Motherwell succumbed to a Hearts comeback for the second time at Tynecastle this season, only this time there was no 3-3 draw but a 3-1 defeat.
The visitors at times outplayed the Scottish Premiership leaders but are left without a win in five games.
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is disappointed with the penalty decision that allowed Lawrence Shankland to put Hearts in front in their 3-1 defeat at Tynecastle.
He compared it with an incident last week involving his own forward, Tawanda Maswanhise.
"We keep getting strange calls and decisions against us," he tells BBC Scotland. "I think it's a shame when it gets decided on a moment like that.
"I think the incident last week with Maswanihse would give a penalty an endless amount of more times in a normal world than the incident today."
Askou conceded that his Motherwell side fell short in making the best of their chances at Tynecastle.
"The game began lively, a little tactical and Hearts sitting off goalkeeper Calum [Ward] and giving him time on the ball," he said.
"It took us 10-15 minutes to decide how we dealt with that and from there I thought we got more and more control of the game.
"They had their moments, especially on set plays, but in second half we started bright and we took control and created moments when we had to.
"I thought we were on top and the better team and then we didn't take the moments we had.
"That's obviously what separates the best from the second best over a season."
Image source, SNSHearts centre-half Stuart Findlay returns after six weeks out with a calf injury.
But Birmingham City loanee Marc Leonard is suspended, while fellow midfielder Tomas Magnusson will have a thigh injury assessed to see if he will play any further part this season.
Calem Nieuwenhof, Ageu and Craig Gordon remain out.
Motherwell hope to have forward Eythor Bjorgolfsson and defender Liam Gordon back after minor injuries, while striker Callum Hendry is available after a three-month absence.
But Regan Charles-Cook and Zach Robinson remain out.
David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSLukas Fadinger says almost every Motherwell player has improved under manager Jens Berthel Askou and hopes the Dane is still at the helm next season.
The 25 year-old Austrian midfielder joined the club days after Askou's predecessor Michael Wimmer left the club. Three weeks after the German's departure, Berthel Askou took over.
This season, Fadinger has made 38 appearances across all competitions and has scored three goals and set up a further two.
"He gives us so much during the week [at training]," Fadinger said.
"So many solutions, technical stuff, but also working against the ball. I think you can see it in almost every player. I think every player has improved during this time."
On their way to a top-six finish, Motherwell and Askou have attracted praise for their style of play, and Askou has attracted attention too.
Fandinger, who has a year left on his contract, says he's not alone in hoping that the Dane is prized away from Fir Park by any potential suitor.
"I think everyone [here] is hoping that," he added.
Despite a four-match winless run, Fadinger remains confident that Motherwell are strong enough to end that streak and finish in the top four.
That would guarantee the Steelmen a place in the Europa Conference League qualifiers for next season.
"I can see the squad in the training sessions every day and we work the same way and with the same quality," he said.
"So I'm very optimistic. We haven't been happy with the results recently. But I'm still very positive that we can turn it around again.
"Maybe we haven't been on the top level in some games recently, I think there have also been some 50-50 situations that haven't gone our way. If you combine these two things, then those results happen.
"But still, we always have good chances in the game to win or to take a draw. So if we change those little things, I think I'm very positive that we'll win again."
Motherwell forward Elijah Just, 25, is on a list of Rangers transfer targets. (Record - subscription required), external
Hearts will go out to attack Motherwell on Saturday. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription required), external
Image source, SNSClaudio Braga's 13 Scottish Premiership goals this season have been worth 12 points to Hearts, the most of any player for any side in the division this term. However, only four of those 13 strikes have come at home (30.8%).
Motherwell have lost three of their last four league games (D1), as many as their first 28 of the season beforehand (W14 D11 L3). They have conceded as many goals in these last four league matches as they did in their prior 21 beforehand (eight).
Hearts have won each of their last four home league games by the same 1-0 scoreline; it's the first time any Scottish top-flight side has had four successive home league matches end in the exact same score since Aberdeen had four straight 0-0 draws from May to September 2012, while no side has had five consecutive identical home results in the division in the 21st century.
Motherwell have won just one of their last nine league visits to Hearts (D2 L6), a 1-0 victory in September 2023 under Stuart Kettlewell.
Hearts are unbeaten in five league meetings with Motherwell (W2 D3), keeping four clean sheets. It's their longest such unbeaten run against the Steelmen since going eight without defeat from April 2005 to September 2007.
David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou has been speaking to the media before his side travel to face Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts on Saturday.
Here are the key lines:
Askou thinks the split is "really cool" and says the format is better than Denmark's top flight, where the split comes after 22 games - he feels that is too early.
The Dane says the upcoming schedule is a really important phase for the growth of the club. Given the strength of the top six, he doesn't think any team in the top half will win all of their post-split games.
Askou hasn't set a points target for finishing fourth but says Motherwell will go out to win every game.
The Motherwell boss says he hasn't spoken to the Scottish FA's head of refereeing Willie Collum about contentious decisions in last weekend's defeat by Falkirk. He says he leaves that to the club's chief executive Brian Caldwell.
Askou accepts mistakes will happen and there is no point in drawing things out.
On plans for Motherwell to build their own training facility at Dalziel Park, Askou says he has had a lot of input into the project: "You have to look at what will benefit the club in the long term - investing in infrastructure, facilities, but still making sure we invest in what we need right now to lift the first team."
Saturday's trip to Hearts presents a "big challenge" and Askou hopes it will be more like the 3-3 draw at Tynecastle in August, rather than the goalless draw at Fir Park in November, which he says was more tactical.
Team news: Liam Gordon and Callum Hendry are back in full training, while Askou didn't rule out a weekend return for Eythor Bjorgolfsson. Regan Charles-Cook will be back in training next week.
Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSMotherwell are looking to build their own training facility at Dalziel Park
Plans for a new Motherwell training facility have emerged on North Lanarkshire Council's website.
Dalziel Park has long served the Fir Park club, but they are now looking to construct their own complex on the site for their first team and academy.
Motherwell currently have use of three pitches on the land but have to travel two miles to their Fir Park stadium to access their own changing facilities and offices.
Files from their planning application, which has been validated and is now at the consultation stage, show drawings of a new two-storey building, including a gym, canteen, and analysis suites.
The Lanarkshire club are also proposing plans to upgrade floodlighting and install a new synthetic surface.
Motherwell are on a sound financial footing after the record sale of Scotland midfielder Lennon Miller to Udinese last summer.
The team are pushing to qualify for European football next season under the guidance of manager Jens Berthel Askou, with key players such as Tawanda Maswanhise attracting transfer attention in recent months.
Danish coach Askou has spoken of his desire to progress the club on and off the pitch as they aim to secure a fourth-placed finish in the Scottish Premiership, and upgraded training facilities would be a step in the right direction.
Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou, who has been linked with the vacancy at Celtic, insists he is planning on building on this season's success next term. (Scottish Sun), external
Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full
Sportscene analysis: Should Motherwell have had penalty against Falkirk?
Watch Sportscene pundit Michael Stewart analyse forward Tawanda Maswanhise's appeal for a penalty in Motherwell's defeat to Falkirk on Saturday.
Available in UK only
Watch all the highlights as Falkirk edge past Motherwell.
We asked for your views on Motherwell's 3-2 defeat against Falkirk.
Here's what some of you said:
Crawford: Looked to be a yard off the pace all over the pitch, and we missed Callum Slattery's presence. Jens Berthel Askou needs to tell them that they don't need to play every ball out from the back. Second goal was unforgivable from an easily avoidable situation. Sometimes it's just too predictable.
Alan: This was a disappointing display, having got back into it when we equalised. We handed the second goal to Falkirk by being far too casual in the penalty box when an old-fashioned punt up the field might have been better.
Falkirk deserved to win and have some very tidy players. We were too casual at times and seemed to lack concentration. Emphasis must now be to get a European spot which our efforts between October and now deserve.
Colin: Overall a poor performance, especially defensively. We haven't been playing as well or had as much possession in recent games. We have six hard games remaining and I fear we may not pick up any more points unless we have a bit more improvement and all the good work and performances earlier amount to nothing.
George: Sad to say, but Falkirk deserved this win. Disjointed performance and couldn't cope with their press, and our lightweight bench meant we had little to offer to change the game. Next few weeks are critical to our European ambitions.
David: The other teams in the league have realised how to deal with Motherwell. The man-to-man press that Falkirk put on us stopped us from creating chances. We badly need to be able to change our playing pattern when pressed.
James: Although the last few games have been disappointing, we're still fourth. Come on boys, keep your heads up, we can go again.
Falkirk emphatically secured their place in the top half of the Scottish Premiership as Motherwell's long home unbeaten record - stretching back to October - was broken.
Read the full match report here
Have your say on the game via this link
Image source, SNSMotherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou: "Falkirk deserve all the credit they've had.
"They're a brilliant football team and I put them up there among the best. Congratulations to them for the win and what they've achieved so far. I think they deserve it.
"In terms of intentions, willpower, work rate, our performance was good but there were a lot of moments where we should have been better. Both in attacking moments, leading to attacks, but also there were moments to score goals we didn't take but there were moments we lost the ball in critical places where we have to be better.
"When we play against the best then we need, sometimes, the things we cannot control to also go our way, so far this season that has not happened. I have been hoping that, eventually, it will go our way. There's a clear penalty on Tawanda Maswanhise. It is very clear Liam Henderson wipes him out. That's a clear penalty and a potential red card. After seven minutes we should have been 1-1. It was a massively decisive moment that, for some reason, they cannot get right.
"I think the penalty against Ibrahim Said is very debatable. I have seen situations like that many, many, many times where those situations haven't been given as a penalty.
"We can't get the penalty back now so there's no reason to start to ask for one.
"I know there are a lot of other clubs who can and will say the same. Our main focus for us is to try to improve and we try to not let this stop us.
"Many of the performances we've had lately have been similar to the performances where we've just succeeded in winning. We just haven't been as sharp in moments."
Image source, SNSMotherwell have lost Callum Slattery to suspension, but Emmanuel Longelo returns from a ban.
Regan Charles-Cook remains out alongside Johnny Koutroumbis (calf), Callum Hendry (groin) and Zach Robinson (Achilles).
Falkirk welcome back Liam Henderson and Kyrell Wilson from injury, while Ben Parkinson and Ross MacIver are both back training and have an outside chance of being involved.
Louie Marsh and Ethan Williams (both thigh) are out.
Image source, SNSJohnny Koutroumbis has signed a contract extension at Motherwell until summer 2028, with manager Jens Berthel Askou praising the Australian's "big impact on the team's development".
The 27-year-old full-back has recovered from an injury-ravaged first season at Fir Park to become a regular under Askou, making 29 appearances this term.
"He has adapted seamlessly to our new style in his natural position at right-back but has delivered equally impressive performances at left-back when needed there," Askou added.
"His strong defensive discipline combined with his relentless attacking runs with and without the ball are invaluable qualities in our team.
"Off the pitch his loyalty and social skills have proved vital when integrating new players from down under."
Koutroumbis says it was an "easy decision" to remain with the Steelmen.
"I'm so happy to stay at this club at a time when it's going in an exciting direction. Everything is in such a good place, and there is a lot of potential for us going forward," he said.
Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSMotherwell midfielder Oscar Priestman believes he has "improved enormously" as a player since singing for the Fir Park club last summer.
The Australian arrived on a three-year contract from Western Sydney Wanderers for an undisclosed fee and initially took time to adjust, making his first start in late November.
Priestman has been given more opportunities since the turn of the year as Motherwell have enjoyed an impressive Premiership campaign.
"I think it was a real learning curve when I first got here in terms of style of play, completely new country, new system, new team-mates," he explained.
"It was all really new but I think all the coaches, they've been really good in giving me really detailed instructions.
"I think I've improved enormously from where I was when I first came in so I just want to keep building on that and hopefully I can get better and better."
The 23 year-old Australian believes his confidence has grown as a result of the demands placed on the squad to play in an attractive manner, something he hopes will result in more starts in the season run-in.
"I think the system and the challenges it asks of you, especially playing out from the back and being really brave with the ball has really pushed me," he said.
"That's probably the biggest change I've had from back home where it was a bit more risk averse.
"I think I've seen big improvements from buying into that and I just hope it can keep getting better and better.
"It's obviously tough as a footballer when you're not playing and I maybe didn't play as much as I would have liked at the start of the year.
"It's been really nice to get some starts here and there and hopefully I can just keep pushing and pushing and become a really key player for this football club."
