joining our commentary this afternoon, for a comprehensive report of the game, click here, until the next SPL game goodbye.