Kilmarnock

With Aberdeen and now Kilmarnock, Derek McInnes has made life difficult for successive Rangers bosses, including securing a 1-0 win over Philippe Clement's side in October.

However, it's been far from plain sailing since that victory at Rugby Park, with just one triumph in the past six games.

Saturday's draw with Dundee at least ended a sequence of three losses but leaves the Ayrshire club a mere three points above bottom side Hearts.

Replicating last season's fourth-placed finish already appears a tall order.

Having been strongly linked with Rangers in 2017, McInnes may find himself in the spotlight again if he can add to the pressure on Clement and earn Kilmarnock's first win in Govan since March 2018.

But it should be pointed out that the former Rangers midfielder has lost 13 of his 16 top-flight matches at Ibrox as a manager - including all four with Killie - while Rangers have won their past seven in a row at home in this fixture.

Read all tonight's Premiership picks

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Dujon Sterling remains a doubt after missing the win over St Johnstone with a trapped nerve while defender Robin Propper will be fit following a knock and a bout of sickness.

Oscar Cortes, Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo are getting close to a return following their respective injuries. Neraysho Kasanwirjo is out four to six months after knee surgery.

Kilmarnock are hoping to have David Watson (hip) and Matty Kennedy (back) available again.

Liam Donnelly is suspended and Stuart Findlay (ankle) is a long-term absentee but Kyle Magennis is edging close to a return.

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• Rangers are unbeaten in 11 home games against Kilmarnock in all competitions (W9 D2) since a 0-1 reverse in March 2018 under Graeme Murty. Indeed, the Gers have won their last seven in a row at home to Killie.

• Kilmarnock could win back-to-back league meetings with Rangers for the first time since March 2018, after winning 1-0 in October.

• Rangers have lost just one of their last 22 home games in the Scottish Premiership (W19 D2), a 1-2 defeat to Motherwell in March last season.

• Kilmarnock have lost both of their last two away league games, last losing three in a row in November 2023.

• Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes has lost 13 of his 16 top-flight away games against Rangers as a manager (W2 D1), including his last five in a row (one with Aberdeen, four with Killie).

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes says his side will need a "perfect" performance to beat Rangers in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday.

Killie won 1-0 when the sides met at Rugby Park in October, but have largely struggled this season and sit 10th in the table with three wins from their 14 games.

They go to Ibrox looking to end a winless run of four, but McInnes is hopeful his side can limit the "influence" of Rangers' key players.

"It's a tough game home and away. What we do need to do is get a strong performance," said McInnes.

"We need to try and be set up to make sure we limit a lot of Rangers' better players to have that influence. A lot of what we try to do at Rugby Park, we're going to have to try and do at Ibrox.

"It's a different environment and you have to deal with that side of it but in terms of the performance it has to be almost perfect to get a winning performance at Rangers.

"We will work towards that. Hopefully we can get one or two back, we never used David Watson against Dundee, hopefully with an extra couple of days he'll be able to be available for us, and Matty Kennedy can get somewhere closer to that as well.

"It's going to need a big performance individually but even more than that, a big performance from the team."

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Killie's home draw with Dundee on Saturday did little to lift the recent gloom, although the performance of goalscorer Bobby Wales does provide hope for the future, if the manager decides to play him.

A lack of goals has been a big issue for our misfiring strikers this season and I've no doubt that Wales along with Bruce Anderson have got goals in them. My ongoing optimism for a top-six finish is being tested to the full now although it is still very tight between three quarters of the teams in the league.

There is not a single team being isolated at the bottom of the table this season so I fancy there will be a number of teams in a battle right until May.

We are on the road twice this week with difficult trips to Ibrox and Tannadice. It's hard to know what to expect from Killie these days but this brace of games may just be the opportunity for a couple of positive results to reverse our fortunes.

Following the Dundee United game we have five homes games in our next seven - I fancy that is the sequence that could make or break our season.

Sandy Armour is editor of the Killie Hippo fanzine.

Kilmarnock goalkeeper Robby McCrorie, 26, is still "learning on the job", says his manager Derek McInnes as both men prepare to take on former club Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday. (Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish gossip

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Kilmarnock will travel to Parkhead to face holders Celtic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.

The tie will take place on the weekend of 18/19 January.

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's draw with Dundee.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Anna: Absolute garbage today. When will Derek McInnes realise that a back three doesn't work for us? The midfield were totally clueless and strikers as much use as a chocolate teapot. Why wait until 75th minute to make changes? Bonkers. Drop Kyle Vassell and Marley Watkins next game and try Bruce Anderson and Bobby Wales up front because they can't do any worse can they?

Scott: We need to be banking three points in these home games. The pattern of play, honking first half then exceptional display in the second epitomises our performances throughout this season. There’s a good team somewhere in there, Del just needs it to show up and fingers crossed we get some consistency and climb the table, otherwise we’re in a dogfight.

Martin: I felt that the first half was more about not losing the game than winning the game, however some subtle changes made the second half an easier watch. A point apiece was probably the right result and we finished with 11 on the park which was helpful. Wales was very good when he came on but I just wish Derek would make these changes earlier.

Anon: Overly cautious approach for the first half with the change of formation. Second half a lot better and should have taken all three points. Young Wales needs a contract extension or we could lose a major asset.

Dap: It’s good to have a weekend with some positives! No red cards and a decent second half. More of that please. Could have been better but at least we got something from a decent Dundee team.

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• Dundee have scored in their last four games in the Premiership, their joint longest scoring streak this season.

• Dundee have lost 10 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Hibernian (16) have lost more.

• Kilmarnock have won 10 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• Dundee have scored in each of their last 4 games in the Premiership, scoring nine goals in that run.

Substitute Bobby Wales scored moments after coming on to rescue a point for Kilmarnock at home to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

In a game that lacked quality, Dundee struck first through Lyall Cameron when the midfielder fired a loose ball into the top corner.

Derek McInnes made a change 12 minutes from time, bringing on young striker Wales, who made an instant impact lashing in Kyle Vassell's pass.

What did you make of that, Kilmarnock fans? What went right and what went wrong?

Let us know your thoughts, external.

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Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland: "We were the better team. We were a bit slow out the traps, Dundee started much better than us. They played percentages, got it in channels and we never really got going in that first 10 or 15 minutes.

"Once the first half played out, we carved a few opportunities, got more of a sense of what we were looking for. We spoke at half time about what we had worked on, and we played in a different gear second half.

"We were terrific second half, relentless with our work. Good opportunities, more shots and corners, and I'm disappointed not to win the game.

"It's a fantastic equaliser from wee Bobby Wales. He showed calmness when we needed it. We manufactured a lot of opportunities. We just needed a wee bit calmness and quality.

"I thought we did enough to win, particularly second half.

"You've got to be ready for those moments. We had good pressure in that second half, a lot of good crosses getting put in. There was no doubt we were the team really pushing for the win."

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Eyebrows were raised by McInnes' starting XI. Two wingers, three strikers, and just one central midfielder. There was a change of shape, with Bruce Anderson, Vassell and Watkins up top.

Despite that, the lack of attacking threat was apparent. Lyons and Corrie Ndaba, playing together in midfield, didn't offer much creativity and Murray and Mackay-Steven took a while to get going.

It started to click after half-time, but as soon as Wales came on he offered distinctly more threat than the three senior strikers above him.

Capable of turning a defender, he also had the confidence of youth to take shots on and came close to scoring an incredible second.

He's certainly pushing for a first-team place now.

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Bobby Wales. The teenager was a real threat when he was on the pitch, winning his side and point and almost bagging all three as he came close to a second goal.

With Kyle Vassell, Marley Watkins and Bruce Anderson struggling for consistency, is it time to turn to the 19-year-old?

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Joe Wright has dismissed notions of Kilmarnock being "a dirty team", despite their poor disciplinary record this season.

Derek McInnes' side have received six red cards in total this season, with Liam Donnelly suspended for Saturday's match against Dundee having been sent off in the defeat by St Johnstone last weekend.

"Obviously I've had a couple myself, which I've taken accountability for and have tried my best to learn from that," Wright said, when asked about the issues Killie have had.

"And I just think that's what we've got to do as a group, learn from those mistakes.

"Obviously it's frustrating for the people that are getting sent off, but more so for the team, the support and the management.

"It's something I've never had an issue with before. Before this season, I had one red card in my whole career.

"So I wouldn't say we're a dirty team or anything like that, I just think it's, it's been a bit like London buses, they have just all come at once."

Wright says he is now trying to avoid diving into challenges as readily as he "adapts" his game to avoid further run-ins with referees.

"I have had a chat with the manager," he said. "He just spoke to me about getting back to how I was last season. I don't even think I really pick up that many yellows normally.

"So for myself to pick up two red cards in such a short space of time is something that I've tried to learn from, take accountability for and just address the way I train as well. I've tried to make sure that I stay on my feet more, probably adapting a little bit to try and help myself on match days.

"Just trying to maybe slow people down a bit more. I'm a defender that likes to be aggressive, likes to put players under pressure, but I think there's times where I've just adapted that a little bit."

Shanghai Port head coach Kevin Muscat is the bookmakers' favourite to be the new Rangers manager should Philippe Clement be sacked, just ahead of fellow former Ibrox player Derek McInnes of Kilmarnock. (The Scotsman), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Kilmarnock have only lost one of their last seven Scottish Premiership home games against Dundee (W3 D3) and are unbeaten in four (W2 D2) since a 1-0 reverse in May 2017.

• Dundee's 3-2 win over Kilmarnock earlier this month was their first in 12 Scottish Premiership meetings with Kilmarnock (D7 L4). The Dark Blues last won successive games against Killie in the competition in August 2015 (run of 3).

• Kilmarnock have lost their last three league games; not since February 2021 have they lost more in a row in the Scottish Premiership (run of 8).

• No side has kept fewer clean sheets (1) or faced more shots (197) in the Scottish Premiership this season than Dundee.

• Kilmarnock's Matty Kennedy has created more chances (31) than any other player in this season's Scottish Premiership, although only one of those has ended up as an assist.

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Derek McInnes feels his Kilmarnock side have been punished "to the full extreme" for challenges this season.

Liam Donnelly was sent off for a second booking in last weekend's 1-0 defeat to St Johnstone - the sixth red card Killie have been shown in 13 games so far.

"I don't believe we're an excessively physical team," the manager said.

"Apart from Joe Wright off the ball at St Mirren, I think we've been punished to the full extreme.

"I don't believe we have a discipline problem but the number of red cards would suggest otherwise.

"We're seeing players getting sent off or cautioned for two tackles far too often. I think the bar has been set so low this season but we're not seeing the same offence punished consistently.

"If the bar is set low we need to make sure we are squeaky clean but I do think we've been on the wrong end of a few things."

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Dundee at Rugby Park on Saturday.

Here are the main points:

• McInnes reveals that Stuart Findlay has successfully undergone his operation and will now be out for the best part of three to four months.

• In light of Findlay's absence, the Killie manager suggests they will look to strengthen in January but this will be guided by what happens in the coming weeks.

• The manager also reveals David Watson suffered a thigh strain last weekend so at the moment he is "tough and go". Matty Kennedy hasn't trained with the squad so far this week but has had an injection in his back to hopefully be ready for the weekend.

• McInnes is critical of inconsistency with bookings and red cards and says "I don't believe we're a dirty team" in light of numerous sending offs this season.

• The Killie boss doesn't want to keep talking about red cards but thinks his side have been punished to the "full extreme" when it comes to bookings and second yellows -"I don't believe we have a discipline problem but the number of red cards would suggest otherwise."

• He adds him and his staff may need to start thinking about substituting players if they get yellow cards, something he's never considered before in his 17 years of manager.

• On Liam Donnelly's sending off at the weekend, McInnes says "I'd be apoplectic if he didn't make a challenge there" and insists not every card is a yellow card offence.

• Looking ahead to Dundee, McInnes shares his disappointment in the way they lost the last meeting and notes how "unusual" it is to be facing Tony Docherty's side for the third time this season, despite it only being November.

• Looking further ahead to their next 10 games, six of which are at home, the boss urges his side to capitalise on their upcoming Rugby Park matches.

• McInnes adds that by the time Killie come out of festive fixtures he wants them to be at least mid table and looking to push on.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

In last week's column we asked Killie to repeat the Celtic performance at Perth and we'd be just fine. Sadly we got the polar opposite.

It was one of those showings that raises doubts as to where we will end up at the end of the season.

We were laboured and predictable throughout, with our substitutions merely being like for like and making things way too easy for the opposition.

The fact we have faced St Johnstone and Ross County three times now and have lost all three is a major cause for concern.

It seems rival teams have us sussed and the manager's decision to remain loyal to so many of last season's players has backfired thus far.

Our glaring problems include losing soft goals and a total lack of discipline, yet the manager sticks with them and a striker - Kyle Vassell - who has scored one goal and contributed no assists in 12 league appearances.

There are many other issues I could go into but my counsellor has told me to go for a wee lie down! We have Dundee at home this week and it goes without saying that a win is crucial.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine.