Kilmarnock

Image source, SNS

Aberdeen hope to have an unchanged squad with Slobodan Rubezic (knee) the only confirmed absentee. Several unnamed players had injections early in the week but hope to be fit.

Killie have Lewis Mayo available despite his red card at Dundee. Boss Derek McInnes hopes to welcome back Stuart Findlay and Greg Stewart after their injury issues, while Rory McKenzie is expected to shake off a back niggle in time to be involved. Kyle Magennis (hamstring) and Brad Lyons (knee) are out.

Former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell praises the job being done by Derek McInnes at Rugby Park

Image source, SNS

• All four of the last Scottish Cup meetings between Aberdeen and Kilmarnock have been a draw after 90 minutes - the Dons winning in extra-time and on penalties in both of the two replays.

• Kilmarnock have defeated Aberdeen in all three of the meetings between the two teams this season, with an aggregate score of 5-0.

• Should Kilmarnock beat Aberdeen for a fourth consecutive match, it would be the first time they have achieved this since four wins on the trot against the Dons in 2010.

• Bojan Miovski has scored three of Aberdeen's four goals in the competition this season.

• Former Aberdeen striker Marley Watkins has netted in both of Kilmarnock's Scottish Cup games this season - he has 10 goals in 33 appearances this season for Killie, compared to just one he scored for the Dons when playing across 31 games for them last season.

Image source, SNS

David Watson praised "good motivator and tactician" Derek McInnes, pointing out how far he has brought Kilmarnock since promotion to the top flight less that two years ago.

"[Derek McInnes] has got us back into this league and after only what, two years, and he’s got us battling for top six and battling to try and win the Scottish Cup - I’d say he’s done a pretty decent job," 19-year-old midfielder Watson said.

"I think he’s a really good motivator and tactician. He gets us all going for the game before a game he’s always on at us making sure we’re doing this right or that right. This season we’ve played a number of different formations and it’s worked.

"The strength of the squad is massive this year. There’s a lot of healthy competition in the squad now. I’ve not been playing as much because there’s other boys in the team who have been playing well and have done well and got a good few results. That’s how football works.

"It’s just part of football, just got to be patient. I’m still 19, there’s going to be games where I don’t play as well as what I know I can. I just need to be patient so when the chance comes again I need to try and take it."

Kilmarnock defender Ash Taylor says it's no "coincidence" the Ayrshire club find themselves pushing for Europe under his former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes, with Taylor believing the "blueprint Derek built was ripped apart" at the Dons. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip

Kilmarnock travel to Pittodrie on Saturday to face Aberdeen in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup, looking to pile the misery on Neil Warnock's side.

If you were in Derek McInnes' position, would you make changes from the team which drew with Dundee last time out?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your Killie XI here.

Image source, SNS

Derek McInnes insists Kilmarnock won't take anything for granted when they take on struggling Aberdeen in their Scottish Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

Killie have lost just two of their last 16 games in all competitions, while the Dons have won just one of their last 11 - in their last cup outing against League 2 Bonnyrigg Rose.

Despite their woes under interim boss Neil Warnock, McInnes says he expects his former club to turn things around at some point.

“Aberdeen are struggling for results at the minute but they have too many good players so they will start winning at some point,” McInnes said. “We just need to hope it’s not this Saturday.

“I don’t know if we’re favourites but some people might think that because of the last few games. Aberdeen have got so many obvious advantages over the likes of ourselves, but we’re in decent form and in a good place.

“I don’t think our players will go into the game feeling we are the underdogs but we’ve got work to do to show we can win the game.

“We’ve got evidence there that we can do it home and away this season. Hopefully we can seize the brilliant opportunity that’s there for us.

“Aberdeen have got the same chance as us but, looking at it from a Killie persuasion, we’re looking forward to the tie. When the draw was made, I wanted to go into the tie in decent form, and we’ve maintained our league form.

“We’re just trying to replicate what we’ve done. We’ve tried to play cup football in the league this season and it’s served us well, so hopefully we can continue that."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes says the "inconsistency" of referee and VAR decisions "is driving us all mad".

McInnes is awaiting the result of an appeal against defender Lewis Mayo’s red card at Dundee at the weekend, and says other decisions have left him baffled.

“There have been a lot of instances. We’ve had similarities to a lot of the issues going on," he said.

"There were some tackles this weekend which went way beyond what my player Corrie NDaba was sent off for a few weeks ago when the referee was asked to come to the monitor.

"With the criteria I was told by the refereeing department, there were a lot of things happening at the weekend where you think ‘why are there not more red cards’?

"The inconsistency of it all is driving us all mad, it really is."

McInnes also feels referees should stick with their original, on-field decision more if the VAR intervention is not absolutely conclusive.

He believes "a big performance" will be required to knock Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup at Pittodrie on Saturday but says “the rewards are brilliant - getting to Hampden" so motivation is high.

As the fifth-best team in the country, according to the Scottish Premiership table, McInnes feels Kilmarnock should be “putting ourselves up there” as potential cup winners.

Given the choice he would take a Scottish Cup win over a top-four finish but feels fourth and a cup final place are both achievable.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Cup quarter-final away to Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• He says the "inconsistency" of refereeing and VAR decisions "is driving us all mad". McInnes is awaiting the result of an appeal against defender Lewis Mayo’s red card at Dundee at the weekend, and says other decisions have left him baffled.

• Also thinks referees should stick with their on-field decision more if the VAR intervention isn’t absolutely conclusive.

• The Killie boss believes it will take "a big performance" to knock Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup, but says the reward of getting to Hampden is "brilliant”.

• McInnes feels Kilmarnock should be “putting ourselves up there” as potential Cup winners. He says he would take a Scottish Cup win over a fourth place Premiership finish, but feels fourth place and a cup-final spot are equally achievable.

• Rory McKenzie, Stuart Findlay and Greg Stewart have all been nursing issues this week, but McInnes hopes they will all be available. Kyle Magennis and Brad Lyons are still out.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

It's been a testing week for Killie with just one point taken from our games with Rangers and Dundee. Confidence should still be high though as there were positives to take from both games.

We fully deserved to take something against the league leaders but it was one of those nights when the officials missed some vital calls.

Fast-forward to Dundee and after a slow start we equalised and looked the likely winners until the referee once again decided to create the headlines. I hate blaming officials as they are an easy target but their decisions create headlines every weekend now.

I was never in favour in VAR and since its inception I am more convinced than ever that it sucks the enjoyment from the game.

This Saturday we have a huge cup quarter final at Pittodrie and after Meil Warnock's comments last week I pray we have a strong official as he will not want his team to be outmuscled again.

Killie should approach the game on the front foot against a fragile Dons side. If we grab an early goal we could be dreaming of another trip to Hampden.

Sandy Armour is editor of the Killie Hippo fanzine.

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes hopes the fact Aberdeen are yet to score against his side this season can give his team a psychological edge in their Scottish Cup quarter-final. (Daily Record)

Read the rest of Tuesday's gossip.

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock have appealed the red card shown to defender Lewis Mayo during Saturday's draw with Dundee.

The former Rangers and Partick Thistle man became tangled with Scott Tiffoney on the edge of the area, before they both fell to ground in the box.

From the resulting penalty, Dundee went 2-1 ahead before Robbie Deas' late leveller.

Speaking after the game, Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes said he didn't think it was even a foul.

"Having seen it back, there's no infringement in the box," he told BBC Scotland. "How Greg Aitken in VAR doesn't ask the referee to come and look at that is beyond me.

"I don't even think it's a foul and I don't think the referee gives a penalty if he sees it again. It's a coming together. Lewis has his eyes on the ball the whole time. It's not a foul and not a penalty kick."

The appeal is due to be heard on Tuesday 5 March.

James McFadden feels Lewis Mayo deserved his red card - and Dundee deserved their penalty.

Watch the best of the action as Dundee and Kilmarnock share four goals for the third time this season. (Available to UK users only)

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland at Dens Park

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock have "that never-say-die attitude," according to goal-scoring centre-half Robbie Deas.

The defender struck the Ayrshire side level late in the game to ensure a point was returning down the road with Derek McInnes' men.

"We have got an amazing group of boys here and the manager has put a great team together and we all fight for each other," he told BBC Scotland.

"We are doing quite well this season and we want to continue that. We wanted three points today but to go to ten men and to be 2-1 down, to be salvaging a point is great and shows you the character we have got in the dressing room.

"We showed that today, towards the end of the game, we have got that never-say-die attitude."

The point keeps Kilmarnock in the top six, despite dropping one place down to fifth and Deas is looking forward to the exciting run-in before the split.

"It is tight. You see the results today, so the good thing about football is it is exciting," he added.

"We are towards the end of the season, we have got a quarter-final to look forward to next weekend too.

"Obviously we are disappointed for not picking up the three points, but that shows you how far we have come as a team, as a club, to be disappointed at only picking up a point."

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes revealed that key defender Stuart Findlay missed the Dundee game as a precautionary measure.

“Stuart Findlay failed a fitness test," McInnes said after the 2-2 draw at Dens.

“We have big games coming up – Aberdeen in the cup next week, and St Mirren the following week.

“So we made the decision that he misses this one to be available for next week.”

Image source, SNS

• Dundee have lost 19 points from winning positions in the Scottish Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• Kilmarnock have scored in their last 11 games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of 19 games from 26 November 2017 to 14 April 2018.

• Luke McCowan has scored seven goals this season, more than any other Dundee player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Marley Watkins has scored six goals this season, more than any other Kilmarnock player in the Scottish Premiership.