County threaten a reply, with captain Keith Watson getting on the end of a throw into the Celtic penalty box.

However, the defender's prodded effort is a couple of feet wide of the far post.

Scare for Killie as Josh Ginnelly nicks the ball away from goalkeeper Sam Walker, but the Hearts forward's ball into the box doesn't find a team-mate.

It's been a strong start from Motherwell at Fir Park, with Blair Spittal and Solholm Sondre Johansen having efforts blocked after that Kevin van Veen opener.

Inverness won't want to let this one get away from them.

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Celtic debutant Benjamin Siegrist was quick off his line to save at the feet of Jordan White.

The flag was up as County claimed for a penalty, but replays show it was very close.

Killie again have the Hearts defence working hard as Rory McKenzie gets on the end of a Liam Polworth pass before the forward forces goalkeeper Craig Gordon into a simple save.

The visitors look to threaten early as tidy play between Ash Taylor and Rory McKenzie on the left results in Alex Cochrane having to clear a low cross.

Up the other end, Liam Donnelly recovers to nick the ball off Alan Forrest in the Kilmarnock box.

Five minutes and Celtic have been denied twice by the crossbar already.

A David Turnbull free-kick takes a deflection and comes back off the woodwork, where Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis can only prod over the bar from four yards under pressure.

County are first to threaten from a throw-in into the penalty box, but Celtic debutant Benjamin Siegriest shows a safe pair of hands and sends the visitors racing to the other end, where they go close to an early opener.

Daizen Maeda wins a corner and, from David Turnbull's inswinger, centre-half Stephen Welsh sends a header crashing off the face of the crossbar.

The games are getting going around the country. Who will complete the line-up for tonight's Scottish League Cup quarter-final draw?

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have a Mckay, a Mackay and two MacKays in their squad this evening - striker Billy, goalkeeper Cammy and midfielders Calum and Daniel.

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Almost there....the players are out on the pitch in tonight's four games...

Hearts manager Robbie Neilson has only been able to name seven substitutes and, asked about the prospect of signings before tomorrow's closure of the transfer window, he tells BBC Sportsound: "We have a couple of targets, but nothing is moving at the moment.

"Tomorrow will be a big day for us. In previous windows, our best signings have been when the window has closed, like Stephen Kingsley and Barrie McKay.

"We're not going to panic. If we get them tomorrow, great. If not, we'll see what the [free agent] market has got."

Neilson also says he hopes key defenders Craig Halkett and Stephen Kingsley will return for the weekend.

Dundee United caretaker manager Liam Fox has made four changes from Sunday's 9-0 defeat by Celtic.

"I'm looking for a reaction for the ones who were left out and I'm hoping for a reaction from the rest of the team," he tells BBC Scotland.

"I'm looking at it as a positive that we've got a game, so quickly after the weekend."

Fox sidesteps questions about whether he would be interested in taking over permanently and what Ross Jack is saying about his sacking.

"He is obviously disappointed, but my conversations with Jack will stay private," he adds.

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Both sides go into this game having ended a run of three consecutive defeats with a weekend victory.

However, Hearts impressed even in defeat by Celtic and Zurich, although Sunday's 3-2 win over St Johnstone did come at the cost of a few injuries.

Kilmarnock, who beat Motherwell 2-1 on Saturday, have got the better of Hearts on their last four meetings, although they have not faced one another since February 2020, when the Ayrshire side won 3-2 at Tynecastle.

Indeed, they have not lost their in their latest six visits, winning five of them.

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