Motherwell boss Graham Alexander has played down the personal aspect of a first dugout meeting with close friend Callum Davidson.

Alexander and the St Johnstone manager’s friendship dates back 20 years from being on Scotland duty together and when they were Preston team-mates, with their coaching careers starting out at the same time in 2005.

The Scottish Premiership clash at Fir Park on Saturday will be the first time the two men have faced each other in the technical area but Alexander insists his focus is only on his players.

The Well boss, looking for his side to bounce back from their 4-1 home defeat to Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton last week, said: “I didn’t plan on having any contact (with Callum) this week but I went to watch St Mirren the other day and we bumped into each other in the car park and we sat five seats away from each other.

“We had a chat about things that have gone on previously but nothing with regards Saturday’s game.

“We are both competitive professionals, we have spent a lot of time together over the last years.

“We were room-mates and we competed against each other in head tennis, pool and stuff like that and believe me, we both want to beat each other so I don’t think tomorrow will be any different.

“But it is not a personal battle between me and Callum, it is not who can outsmart the other.

“All I want to see is my team play how we train. That is my only focus. If we play like we train and don’t get a result, I can deal with that.

“It’s when we don’t get the result and we don’t play like we train, that is when I’m not happy because I think it is wasted work and I don’t like to waste work.

“We all do our analysis and due diligence on the opposition.

“I think we all have our own ideas, some managers like to change things for the opposition, some don’t like to and focus on themselves, so there is different aspects to it.

“His team and formation has been pretty settled, we have been pretty settled in the last seven or eight games. For me, the focus has to be just on how my team performs.”