Kilmarnock

• Kilmarnock have won two of their last three home games against Celtic in all competitions (L1), as many as their previous 22 beforehand (W2 D3 L17).

• Celtic have lost just one of their last 17 league meetings with Kilmarnock (W14 D2), a 2-1 defeat in December 2023.

• Kilmarnock have both scored and conceded in seven of their last eight league games (W3 D3 L2), with the only exception a 1-0 win over Rangers in October.

• Celtic have won 15 of their last 16 league games (D1), including their last seven in a row away from home, their longest winning run on the road in the league since February 2020 (9).

• Kilmarnock’s Matty Kennedy has created more chances (28) than any player in the Scottish Premiership this season, but despite this only has one assist to his name.

Seven SPFL clubs are challenging a ban on artificial pitches in the Premiership, which is scheduled to start by mid-2026. (Mail), external

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"He's almost been perfect for us, he's the equivalent of Cameron Carter-Vickers being out of the Celtic team, that's how big of an influence he is."

Derek McInnes has not understated how "big a blow" Stuart Findlay's injury for Kilmarnock is.

The manager confirmed the defender could be set for up to six months on the sidelines, depending on scan results, for the injury sustained in the defeat to Dundee on Sunday, but he stressed his side will "just need to deal with it".

"It's a blow for us, he's a big player, a defender who plays every week for me," McInnes said as he previewed Killie's weekend game with Celtic.

"It's a real blow for us, but we need to deal with losing important players at some stage in the season."

McInnes said "worse case scenario" Findlay could be out for up to six months, but, if a favourable outcome develops it could be a third of that.

"It could be the difference of maybe seven or eight weeks depending on the scan, so it could be from two to three months to four to six months, potentially for the worst case scenario," he added.

"Managers will have to deal with coping without key players and there's no point in crying about it, we just need to deal with it.

"He's almost been perfect for us. He's the equivalent of Cameron Carter-Vickers being out of the Celtic team, that's how big of an influence he is.

"Losing key players in key positions, it's up for others now to go and step in and take on that responsibility that he's shown for us since he came to the club."

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media prior to his side's Premiership fixture against Celtic.

Here are the key lines:

• On Stuart Findlay's injury: "It's a real blow for us, he's a big player who plays every week and has got such a huge influence in the team. It's the equivalent of Cameron Carter-Vickers being out of the Celtic team."

• As they still await the news of how long Findlay will be out for, McInnes says "there's no point in crying about it, we're going to have to cope with that and it's somebody else's opportunity to go and play more regularly."

• On Celtic's 3-1 win against Leipzig in the Champions League:, he says "it was a top class performance" and "they clearly are improving."

• McInnes says his Killie team "take confidence from the fact we had some good results against Celtic last season."

• He knows his side "have to overcome the disappointment" from their 3-2 defeat against Dundee last weekend.

• McInnes acknowledges that they need to make it "difficult" for the league leaders when they come to Rugby Park but knows it will be a "huge challenge".

• And he says his side will need to make Celtic "uncomfortable and strike the first blow".

• McInnes hopes his side can "improve on last season" despite being just one point worse off than they were this time last year and says "it's up to us to keep finding that consistency and keep picking up results."

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Kilmarnock defender Stuart Findlay could face up to four months out after suffering "severe ligament damage," manager Derek McInnes has confirmed.

The 29-year-old centre-back, who has featured 14 times this season, was stretchered off in last weekend's defeat at Dundee.

McInnes is awaiting an exact return date for the Oxford United loanee, who is in his fourth spell at Rugby Park, but the manager revealed he could be out for "two, three or four months".

"Thankfully, there is no dislocation or fracture," McInnes added. "But there is severe ligament damage."

Meanwhile, winger Danny Armstrong is a doubt for Sunday's match at home to Celtic due to a hamstring issue which also saw him come off against Dundee.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Another frustrating weekend for Killie fans as once again we shot ourselves in the foot after getting into a winning position.

It's no exaggeration to say we could be sitting third if you look at the points we have dropped due to self-inflicted decision making. They always say substitutions can go one of two ways but at Dens Park it was poor substitutions that cost us the game.

The changes were negative and it was ironic that the winning goal came down the right side of our defence, the very area the manager was trying to shore up.

There's no doubt that Stuart Findlay going off injured was crucial as his absence greatly weakens our central defence. It was a particularly nasty injury and we wish big Stu a speedy recovery.

It's good to get back to the Theatre of Pies this Sunday although Celtic will be buzzing after their demolition of Aberdeen in the cup. I've no doubt we will be competitive and getting them after a tough European tie is no bad thing.

We'll certainly need to defend better than we did at Dundee but if we do so then we may just spring the shock result of the weekend.

Sandy Armour is editor of the Killie Hippo fanzine.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes insists he is "loving" his time at Rugby Park but retains the ambition to take on the Scotland job in the future. (Scottish Sun), external

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock’s 3-2 defeat against Dundee.

Here's what some of you said:

Robert: Kyle Vassell needs to play to whistle rather than lie on ground before the final Dundee goal. As for the mental strength of the defence, it is appalling. Lots of effort but can't expect attack to keep bailing us out.

Anon: Derek McInnes to blame for that defeat. What was he doing taking Danny Armstrong off and putting on a defender to replace him with 40 mins to go? David Watson and Bruce Anderson off, Rory McKenzie and Innes Cameron on? He's losing it. We will miss Stuart Findlay big style - we're now in big trouble.

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• Kilmarnock have lost eight points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Hibernian (11) have lost more.

• They have conceded 7 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Hibernian (9) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Derek McInnes' have conceded 11 first-half goals in 11 games, no team has conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• Matthew Kennedy has created 27 chances this season, the joint-highest total in the Premiership alongside Aberdeen's Jamie McGrath.

• Kilmarnock have attempted four shots on target in this match, higher than their season average of 2.9 in the Premiership.

• Bruce Anderson has now scored six goals in nine appearances in the Premiership against Dundee.

• Kilmarnock have scored in their last eight Premiership games, and their last five Premiership away games.

Watch the best of the action from Dens Park as Dundee stage an incredible comeback against Kilmarnock to win a five-goal thriller.

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Dundee fought back from two goals down to stun Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership and exact revenge with a complete reversal of their 3-2 defeat by the same opponent a month ago.

What did you make of Kilmarnock's performance? How big a blow could Stuart Findlay's injury be?

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "I thought we started really strongly and we were really pleased with what the lads were giving us. We take advantage of a mistake and Bruce is sharp to get his goal.

"We score a really good second goal with both wide players combining. But we were always a wee bit concerned with it being the third game in a week away from home and keeping the energy in the team second half.

"We have to react to Stuart Findlay going off. He's been such an influential defender for us. You have to be able to deal with balls in your box, but the first goal we lose straight after getting the second goal.

"Instead of coming in 2-0 at half-time with pressure on Dundee to do something different, we give them a lifeline.

"[For the second goal] We don't react well and we've got too many doing nothing. You can see it clear as day and it's unprofessional we lose that type of goal. Dundee are big enough and good enough to punish you for that.

"I don't think any team would have shaken hands at 2-2. We have some really good passages of play and individually we had some top performances today.

"But we end up coming away with nothing because we don't sniff it at the end there. There's 30 seconds to go we should show inside when the ball is played forward and we don't match Mulligan's run.

"Credit Dundee they get bodies in the box at the death and Larkeche's desire to get on the end of it and score was more than our desire to stop it."

McInnes confirms Stuart Findlay's injury is "not looking good at all" and they are facing a long spell without the centre-back.

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

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This is only Kilmarnock's second defeat in their last eight league games, but this will sting badly.

Their big error was Joe Wright misjudging Oluwaseun Adewumi's cross just a minute after Matty Kennedy put them 2-0 in front which immediately gave Dundee hope before the break.

Joe Wright had replaced Stuart Findlay, who was taken off on a stretcher after landing awkwardly, at centre-back on 33 minutes with the game at 1-0.

Despite winning at Tynecastle without Findlay on Wednesday, it was clear the enforced change disrupted Kilmarnock.

Plus, the withdrawal of Danny Armstrong seven minutes into the second half meant they did not have his quality in attack when the game opened up late on.

However, McInnes would still expect better of his team in defence regardless of the personnel on the pitch.

Having had the joy of a comeback win to ignite their season a month ago, they must now recover from the disappointment of throwing a game away which they had in their grasp.

Bruce Anderson takes his place in the XI up front. Joe Wright meanwhile drops to the bench because Stuart Findlay is back fit to to take his place in the backline.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes, 53, has admirers with the Rangers hierarchy amid the Ibrox club's recent struggles. (Football Insider), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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• Dundee have won just one of their last 18 Scottish Premiership games against Kilmarnock (D11 L6) and are winless in 11 (D7 L4) since a 1-0 triumph in May 2017 under Neil McCann, with Marcus Haber netting the winner that day.

• Kilmarnock are unbeaten in 11 Scottish Premiership away games against Dundee, although eight of those have been drawn (W3).

• Kilmarnock could win successive away matches over the Dee in the top-flight for the first time since December 2003 under Jim Jefferies.

• Dundee have lost their last three home games in the Scottish Premiership, while they have lost seven times at Dens Park so far in 2024, last losing more times at home in the top-flight in a calendar year in 2018 (12).

• Kilmarnock have won three of their last eight Scottish Premiership games played on a Sunday (D1 L4), as many victories as across their previous 18 games on that specific day (D3 L12).

• Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes has never lost to Dundee as a manager in Scotland's top-flight, winning 14 and drawing eight of 22 previous such clashes.

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Trevor Carson and Scott Fraser are trying to get back fit for Dundee while Joe Shaughnessy is working his way back from a long-term knee injury.

Kilmarnock midfielder Liam Donnelly is available after suspension, but Stuart Findlay (groin), Liam Polworth (calf) and long-term absentee Kyle Magennis (hamstring) are set to remain out.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has urged his side to "carry a bit more bullishness" in Sunday's game against Dundee.

The Ayrshire club, after a difficult start, have now picked up three wins in their last four games - most recently coming from behind to defeat Hearts 2-1.

This weekend's match marks their third consecutive away trip.

"Three away games in a week is not ideal," McInnes told Kilmarnock TV.

"The fixtures are a bit kinder to us as we go along through the season in terms of home games and the ratio.

"But nonetheless we'll go up there and try and have a wrestle with Dundee and try and be good enough to win the game. We've had a lot of tight, exciting matches with Dundee.

"We want to try and go on another winning run but to do that we'll have to do a lot of things really well. The players will take confidence from Wednesday night.

"Our second-half performance on Wednesday was good enough to get the win but we need to try and learn to try and play for closer to 90 minutes because on another day we might not get the chance to recover from going 1-0 down.

"It's important that we carry a wee bit more bullishness and certainty from the start of the game."

Kilmarnock's Derek McInnes is the bookmakers' favourite to become Rangers manager should Philippe Clement lose his job, with former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez and Malmo's Henrik Rydstrom next in the betting. (The Scotsman), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Matty Kennedy provides a brilliant finish to bring Hearts level in their 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

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We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 2-1 comeback win against Hearts at Tynecastle.

Here's what some of you said:

Gregor: Killie started poorly and were lucky to be heading into half-time level before a shocking throw-in decision gave Hearts the chance to go 1-0 up. Came out well in the second half and Kyle Vassell fought well for everything to give us what we needed to get the two goals. The last 10 minutes were nervy but in the end Hearts never really threatened.

Anna: A vastly improved performance all round and for once no red cards. Okay, so Hearts scored on half-time but the way the boys responded in the second half was brilliant, two goals in five minutes and they could have had more. This makes up for the Ross County defeat. The league table makes for good reading, the win lifted us up four places to sixth.