CRAIG SAMSON is looking to the lessons of the past to teach Motherwell that they have what it takes to be the first side to domestically beat Celtic this season.

The Ladbrokes Premiership champions and now Betfred Cup holders come to Fir Park in today's early kick aiming to continue their dominant start in the Scottish top flight and potentially stretch their lead at the top of the table to potentially 10 points with three games in hand over Hearts and Rangers.

That formidable form is not a deterrent or warning for Samson, though.

The Motherwell goalkeeper was on the bench a year ago when Mark McGhee's team stunned Parkhead to claim a 2-1 victory. On top of that, he was the man between the St Mirren sticks back in January 2013 as the side from Paisley claimed an historic 3-2 League Cup semi-final win over Celtic.

Samson recognises the talent in Brendan Rodgers' squad, as well the run that has catapulted them into the lead.

Yet he remains steadfast in his belief that claiming a positive result is not beyond today's hosts, and said:

“We went into that game when no-on thought we’d win it and it would be a formality that Celtic would get to the final and probably go on and win it," said the 32-year-old of that day at Hampden almost four years ago.

“But you can beat them, it’s not as if nobody in Scotland can beat them.

“They are a very, very good side and they’ve done great this year.

“But Motherwell went and beat them last year at Parkhead and everyone thought we wouldn’t beat them but we won 2-1, although it was a different Celtic team under a different manager.

“But that’s something we can look at and say that we did go there and beat them and hopefully we can go and win at our own stadium on Saturday."

While those shot stoppers that stand in the way of Messi, Suarez and Neymar probably have the scariest job in world football, on a domestic front Samson's job is a pretty unenviable one.

Scott Sinclair may be out for the Hoops today but he still has to deal with the free-scoring Moussa Dembele.

He said: “Goalkeepers are busy and in some games you’ll make loads of saves and others you won’t. It really depends on the type of game.

“This league is that tight that you could go into the game playing against anybody and have a game where you’re really busy and then the following the week you really don’t have saves to make.

“So that’s the challenge as a goalkeeper you’ve got keep yourself mentally right."

Motherwell could strengthen their hold in the top six today if they claim a surprise victory, and Samson added: “The incentive for all of us is looking at the table and seeing where we are.

“We’re not looking at Celtic to be honest, we’re sitting in sixth place on 15-points and the team that’s bottom is on 13.

“So our target is to get points on the board and stabilise ourselves in the top six and be as high up the table as we can."