Kilmarnock

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Just as he had mixed emotions last weekend, Derek McInnes must feel both delighted and perplexed by his side's performance in Dundee.

Comfortably second-best for much of this game, they did what Dundee United did to them last week and fought back late on - going one better to score three goals in 10 minutes.

The 'never say die'' attitude of this team has been written about before but this match more than any before epitomised the mentality of McInnes' side.

This time, it was the unsung heroes who did the business. Much has been written about Danny Armstrong and David Watson, but they were both subbed off when Kilmarnock's comeback began.

Instead it was Matty Kennedy, Gary Mackay-Steven, Bruce Anderson and Bobby Wales who were able to pick off a tiring Dundee defence and steal all three points when they appeared to everyone else to be beyond the horizon.

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Matty Kennedy. A hard worker who is often overlooked when the praise is dished out, but on his day he can be one of the trickiest wingers in the league.

For large spells today, he was quiet, as were the rest of his teammates. But his goal gave Kilmarnock the initiative to spark a comeback.

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Dundee: McCracken, Portales, Koumetio, C Robertson, Ingram, Sylla, Cameron, Larkeche, Tiffoney, Main, Murray.

Substitutes: Carson, Astley, Mulligan, Adewumi, F Robertson, Braybrooke, Palmer-Houlden, Fraser, Vetro.

Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Mayo, Deas, Ndaba, Armstrong, Watson, Lyons, Donnelly, Kennedy, Vassell, Watkins.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Mackay-Steven, Murray, Cameron, Anderson, Wales, Bainbridge.

In: Robby McCrorie, goalkeeper (Rangers, undisclosed); Bruce Anderson, forward (Livingston); Corrie Ndaba, defender (Ipswich Town, loan to permanent, undisclosed).

Loan in: Jack Burroughs, midfielder (Coventry City); Oliver Bainbridge, defender (Sunderland); Stuart Findlay, defender (Oxford United, loan return).

Out: Greg Stewart, forward (Mohun Bagan Super Giant); Jack Sanders, defender (St Johnstone); Kerr McInroy, midfielder; Steven Warnock, midfielder; Aaron Quigg, midfielder.

Loan ended: Will Dennis, goalkeeper (Bournemouth); James Balagizi, midfielder (Liverpool); Kevin Van Veen, forward (Groningen); Tom Davies, defender (Cardiff City).

Loan out: Zander Craik, forward (Queen of the South); Ethan Brown, defender (Dumbarton); Kian Leslie, forward (Elgin City); Aidan Glavin, goalkeeper (Elgin City); Corey Armour, goalkeeper (Auchinleck Talbot); Andrew Miller, defender (Auchinleck Talbot).

Read the Scottish Premiership ins & outs in full here.

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Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla has trained this week and could be in the squad despite collapsing after suffering an anaphylactic shock at half-time in last weekend’s defeat by Aberdeen.

Experienced defenders Jordan McGhee (calf) and Joe Shaughnessy (knee) remain sidelined while Charlie Reilly has joined Inverness on loan.

Kilmarnock's Joe Wright serves the second of a three-match suspension and fellow centre-back Stuart Findlay and midfielder Liam Polworth are struggling with calf knocks. Kyle Magennis is still working his way back from a long-term absence.

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Defender Robbie Deas is hoping he can return to the starting line-up and help give Kilmarnock their first league win of the season on Saturday.

Derek McInnes' side have drawn their last three amid a six-game winless opening to the campaign, with Deas only starting twice.

However, with Stuart Findlay injured and Joe Wright still suspended, it is likely the 24-year-old will be drafted back into the first XI for the trip to Dundee.

"It's been a frustrating start to the season, I was hoping to kick on," Deas said. "I've been frustrated, not playing as much as I'd like. I'm just dying to get on the park, do my part for the team, and get back to winning ways.

"We're just looking at the next game. The next game is the biggest game, as the old cliche goes. We've played well in quite a few games this season and just not got that result. It's not in the back of our minds, but we need it to kick on and achieve what we did last year."

Deas came off the bench to replaced the injured Findlay in the first half last weekend before Killie took a 3-1 lead before conceding two late goals to go from three points earned to one.

"It felt like a defeat," Deas added. "We set our standards last year so it's not good enough. The mood was extremely disappointed and annoyed but we've got to look at ourselves.

"It was three goals that could all have been easily dealt with. It's preventable, sloppy. All the goals [we've conceded] this season have been preventable."

Former Hearts, Dundee United and St Johnstone defender Ryan McGowan says non-Old Firm fans will have enjoyed Celtic and Rangers being given a "taste of their own medicine" by "taking a pasting" in Europe against teams with a bigger budget.

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• Each of the last five Scottish Premiership games between Dundee and Kilmarnock have been drawn, with four finishing 2-2 (the other 1-1 most recently).

• Kilmarnock have only lost one of their last 17 Scottish Premiership meetings with Dundee (W5 D11) and are unbeaten in their last 10 (W3 D7) since a 1-0 defeat in May 2017.

• Dundee have won just one of their last 14 league games (D6 L7), a 3-1 victory over Hearts in August, since which the Dark Blues have conceded exactly twice in four successive league matches (D2 L2).

• Kilmarnock have drawn their last three league games, each by a different scoreline: 1-1 v Hibernian, 2-2 v St Mirren, and 3-3 v Dundee United. Not since March 2000 have Killie drawn four successive top-flight matches, a run which included a 2-2 stalemate with Dundee.

• Marley Watkins has scored in is last two appearances in the Scottish Premiership; only twice previously has he netted in three in a row in the competition, doing so in October 2014 for Inverness Caledonian Thistle and in March last season for current side Kilmarnock.

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Derek McInnes "knows the consistency is there, it's just about finding it" for Kilmarnock as their search for a first win of the season continues.

They were agonisingly close to victory last week, coming from behind against Dundee United to lead 3-1, but ended up drawing due to a late away comeback which included that penalty deep into stoppage time.

While McInnes admits everyone would "benefit" from a win, he's not calling it a crisis that they haven't.

"We’re only six games in, and although we beat Rangers in the opening game last season we were actually quite slow out the blocks, we didn’t find ourselves until the end of October, we know that consistency is there so it’s just trying to find it now," he said as he prepares to face old friend Tony Docherty this weekend.

He added victory at Dens this weekend, the last game before the international break, would be perfect timing with Rangers on their return.

"Anytime you go into a game prior to the international break it’s important you try and enjoy that, this is the last game until we play Rangers," McInnes said. "Dundee will be the same, they’re looking for that win to take them into the break too.

"Tony's friend, and you want to see your pals well supported, you want to see them get a fair crack at the whip and I think he’s got that. There’s no doubt we’ve got a tough game on Saturday."

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

There is the odd time when you leave Rugby Park not knowing if it was a good or a bad result and Saturday was one such occasion.

In the first half we were a bit of a shambles with David Watson inexplicably dropped and Corrie Ndaba asked to play an unfamiliar role.

We handed the inititative to Dundee United and they took advantage with a one-goal lead at the break. We finally reverted back to a more recognisable line-up and proceeded to score three rapid goals with Watson outstanding in the heart of midfield.

In the past we have been guilty, at times, of poor game management and that is exactly what cost us the game. We started to look a bit nervous and gifted a soft second goal before referee Napier awarded the softest of soft penalties.

Ultimately we are still awaiting our first league win, although if your glass is half full we are on an unbeaten four-match run. During our first season back up the manager was guilty of overthinking and meddling too much with selections and formations and it felt like that again on Saturday.

We need to revert to keeping it simple and playing round pegs in round holes. Stuart Findlay will be a big miss but we have decent cover in defence as we head for a difficult game at Dens Park.

We have looked decent during parts of games so if we can put it all together for 90 minutes we may just grab a welcome three points.

Sandy Armour is editor of the Killie Hippo fanzine.

Four of Kilmarnock's Scottish Premiership fixtures over the winter period have been amended.

Killie's trip to Dundee, scheduled for Saturday, 11 January 2025, has been brought forward to Sunday, 3 November, at the request of both clubs.

Derek McInnes' visit to former assistant Tony Docherty's patch will kick-off at 15:00.

The following week, Killie host Celtic, now on Sunday, 10 November, due to it being selected for television coverage.

Rugby Park welcomes Brendan Rodgers' side at 15:00, also.

The trip to Fir Park before Christmas, originally scheduled for Saturday, 21 December has been brought forward to Friday, 20 December due to television selection. Kick-off against Motherwell is 19:45.

Finally, the reverse fixture against Stuart Kettlewell's side, originally due to be played on Saturday, 2 November, has been pushed back to Wednesday, 8 January at 19:45 due to Motherwel's Premier Sports Cup semi-final.

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Two of the best young players in Scotland made their mark on the Premiership last weekend as both Lennon Miller and David Watson scored braces for their clubs.

Motherwell's Miller continues to impress this season, having become the club's penalty-kick taker, while Watson came off the bench to score a quickfire double which included a spectacular scissor kick.

Speaking to the Scottish Football Podcast, former Scotland midfielder Graham Dorrans said: "I've watched [Watson] a couple of times and he's very energetic. He makes runs forward so it just causes problems for players. He came on at half-time and he changed the game for Kilmarnock.

"If he keeps doing what he's doing, he could end up getting a move off the back of it. I've watched him a couple of times and he's technically a good player as well, he's done fantastic."

Both 18-year-old Miller and 19-year-old Watson have been called up to Scot Gemmill's Scotland Under-21 side this season, with Miller's double securing Motherwell's win over St Mirren.

"He's done great so far. When you watch him, the maturity he plays with - he steps up last weekend as well and slots away a penalty in the last minute - for me, he's probably the best young talent we've got coming throughout the minute," Dorrans added.

"He seems to have a bit of everything about him. He's got that little bit of arrogance that you can see that he knows he's a decent player. He's another one that, if he keeps going the way he's going, could get a move off the back of the performances that he's producing."

Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady agreed but suggested Miller would be better off by staying put at Fir Park.

"I do think he's a top talent and I think it's essential for his development that he is at Motherwell because I don't think he would have these opportunities that at Celtic or Rangers at present, and it's invaluable to his development to be playing so many games.

"You look at so many young players who are happy to be at Celtic or Rangers and hope for that breakthrough at a bigger team, which doesn't necessarily always come. It's a lot harder to get games.

"In a year's time, he could have played 100 Premiership games at age of 19. It's fantastic that he's getting such great experience and he's mature beyond his years I think as well. Let's just enjoy him while we can."

• Graham Dorrans and Aiden McGeady were speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast which is available to listen to on BBC Sounds.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Despite David Watson's best efforts, Kilmarnock could not hold onto their lead as they slipped to a 3-3 draw with Dundee United.

In one of the league's most entertaining fixtures this season, Watson was introduced as a half-time sub with Killie 1-0 down.

A minute later, the youngster had scored an overhead kick to level the game. Ten minutes later, he poked in a Matty Kennedy shot to put Kilmarnock ahead.

We're running out of superlatives for the teenager.

David Watson scores a stylish overhead kick for Kilmarnock in their 3-3 Scottish Premiership draw with Dundee United (UK only).

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes revealed Stuart Findlay will undergo tests on Monday after suffering a torn calf muscle during Saturday's 3-3 draw against Dundee United.

The defender was substituted in the first half, having previously played every game for Killie this season.

"We lost Stuart Findlay in the first half, which was far from ideal, as we were already without our main header in Joe Wright and Stuart's obviously our second main header" McInnes said.

"He's torn his calf. So we’ll get that scanned on Monday and see how it plays out and see the extent of it.

"I don't think he’s missed a game for me through injury the whole time he’s been here, so it was a bit of a surprise and we’re already a centre-half down so we’re a wee bit imbalanced there but I thought Robbie Deas came on and did well.

"I thought Corrie Ndaba filled in second half there well and I thought we were good second half so we’ll hang on to the positives.

"It's another three games unbeaten, but we need to start winning games – particularly at 3-1 up with 10 minutes to go, we should be seeing that one out."

Watch highlights as Kilmarnock draw 3-3 against Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK viewers only.

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 3-3 draw against Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Lee: Utter shambles. Out of Europe, out of a cup and second bottom with three points and not a single win. Sick to the teeth of these poor performances and poor team selection. Time for Derek McInnes to pack his bags and go!

Stephen M: Wrong starting 11, wrong tactical change when Stuart Findlay went off, and when we threatened to overwhelm United at 3-1 we made further changes that surrendered territory and invited them on top of us. Folly to keep saying that we'll be moving up the table soon if we can't play well for 90 minutes or win games like this. One win in 13 this season is abysmal.

Stephen B: As McInnes said, the story should have been about David Watson, it makes you wonder why he isn't getting more game time then. We have a lot of options in central midfield but Watson is the best of the bunch. Hopefully we'll see Kyle Magennis back fully fit soon too as that could be some pairing in the middle.

Ian: Why Watson didn't start is a mystery. McInnes needs to stop tinkering. Only a point when we should have had three. As for VAR it's time for it to go, absolutely sucking the life out the game.

Thomas: Encouraging performance, Watson was superb but the same old last story in the last five minutes, failing again. At last, we finished with 11 men! Safety first when up late in the game!

Adam: Great game of football, outstanding performance from young Watson, but once again defensively we are all over the place. Why do we always have 11 players in our box defending free kicks or corners? There's no out ball and players getting in each others way, therefore conceding silly goals.

James: Four points in two games the referees and VAR have cost us. If United's second goal isn't a free-kick, then he can't be awarding a penalty for the same offence. If it's a free-kick then he can't be awarding the second goal.

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• Kilmarnock have failed to win in their last eight games in the Premiership. Their last longer winless streak was from 16th January 2021 to 6th March 2021, a run of 10 games.

• Ross Graham attempted 62 passes in this game, the highest total for a Dundee United player in the Premiership this season.

• Kilmarnock have won three points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, no team has recovered more.

• Luca Stephenson has assisted two goals in the Premiership this season (two in this game), no Dundee United player has more.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "The story should have been about David Watson, who was outstanding when he came on, he grabbed the game. We were so good for 35 minutes, a real Kilmarnock performance.

"Dundee United tried to force the issue and we need the composure to deal with that. At 3-1, we were in control but we let that authority go.

"We can do a lot better with the second goal and, from them being on the floor United think there might be something there for them, then we don't see out the dying embers."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Trying to unpick this encounter is quite the challenge. Kilmarnock came out after the break and overwhelmed their opponents for a long spell and looked certain to earn that elusive first league win.

As Derek McInnes said post-match, David Watson's impact should have been the story. His contribution was stunning. His opener incredible.

Kilmarnock as a team responded to that and took full control to score three. They were unlucky not to have more as United looked rattled at one point.

However, having got into such a formidable position only to let that slip so dramatically will hurt so much, particularly as that winless league run now extends when it should have been shed.

Small errors opened the door for United and they took advantage. Fine margins proved vital. There will be positives to take but real lessons to learn, too.

A trip to Dundee follows with the winless league run now six. That needs banished fast as they look to get back to the heights of last term.

Ross Graham's injury-time penalty earned Dundee United an unlikely point and denied Kilmarnock a first league win of the season in a breathtaking contest.

What did you make of that game, Killie fans? Was a point the right result, or were you disappointed not to hold on?

Who impressed you? And just how good is David Watson?

Let us know your thoughts here, external.