In common West of Scotland tongue, to say someone is a pure ‘heid the baw’ is probably not the most flattering way to describe a subject. Having said that, in a literal sense it is quite appropriate in this instance when discussing how Mark McGhee attempts to get into the minds of his Motherwell players.

The Fir Park manager spoke in the wake of Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock of his concern over self-confidence in his camp. Five defeats from six games will do that to the most outgoing of players. The fact his collective now sit in the Ladbrokes Premiership play-off place ahead of this evening’s trip to face bottom side Dundee United will do little to help matters.

Motherwell’s problems are more likely to be matters of the mind rather than the foot. After all, under McGhee’s stewardship this team went on a six game unbeaten run, a stretch that won their manager the manager of the month award. Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that the 58-year-old was keen to lift the spirits of his players ahead of what is a monumental match, even if his methods were bordering on the peculiar.

“We got them into gym and there was a wee bit of a head tennis competition which we all took part in,” said McGhee. “We were trying to lighten it up and get everyone looking each other in the eye again because there is that danger that people start to duck you.

“But we got them out of their shells again, we heard their voices and any feeling that there was tension was removed. We have also talked about how we are going to play so that gives them confidence that we can still do it regardless of Saturday and a few bad results before it.

“I think it was a team that including Samson, Leitch and Ainsworth that won it.”

Any Motherwell fan reading this concerned about how their side are approaching this match need not worry. It was clear from McGhee’s tone, and indeed the demeanour of him and his players on Saturday, that the gravity of the situation facing them is all to clear.

Of course, a win tonight would go a long way to ease the familiar feeling of panic that engulfed the club’s support last season creeping back in a year later. Not only would it open up a 15-point gap over United, but it would thrust Motherwell back into the chasing pack that are all within reach of top-six place.

“It’s a chance to move back out of the play-off spot and that’s important for us psychologically,” said McGhee. “We would need not to lose and that would be good for a start and then it might give us the plat form to push again.

“I didn’t mince my words on Saturday. We were abject and it was very disappointing. In previous matches while we had ourselves to blame to a degree we also felt we didn’t get the rub of the green or decisions from referees. But Saturday was none of that.

“My job know is to give the players belief that they can win the game. I need to give them a rationale where they go through the door and say ‘we can win tonight’.”

Meanwhile, while McGhee has designs on increasing the gap between Motherwell and United, Tannadice midfielder Ryan Dow is desperate to bridge the chasm.

“We need to keep winning or at least pick up points here and there. If you pick up a point and win the next game that turns it into a good point,” he said.

“If it goes to nine you are only three wins away and we are playing a lot of the teams down there once the split comes.

“We just need to narrow it down and win as many as we can.”