Kilmarnock

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Derek McInnes is seeking more fighting spirit from his Kilmarnock players after accusing them of "moping about" in the 6-0 hammering by Rangers.

He has urged his side to be "a real competitive animal" when they travel to Tannadice to face Dundee United on Saturday.

The Rugby Park men are just three points above bottom club Hearts having lost four and drawn one of their last give games.

"I've no time for people moping about, I've no time for feeling sorry for ourselves," said manager McInnes.

"I felt it was just shoulders slumped and it all became just a bit too much for the lads on the pitch [at Ibrox].

"It's something we spoke about, in adversity we've got to give a bit more and got to stand up to these types of things.

"Rangers had the quality to take full advantage and what we need to do is make sure we're a real competitive animal.

"We need to get back to doing the basics well, being hard to beat, being solid and hopefully find a winning performance from that.

"It's important that we give ourselves the best chance to be that and we move on quickly from the game at Ibrox.

"I do trust the boys, we've worked together long enough. I like the squad that I've got, I like the people I've got in the dressing room.

"It's important to us now that we just go and find a bit of form."

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before Kilmarnock's visit to Dundee United on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• After the "disappointing night" in midweek - losing 6-0 to Rangers at Ibrox - McInnes says "it's up to the lads to respond in the right manner".

• He says most people wouldn't expect Killie to get anything from Ibrox, adding: "Maybe we've heightened expectations because we've beaten Rangers a couple of times over the last couple of years."

• McInnes says he expects better from the players and so should the fans, but called on everyone to "stay strong."

• Wants Killie to get back to the same level as last term: "We've always been pretty competitive, we've not been at the same level for a lot of the games this season."

• McInnes "trusts" the players but is keen to reinforce the squad with new signings in January.

• He says Killie have no time to "feel sorry for ourselves" and insists they need to be a "real competitive animal and get back to doing the basics well, being hard to beat, being solid and hopefully find a winning performance".

• Jim Goodwin has done a "great job" at Dundee United and McInnes' team will need to "find those fine margins to win the game".

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• Dundee United are winless in three league meetings with Kilmarnock (D1 L2), last going longer without victory over Killie in the top flight in August 2006 (six games).

• After their 3-0 win in May 2023, Kilmarnock could win back-to-back top-flight away games at Dundee United for the first time since August 2002 (four in a row).

• Dundee United have won their last two home league games without conceding; the Tangerines last won three successive home matches in the Scottish Premiership in October 2021, and last did so while also keeping a clean sheet each time in November 2014.

• Kilmarnock lost 6-0 against Rangers last time out, their heaviest defeat in the top flight since a loss by the same scoreline against Celtic in April 2012.

• Since the start of last season, all five of Kilmarnock's league games against newly-promoted opponents have been drawn (four v Dundee in 2023-24, one v Dundee United this term). Killie are winless in five Scottish Premiership away games at promoted clubs (D3 L2) since a 1-0 victory at St Mirren in March 2019.

Former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell is concerned by the form of Derek McInnes' side this season and says they need to "quickly" climb clear of a relegation battle.

Listen to the Premiership preview on BBC's Scottish football podcast

Sportscene pundits Steven Naismith and Marvin Bartley analyse Kilmarnock's defending in their 6-0 defeat by Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Killie fans, we asked for your views after Wednesday night's 6-0 defeat to Rangers.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Thomas: Lucky it was only six! One attempt on goal, off target! Woeful defending, huge gaps. How to describe - pick from abject, ineffectual, outclassed, dire, the list goes on. I fear the worst. Give youth a chance? Main strikers past it? A long hard season awaits.

Anna: Absolute garbage all over the pitch, when will Derek McInnes learn that a back three does NOT work for us, neither does playing defenders in midfield. David Watson was wasted playing behind the toothless Marley Watkins and Kyle Vassell, he'd have been better in midfield with Brad Lyons. At this rate we'll be in a relegation scrap if things don't improve fast!

Robert: The wheels have come off, reliance on some of last year's successes seems to have been over ambitious, time for January.

Anon: Stuart Findlay is a massive loss for us, but even without him there's no excuse for our current defensive record. We've had a non-functioning, gaping midfield all season, causing us to persist with the same ineffective tactics and making us far too easy to play through.

Adam: Not impressed at all, we made Rangers look good, seriously needs to change things or personnel or we are doomed!

Jim: Rangers were not fantastic but Killie were so bad they made Rangers look better than they actually were. Defensively we are rotten, up front we are non-existent, in midfield we are very poor. Vassell and Watkins are finished. Danny Armstrong has given up and the guys on the bench are fed up being left out.

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• Kilmarnock have failed to score in 6 of their 15 games, only Ross County (8) have failed to score more often in the Premiership this season.

• Rangers have scored in their last 6 games in the Premiership, their longest scoring streak this season.

• Rangers have kept a clean sheet in 8 of their 14 games, only Celtic (11) have done this more often in the Premiership this season.

• Kilmarnock attempted 1 shot in this game, the lowest total for any team in a single match in the Premiership this season.

• Rangers have scored in each of their last 6 games in the Premiership, scoring 12 goals in that run.

• Kilmarnock have failed to win in their last 5 games in the Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 15th May 2024 to 28th September 2024, a run of 8 games.

• Rangers are undefeated in their last 4 games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 14th May 2024 to 24th August 2024, a run of 5 games.

• Kilmarnock failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Celtic on 7th January 2023.

Killie were hammered at Ibrox as they failed to create much in a dominant Rangers display.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "Disappointed we've lost the [first] goal because we allowed the cross to come in from the throw-in, it's something that's been quite a common theme for us. A lot of the goals we lose are in a similar area.

"Their movement was spooking us a wee bit and we just tried to simplify it by going 4-4-2 against 4-4-2 but it became clear that we couldn't cope with that.

"And unfortunately for us, although we filled in the middle of the pitch, although we stopped the kind of flow of their front lot enjoying the game, we still failed to stop crosses and we get our just desserts for that. It was such a pitiful second-half performance. We were really disappointed with the manner of the goals.”

"But when we compete against Old Firm and get results it's normally because we do so much right and the second half we were the opposite of that."

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Killie were unable to influence the game whatsoever.

They failed to register a shot on target with a pitiful 0.08xG as they struggled to break out of their own final third.

Attacks were seldom seen for the visitors and any chance they did have to get up the pitch routinely resulted in a misplaced pass or possession being surrendered far too easily.

After piling pressure on Clement with their October win at Rugby Park, this performance was a complete reversal.

There was little leadership on show with a disjointed side unable to impose themselves on the game in the way McInnes’ sides usually can.

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.