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

Hoping to kickstart their Scottish Premiership campaign following the international break, Kilmarnock will welcome Motherwell to the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park on Saturday.

Killie will be desperate to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat, while the Steelmen could make it four games unbeaten in the top flight.

Match preview

Stuart Kettlewell's Kilmarnock lost just one of their opening seven league games in 2025-26, but they have since endured a shocking run of defeats that has scuppered their progress.

Killie were beaten for the first time this season when Celtic downed them 2-1 on September 14, but the Pride of Ayrshire followed up that result with back-to-back victories over Dundee United and St. Mirren - keeping clean sheets against both.

However, Kettlewell's side come into this weekend's clash on the back of five straight losses, culminating in a 4-0 hammering at the hands of the Bhoys on November 9.

That latest disappointment has left Kilmarnock 10th in the table with 10 points, the same number that they had when they sat third behind Celtic and Hearts after beating St Mirren 2-0 last month.

Fans of Saturday's hosts will be hoping that the 13-day gap between matches has helped the team to reset before a renewed push for a place in the top half, but they may be heading to the ground feeling nervous given that they have seen their club lose four of their last five home games.

Meanwhile, Jens Berthel Askou's Motherwell were contrastingly made to wait six Scottish Premiership matchdays for their first win of the season, but they come into this game in significantly better form than their opponents.

Prior to the international break, the Steelmen took a point from a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen on November 9, and while they were thrashed 4-1 by St. Mirren a week before, they are currently on a three-match unbeaten run in the top flight after beating Livingston 2-1 and Dundee Utd 2-0 in late October.

That stalemate has Askou's men sixth in the division, where their total of 15 points sees them five clear of Kilmarnock, though they are just one above the seventh-placed Tangerines.

Looking over their shoulder this weekend, the visitors will draw confidence from their resilience away from home, considering that they have only lost once on the road across all competitions in 2025-26.

However, Motherwell have only taken maximum points on their travels on one occasion this league term, but given they are faced with the most out-of-form team in the league, they will be expecting to win on Saturday.

Kilmarnock Scottish Premiership form:

Motherwell Scottish Premiership form:

Motherwell form (all competitions):

Team News

Kilmarnock will be without striker Djenario Daniels, who is out for the remainder of the season after suffering a 'serious knee injury' on international duty with Suriname in October, while left-winger Matty Kennedy is not expected to be back in action until later this month following a six-month layoff with a hip issue.

In their absence, wing-backs Dominic Thompson and James Brown will be on hand to provide width for a strike partnership of Bruce Anderson and Scott Tiffoney.

As for Motherwell, they have an extensive injury list to deal with this weekend, though the versatile Jordan McGhee, wide man Sam Nicholson and defender Stephen O'Donnell, as well as strikers Eseosa Sule, Filip Stuparevic and Zach Robinson, could all be in contention for a return in the next few weeks.

For the time being, Paul McGinn and Stephen Welsh could continue at centre-back, while Elijah Just and Tawanda Maswanhise operate on the flanks to aid centre-forward Apostolos Stamatelopoulos.

However, goalkeeper Aston Oxborough is unlikely to feature until early 2026 as he recovers from a broken hand, though number one, Calum Ward, will be ready to start between the sticks on Saturday.

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:

Beach; Williams, Stanger, Deas; Brown, Watson, Lowery, Thompson; Lyons; Anderson, Tiffoney

Motherwell possible starting lineup:

Ward; Koutroumbis, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo; Watt, Fadinger; Maswanhise, Slattery, Just; Stamatelopoulos

We say: Kilmarnock 1-2 Motherwell

Kilmarnock are in dire form at the moment after making a promising start to the season, but they will be hoping to get back on track following the international break.

That being said, Motherwell have proven particularly resilient on the road this term, and while Killie may put up a fight, the Steelmen will be expecting to walk away with all three points on Saturday.

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