Kilmarnock

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Hearts could include new signings Sander Kartum and Michael Steinwender, while Lawrence Shankland has a chance of returning after a five-game calf injury absence.

Calem Nieuwenhof is also in contention after being sidelined since last March with a hamstring problem. Frankie Kent (quad) and Stephen Kingsley (hamstring) are out long term.

Killie have lost Robby McCrorie (broken cheekbone), Brad Lyons (hamstring) and Rory McKenzie (stomach) but have Kyle Magennis back.

Matty Kennedy (back), Kyle Vassell, Stuart Findlay (ankle) and Innes Cameron (hamstring) remain out.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

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Not many would have expected Fraser Murray to become one of the shining lights in a tricky Kilmarnock season, but that is how it has panned out for the former Hibs youngster.

The 25-year-old has made 24 appearances this term and started the past eight league games, having played a bit-part role for the previous two seasons.

Speaking before Saturday's trip to face Hearts, Murray said: "I'm loving it, just getting that feeling of playing every week.

"I just needed a run of games to get back into the swing of things, get a bit of confidence. Hopefully I've showed what I can do and we can start pushing up the table now.

"When a chance comes, I know I need to take it. It's like a cup final for me. Over the last few months I've had a run of games and that gives me confidence."

Starting wingers Matty Kennedy and Danny Armstrong have both had spells out with injury, allowing Murray to come in and impress in wins over Aberdeen, Hearts and St Mirren.

"At the start of the season I just set myself, I wanted to play more games," the winger added. "I'd come back after doing work in the off season, came back fitter than I was the season before.

"I tried to make an impression and take it from there. I want goals and assists and hopefully I can get more as the season goes on. But at the start of the season, I just wanted to play, to get in the team and hold my position.

"That was important for me after not playing a lot. This season has probably been the biggest season of my career."

"I had to come back, fight for my place and show I could play at this level."

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes expects Danny Armstrong, who is out of contract this summer, will still be at Rugby Park come the end of the transfer window despite Heart of Midlothian being keen on the 27-year-old and a six-figure bid from an unnamed European club being rejected. (Daily Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• Hearts are winless in four league meetings with Kilmarnock (D2 L2), losing their past two in a row.

• Kilmarnock have only lost one of their past 10 Scottish Premiership games away to Hearts (W6 D3), a 3-1 defeat in December 2022.

• Hearts have kept a clean sheet in their past three league games, as many as their previous 22 beforehand. Not since January 2018 have Hearts gone longer without conceding in the Premiership (seven games).

• Kilmarnock are winless in six away league outings (D2 L4), with their last such win coming in October at Hearts (2-1).

• Only Celtic (345) have recorded more pressed sequences in the league this season than Hearts (307), while only Celtic (188) and Rangers (180) have forced more high turnovers than the Tynecastle side (153).

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Kilmarnock goalkeeper Robby McCrorie is facing a month on the sidelines after suffering a fractured cheekbone in the Scottish Cup defeat to Celtic last weekend.

McCrorie had to be substituted in the opening stages at Parkhead following a collision with Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn.

The 26-year-old adds to Derek McInnes' long injury list that also includes Brad Lyons and Rory McKenzie before Saturday's trip to face Hearts.

"We've not got our troubles to seek," the Killie boss said.

"Robby has fractured his cheekbone, which was what we thought. He'll be out for probably the best part of three to four weeks. We will maybe get him in a mask.

"As a consequence of that, we have recalled Aidan Glavin from Elgin on an emergency loan with the intention of putting him back out to Elgin. I didn't want to do that, but needs must at the minute.

"Brad Lyons damaged his hamstring last week at Celtic Park as well. We had it scanned and he'll miss Saturday's game. Hopefully it's not going to be too much longer than that, he may have a chance for Dundee next week.

"Rory McKenzie's getting a scan on a stomach issue. It might be the onset of a hernia that he's been trying to manage the last wee while and it's got to the point now where it probably needs a wee bit of investigation. So we are without those lads.

"Matty Kennedy has upped his work, but this game is going to come to a quick for him, but hopefully we have him back full training next week. Kyle Magennis is back for this weekend."

The injury list - and the recall of loan players Jack Burroughs and Oli Bainbridge - means McInnes continues to look at the transfer market after Calvin Ramsay joined from Liverpool.

"Finances are tight and it's not easy to to get things done," he said.

"We are trying to deal with a situation with quite a lot of key players out and unavailable. So I think it's my job to continue to look. Whether we can get anything into the building remains to be seen."

Sandy Amour
Fan writer

Defeats can fall under the acceptable or unacceptable category, our narrow defeat at Parkhead is the former.

Celtic paid us full respect by fielding their strongest XI so it says volumes for the efforts of every Killie player that we had them worried right until the final whistle.

Special mention also to the travelling fans who gave tremendous backing for 90 minutes. In difficult games like this you need to strike the fine balance between being strong defensively while carrying a threat at the other end and we almost got it spot on.

Special mention to Joe Wright who, along with Lewis Mayo in defence, was superb. The big man got justified criticism early in the season for poor performances and lack of discipline but he has been outstanding since Stuart Findlay picked up his injury.

A couple of fresh injuries at Parkhead has further depleted the squad so new faces are required. It's maybe time to cash in on the ineffective Danny Armstrong to free up some cash.

We are off to our happy hunting ground Tynecastle this weekend and three points would be very welcome as we start the final push up to the split.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

We asked for your thoughts after Kilmarnock exited the Scottish Cup with a 2-1 loss at Celtic.

Here's what you had to say:

Frank: Solid performance by Killie, unfortunate to lose two important members of the team through injury. Speedy recovery for both of them. A special mention for Robby McCrorie - what a brave effort he made getting injured in the process.

Stewart: Injury to McCrorie was deliberate and the officials should have taken appropriate action. If it had happened at the other end, it would have a different outcome. The foul before Celtic's goal should have been to Killie, but again officials chickened out due to the venue. When are officials going to give fair decisions when playing the Glasgow clubs?

Anna: A battling performance I thought. Celtic were always going to be tough to beat, but we didn't back down. Okay, injuries didn't help us but there's plenty of positives to be taken from that and if we can apply them to our league form, I feel a top-six place is within reach. If we can strengthen the squad, even better.

Doug: I thought Killie played well. There were so many individual performances that were good. Pleased for Bobby Wales getting the goal; another strong showing from Fraser Murray. Lewis Mayo, Joe Wright and Robbie Deas were excellent. We just need to keep that level up in the league now.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Kilmarnock defender Joe Wright believes there are a lot of positives to take from the performance after succumbing 2-1 to Scottish Cup holders Celtic in Glasgow.

After falling behind to Callum McGregor's first half opener, Derek McInnes' side adopted a risk and reward strategy and managed to get level through Bobby Wales' goal just before half-time, before Daizen Maeda's late finish proved decisive.

"We tried to mirror what we did at our place last time out," Wright told BBC Scotland.

"We tried to be aggressive all over the pitch, going man for man at times and promote Corrie (Ndaba) into midfield and cause them a few problems that way.

"I think we did that."

"We managed to get a goal, made it uncomfortable for them," he continued.

"Their second goal, in the build up, there's probably a foul on Marley (Watkins) which we were disappointed with obviously, but I think we can take the positive from that performance."

Celtic were wasteful having created any number of glaring chances but what was impressive for the Ayrshire side was their pressing approach and the calculated risk in going one-on-one at the back.

That left gaps which Maeda eventually exploited but they did manage to trouble their opponents.

"It's something that we work on," Wright said. "We set up in training to do that. It requires a lot of communication, when to promote people, when we need to give those people a little break as well.

"At times where we're asking a lot from Corrie, we're asking a lot from our midfield and then we have to see when we need to sit in as well. So, it's about recognising the opportunities to go and and the opportunities to sit in as well."

"I think the form that we've been in, there's been a few draws in there, but we've certainly tightened up at the backer. Performances like the 0-0 at Motherwell, we more than deserved to win in that game. So, I think we have to take the positives."

Daizen Maeda's second-half goal ensured holders Celtic started the defence of their Scottish Cup with a victory over Premiership rivals Kilmarnock.

Victory extends Brendan Rodgers' unbeaten run in this competition over his two spells in charge but, after initially dominating, his league leaders were fully tested by their impressive visitors.

Celtic's intent was clear from the off. Nicolas Kuhn raced clear within 20 seconds, took a heavy touch, and caught Robbie McCrorie in the face, with the goalkeeper having to be replaced by Kieran O'Hara.

Despite that blow, the visitors almost struck first. Fraser Murray won a free-kick, took it and his curling shot thudded off the crossbar.

Immediately, Khun raced away, played in Maeda but he couldn't convert. It was an frantic opening.

Celtic were firmly on top, though, and while the opener was a great finish from Callum McGregor, the Celtic captain was afforded far too much space.

Killie fans, did you make the trip to Parkhead on Saturday or were you following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the performance.

Have your say, external

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We wanted to come here, with the odds stacked against us, and be competitive. We had a dressing room full of belief.

"We came here depleted and it didn't help much when we have two injuries in the first half.

"Celtic were enjoying the first half too much for my liking. We finished the first half strong and we went, as we planned, man for man in the second half. Risk and reward.

"We spooked Celtic in the second half. You saw the reaction of the supporters at the end, I think they knew the players gave everything to try and win a cup tie. I said before it you're either in it our out it and we're out it.

"The cards were stacked against us when the draw was made, the cards were stacked against us with the injuries but I think the players gave us everything so it's hard not to feel sorry for them."

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Defender Lewis Mayo is undaunted by Kilmarnock's challenge of trying to knock out Scottish Cup holders Celtic and says last season's meetings give his side hope.

While Kilmarnock have shipped six goals without reply in two defeats to Celtic this term, they beat Brendan Rodgers' side twice at home last season - including a 1-0 League Cup win - and drew 1-1 at Celtic Park.

As Killie prepare for Saturday's tie in Glasgow's east end, Mayo said: "At some point you're going to need to pull big performances out of the bag.

"It is a challenge for us, no doubt in that, but it's one we can look forward to and we just need to give it our best go.

"It is a big ask, especially being away from home but we just need to take a positive mindset.

"The core of our group over the past couple of years has had good results against these sort of teams, so we need to use that experience and just go for it.

"People say the magic of the cup, it is different from league football. There's that different buzz about it, different mentality about it.

"You get a different buzz off the fans when it's a cup game, league form becomes irrelevant and it's a one-off game and that competitive environment, it's just a different buzz."

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Jack Burroughs has left Kilmarnock after being recalled from his season-long loan by Coventry City.

The 23-year-old defender made 14 appearances, including five starts, for the Rugby Park side.

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Monday's Dundee derby grabbed the headlines when the Scottish Cup fourth-round draw was made, but there are two other all-Premiership ties before the city rivals do battle for the final spot in the last 16, including holders Celtic hosting Kilmarnock on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers' side will be hot favourites given the runaway league leaders have not lost in 28 home games - 16 of them this season.

If ninth-placed Kilmarnock are to emulate Hearts' win at Celtic Park in December 2023, they will have to do what they have failed to do in their latest three meetings - all defeats with the loss of 11 goals - and that is score one of their own.

They did draw 1-1 at Celtic Park in the game before that - and won 2-1 at Rugby Park immediately before that too - so Derek McInnes' side know it is possible despite the odds but will have to turn around form that has led to one win and three blank sheets in their latest four outings.

Read Scottish Cup preview in full.

Kilmarnock have rejected a six-figure bid for 27-year-old winger Danny Armstrong, who is out of contract in the summer after rejecting a new contract. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

We asked Kilmarnock fans for their views on the loan signing of Scotland international and Liverpool right-back Calvin Ramsay.

Here's some of their views...

Amy: A fantastic signing! With Scotland's dearth of right-back options this is a great opportunity for Calvin to get back into the squad by helping Killie climb the table.

David: Excellent signing. This is a credible statement of intent for the club. It will be interesting to see the calibre of new players joining in January. Attention now turns to a striker - perhaps another raid of Liverpool's talent pool.

Steven: With the long-term absence of Stuart Findlay limiting Derek McInnes' defensive options, the signing of young Ramsay is a welcome addition to the squad. With Corrie Ndaba on the left, big Joe Wright and Lewis Mayo in the centre, and Calvin on the right, the back four will be more balanced. I just hope Calvin can stay fit.

Jon: Calvin has been unlucky with injuries since he moved to Liverpool, but you can see his quality when fit. Hopefully he can stay fit for the rest of the season and help push us up the table to a top-six place.

Iain: Best signing in Scotland so far. Great but of business by Derek McInnes and the club.

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Manager Derek McInnes hopes to rediscover the qualities that earned Calvin Ramsay a move to Liverpool during the right-back's loan at Kilmarnock.

After breaking through at Aberdeen, a rapid rise resulted in the 21-year-old making the move to Anfield in 2022.

But the defender has endured a challenging time at Liverpool, making just two appearances and spending time on loan at Preston, Bolton and Wigan.

McInnes brought Ramsay in to train with the Aberdeen first team when he was manager at Pittodrie and he always believed Ramsay was a "young, talented prospect" with a "big reach" in the game.

The Rugby Park boss is sure the right-back will bring "pace, quality and confidence" to Kilmarnock and feels that his job for the next few months is to "find the boy we all know is in there".

"In all honesty it's not gone as well as he, or Liverpool, would've expected," McInnes said of Ramsay's move to Merseyside.

"If you look at it forensically, there are a lot of different reasons for that. What we and Liverpool feel is that he should work with somebody he knows, get back to basics and have a really successful loan.

"What we're getting is a really attacking, raiding right-back. Hopefully Calvin will get to go back to Liverpool on the back of playing a lot of games having enjoyed a loan spell."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media prior to Saturday's Scottish Cup trip to Celtic.

Here are the key lines:

• McInnes feels there's no reason why Kilmarnock can't knock Celtic out this weekend, adding "it wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world" given his team were "the fourth best in the country last season".

• He accepts his side will have to "use everything we've got" to get the better of Brendan Rodgers' side but admits he's looking forward to "having a wrestle with them".

• The Killie boss expressed his surprise that Celtic "were not as confident with their defensive work" in Wednesday's 3-3 draw at Dundee.

• McInnes wearily admitted that he's "still looking for a striker" in this transfer window. He says it is one of the hardest positions to recruit in any window, but especially in January.

• On new arrival Calvin Ramsay, who McInnes brought in to train with the Aberdeen first team when he was manager at Pittodrie, the Killie boss said he's "very excited" to have the Liverpool right-back at Rugby Park.

• McInnes adds that he always believed Ramsay was a "young, talented prospect" with a "big reach" in the game.

• He is sure Ramsay will bring "pace, quality and confidence" to Kilmarnock and that his job as his manager for the next few months is to "find the boy we all know is in there".

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Managers always tell us the festive period separates the wheat from the chaff and when we get into January, the teams should have a good idea of where their season is heading.

I'd say that is true the vast majority of the time, however this season appears to be the exception to the rule.

The league is extremely tight, with seven points separating the teams from fifth to eleventh.

St Johnstone have got themselves detached at the bottom and it will be difficult, though far from impossible, for them to escape.

Killie had a bit of a mixed bag through December and the injuries to two strikers forced the manager to rethink his transfer window business.

The arrival of Calvin Ramsay from Liverpool looks very positive if he can stay injury free, however we urgently need some goal-scoring options up front.

We get a break from league business this weekend as we travel to Parkhead for what could be termed a tricky tie.

There's no pressure on us so let's just give it a go and see if it's our lucky day.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

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When Kilmarnock announced Calvin Ramsay, Derek McInnes thanked Liverpool. He might want to thank Matty Kennedy too.

The on-loan Liverpool right-back joined the Rugby Park club until the end of the season and revealed a chat with former Aberdeen team-mate Kennedy played a part in his decision.

Ramsay was at Pittodre when McInnes was manager and trained with the first-team as a youngster, and he's kept in touch with a few former Dons who now play for Killie.

"I remember Derek McInnes from Aberdeen, Paul Sheerin gave me my debut, they're top coaches," the 21-year-old told club media.

"I know a lot of the boys, Matty [Kennedy], Marley [Watkins], I could go through almost half of the dressing room.

"I spoke to Matty a few days ago. He gave me a phone call and just went through what the club's like, how the manager works and just said it's a great place to play.

"Hopefully when I'm playing week in, week out, I can get back to really enjoying my football and playing my best football as well.

"Having relationships with some of the lads is a massive part of it. There's always a settling in period at any new club but knowing so many of the boys, it makes it easier to settle in."