Preview: Kilmarnock vs Dundee - prediction, team news, lineups

Kilmarnock will welcome Dundee to the BBSP Rugby Park this Saturday in the Scottish Premiership, continuing their battle to ensure they are not involved in the relegation playoff at the end of the season.

Meanwhile the visitors will be aiming to ensure they do not get dragged into this relegation battle by securing a win and moving eight points clear of the hosts.

Match preview

Kilmarnock will be desperate to put their most recent result behind them, as they lost 3-0 to Hibernian; that is after their two consecutive victories in the league over Hearts and Livingston.

The hosts are sat 11th in the division, three points behind St Mirren, with this being the final game before the league split in which they will have five games to ensure they are not involved in a relegation playoff.

Killie will be buoyed by the fact they have avoided defeat in each of their last seven Scottish Premiership home games against Dundee.

Fans of the hosts will also be confident their side can earn all three points at the weekend, as they have won four of their last five home league games, including both of their last two without conceding.

© Imago

Dundee enter this game currently sitting five points above the relegation playoff place, which is occupied by Kilmarnock, and so will know how important a victory will be to their Premiership status for next season.

A defeat for the visitors will drag them right into the relegation battle just as the league is set to split, in which they will then clash against direct rivals not to end up in that playoff spot.

Fans may take confidence from the clubs performance this year when facing adversity as they have lost both of their last two league matches; only once this season have, they endured a longer losing streak, losing four in a row from October to November.

Meanwhile, there will be a quiet confidence from those in the club that they could earn all three points, as they won the last match against Kilmarnock and so could enjoy back-to-back Scottish Premiership victories over the hosts for the first time since August 2015.

Kilmarnock Scottish Premiership form:

Dundee Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

© Iconsport / Icon Sport

Kilmarnock will continue to be without Tyreece John-Jules, Kyle Magennis, Djenairo Daniels and Matthew Kennedy due to injury.

The hosts will need someone else to step up and grab the goals due to John-Jules’ absence with the hope Hugill can find the back of the net this week after firing blanks last time out against Hibernian.

Clark Robinson missed Dundee’s defeat to Celtic last time out, and he is not expected to make a return this week for this match.

While the visitors will also be without Ryan Astley for this game, as he received a red card in the defeat to the Hoops, and so Billy Koumetio is likely to come in.

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:

Roos; Schjonning-Larsen, Deas, Stanger, Brandon; Tshibola, Polworth; Curtis, Kiltie, Lyons; Hugill

Dundee possible starting lineup:

McCracken; Wright, Graham, Koumetio, Halliday; Hamilton, Yogane, Robertson, Dhanda, Congreve; Murray

We say: Kilmarnock 1-0 Dundee

Kilmarnock seemed to find some form in the last few fixtures; that was until their defeat to Hibs. However, they have earned two impressive wins to help their battle against relegation, and so they should carry on this form. The visitors are also on a bad run of games, as they have not won in their last three and expect this to continue as they get dragged into the battle for the relegation playoff position.

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