Jens Berthel Askou is confident his Motherwell side will make further progress with the help of returning players after his injury-hit team’s unbeaten run came to an end at Celtic Park.

Well were on course for a first win at Celtic Park since 2015 after Apostolos Stamatelopoulos hit a double either side of half-time but the Steelmen eventually fell to a 3-2 defeat following Daizen Maeda’s stoppage-time header.

It was a first defeat for Askou as Motherwell boss and it ended a 14-match unbeaten run, the club’s longest as a top-flight team since 1952.

“I think this team will grow,” said the Dane, who was without 10 players.

“We’ve had a lot of our really big players, who were really important players for us in the beginning of the season, out for a while.

“We’ve had good results and strong performances in that period and I’m confident with them coming back over the next week or so that we will have even more firepower for the next period, and especially the next time we play Celtic.”

Motherwell will remain without long-term absentees Sam Nicholson, Filip Stuparevic, Eseosa Sule, Jordan McGhee and Zach Robinson when they face Falkirk on October 18.

But Stephen Welsh will return after missing...