Gordon Smith
Former SFA chief executive

Kilmarnock get the game under way at a frosty Rugby Park with both teams in their traditional colours.

The team are on the pitch and we are only a few minutes away from kick-off.

By the way, Steve Clarke was explaining that former Scotland winger Chris Burke is missing today because of an injury picked up in training.

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke told BBC Radio Scotland: "[Lee Erwin] has been doing well in training for me, so it’s an opportunity to give him a chance to start.

"Everybody knows we haven’t won a game yet at home. It’s not something that’s going to change by itself, we’re going to have to work harder on the pitch, play better, and take our chances against a good Aberdeen team.

"The response from the players has been very good, but for a long time this season, we’ve been playing catch up because we dropped so many points at the start of the season.

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"It’s always difficult to play catch up, but that’s what we’re doing. We try to play as well as we can in every game we can do and if we pick up the points that our performances merit, we’ll be okay.

"The more positive results you have, the more confidence you get. We need to win home games, it’s a tough one today, but we go out with the belief that we can do and if we win that can be a turning point in our season."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at Rugby Park

This fixture stood out the moment Kris Boyd voiced his opinion about the merits of certain Aberdeen players being in the Scotland squad.

Some of that edge may have been nullified with Boyd starting on the bench.

The focus for both sides is clear. Aberdeen have dropped five of their last six points in games they'd feel they might win.

Kilmarnock seem to have steadily improved under Steve Clarke but still seek a first home win and clean sheet here at Rugby Park. Achieving both would cement that improvement today.

Aberdeen can move to within three points of leaders Celtic if they win today, but they have only won once in four games.

Kilmarnock drew 1-1 at Pittodrie in September in their only previous meeting with Aberdeen this season - ending the Dons' run of 13 straight victories over the Ayrshire outfit.

Indeed, the Dons are unbeaten at Rugby Park in nine games, winning seven of them - including the last six.

Only Celtic (with six) have had more shutouts on the road than visitors Aberdeen, who have three.

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has said he was surprised Steve Clarke ended up at Kilmarnock rather than the Scotland job.

Kilmarnock have lost once in five games since the former Chelsea full-back replaced Lee McCulloch as manager - six if you include the 2-0 with over Partick Thistle when he was watching from the stand before being officially appointed.

But a 2-1 win away to Hearts is his only victory and he's still looking for his first three points at Rugby Park, although this is only his second home game in charge.

The other was the only time he has suffered defeat as Killie boss - as Hibernian eased to a 3-0 win.

Kilmarnock are the only side yet to win any of their home games in the Premiership this season.

And they are one of only two sides yet to keep a home clean sheet.

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Aberdeen have failed to win in their last two matches and manager Derek McInnes is desperate to snap that little run at Rugby Park this afternoon.

McInnes told BBC Scotland: “Last week, from start to finish, we were second best. Motherwell can do that to teams.

“We have to make sure we are so much better today. We’re playing against a team in decent form.

"Since Stevie (Clarke) has come in, they have a good shape about them, they have an idea of how they want to stop the opposition.

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“We have to play in the right areas of the pitch and try to use the width of the pitch if we can.

“The last two games we had no control of the game. We want to have more control.

“This has traditionally been a good time of year for us. We have a full squad and that helps us to cope with the schedule. It’s about getting that winning run going again."

Billy Dodds
BBC Scotland summariser

Gordon Smith
Former SFA chief executive

There were celebrations in Aberdeen yesterday as former Scotland striker Denis Law was back in his hometown to receive the freedom of the city.

The 77-year-old, who played for Huddersfield Town, Manchester United, Torino and Manchester City, described it as "one of the highlights of my life".

Law given Freedom of Aberdeen

Image source, Norman Adams

Kilmarnock: MacDonald, O'Donnell, Greer, Broadfoot, Findlay, McKenzie, Power, Frizzell, Taylor, Jones, Erwin.

Substitutes: Thomas, Bell, Brophy, Dicker, Kris Boyd, Scott Boyd, Hawkshaw.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, McKenna, Considine, Shinnie, O'Connor, Tansey, Mackay-Steven, McLean, Christie, May.

Substitutes: Reynolds, Stewart, Rooney, Maynard, Arnason, Wright, Rogers.

Referee: Steven McLean

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has, of course, been the centre of speculation again this week.

The former Scotland midfielder is Rangers' preferred candidate to be their new manager, while he's been linked with another of his former clubs, West Bromwich Albion.

But, after Dons chairman Stewart Milne announced that McInnes had told him he was going nowhere, the man himself said he still saw his future at Pittodrie.

It will be interesting to hear what he has to say in his BBC Radio Scotland interview - match coverage has just started, with full commentary to come.

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Former West Bromwich Albion midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu will have to wait to make his Kilmarnock debut after signing this week.

The 30-year-old, who was prevously with Norwich City, is short of match fitness and does not even make the bench.

Adam Frizzell replaces winger Chris Burke and Lee Erwin is up front instead of Kris Boyd as manager Steve Clarke goes for youth over experience.

Boyd at least makes the bench, where he is joined by Gary Dicker, the 31-year-old who has been missing all season through injury.

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The return of Graeme Shinnie from suspension is one of two changes to Aberdeen's starting line-up.

Stevie May is also back in attack, with veteran defender Kari Arnason and striker Adam Rooney dropping to the bench.

Will Shinnie drop back to his old left-back role, or will there be a change of shape for the Dons?

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When using the BBC mobile app, please click the link to see the tweet.

When using the BBC mobile app, please click the link to see the tweet.

There was much anticipation about an impending clash between Kris Boyd and Aberdeen's Graeme Shinnie and Kenny McLean after the Kilmarnock striker suggested that the Dons duo were not good enough to have called up to the Scotland squad for the recent friendly against Netherlands.

Well, although Shinnie is straight back into the Dons line-up after suspension, former Scotland striker Boyd, now also a football pundit, has been dropped to the Killie bench.

So we'll have to wait at least until later in the game to see if it results in any on-field fireworks!

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While Premiership leaders Celtic were preparing for today's final at Hampden, their nearest challengers at the top of the table have been slipping up for a second weekend running.

City rivals Rangers followed up a shock home defeat by Hamilton Academical by losing away to Dundee on Friday and remain stuck in fourth place.

Hibernian, who last weekend lost at home to St Johnstone, were held to a 1-1 draw by Accies yesterday.

Can Aberdeen, runners-up for the last three seasons, one point clear of the Edinburgh outfit and three ahead of Rangers, buck the trend having themselves stumbled with a home defeat by Motherwell last weekend?

Match report: Hamilton Academical 1-1 Hibernian

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