Preview: Kilmarnock vs. Aberdeen - prediction, team news, lineups

A stuttering Aberdeen volition beryllium hoping for immoderate post-Christmas cheer erstwhile they question to the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park to look Kilmarnock successful the Scottish Premiership connected Thursday.

The hosts volition footwear disconnected Boxing Day successful ninth spot with 18 points successful arsenic galore games, portion the visitors are present 3rd successful the league standings with 34 points aft 17 matches.

Match preview

© Imago

After flying retired the starting gross with 10 wins and conscionable 1 gully successful their archetypal 11 matches of the season, the wheels present look arsenic though they are starting to travel disconnected for Aberdeen successful caller weeks.

The Dons took an aboriginal pb past play astatine location to Hibernian acknowledgment to a Topi Keskinen extremity successful the 14th minute, but that lasted conscionable 4 minutes, and by fractional clip they were a extremity down earlier yet losing the lucifer 3-1.

That effect marked Jimmy Thelin's side's sixth consecutive league lucifer without victory, and saw them forced retired of 2nd spot by Rangers, who edged Dundee to a 1-0 triumph the pursuing day.

Cracks are starting to look crossed the transportation for the Dandies too, with their defence failing to support a cleanable expanse successful 9 matches connected the bounce, portion the midfield duo of Graeme Shinnie and Sivert Nilsen person been overmuch little effectual precocious than they were earlier successful the campaign.

However, the visitors person inactive lone mislaid erstwhile connected the roadworthy this play and whitethorn consciousness that this could beryllium the lucifer successful which they commencement to crook things around, having beaten this hostile reasonably comfortably successful their past encounter.

© Imago

Meanwhile, aft finishing successful 4th spot past season, Kilmarnock person experienced a important downturn this term, having managed conscionable 4 wins successful 18 games to date, and presently conscionable 4 points supra basement nine St. Johnstone.

However, aft a winless November and a thumping 6-0 decision to Rangers astatine the commencement of this month, Killie are starting to amusement immoderate signs of life, present unbeaten successful their past 3 matches (W1 D2 L0).

Their astir caller fixture saw them travel backmost from a extremity down to decorativeness 1-1 against Motherwell connected the roadworthy acknowledgment to a 74th infinitesimal extremity by Liam Polsworth - their archetypal from unfastened play since the 3-3 gully against Dundee past month.

Indeed, a deficiency of accordant goals has been the large downfall for Derek McInnes's broadside this season, arsenic they person lone managed to find the backmost of the nett 19 times to date, which is the second-lowest tally successful the part behing Ross County (14).

The hosts person earned lone 2 wins successful 7 location games this season, but fixed his erstwhile employer's struggles of late, McInnes volition apt consciousness his broadside whitethorn beryllium capable to sneak a effect here.

Kilmarnock Scottish Premiership form:

Aberdeen Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

© Imago

Kilmarnock volition beryllium capable to invited Robbie Deas backmost to the squad this week, with the defender having present served his suspension for the reddish paper helium was shown against Hearts earlier this month.

That means the hosts are lone expected to beryllium without 1 first-team subordinate for this lucifer successful the signifier of Stuart Findlay, who is inactive connected the roadworthy to betterment from an ankle wounded sustained past month.

For the visitors, Vicente Besuijen and defender Jack Milne some sustained injuries during the 1-1 gully against St Johnstone a mates of weeks ago, and Thelin confirmed earlier this week that the brace are expected to stay sidelined for 4 and 3 months respectively.

Dimitar Mitov (hamstring) and top-scorer Pape Habib Gueye (muscle) are besides ruled retired until the New Year, meaning Ross Doohan volition proceed betwixt the sticks and Ester Sokler volition pb the enactment this week.

Kilmarnock imaginable starting lineup:
O'Hara; Mayo, Wright, Ndaba; Watson, Lyons, Polworth, Murray, Anderson; Vassell, Watkins

We say: Kilmarnock 1-1 Aberdeen

After an unthinkable commencement to the season, Aberdeen person present gone six matches without triumph and are missing their first-team goalkeeper and top-scorer owed to injury. Kilmarnock, meanwhile, are a agelong mode from the benignant of signifier we saw past season, presently the second-lowest-scoring squad successful the apical flight.

This is simply a lucifer that some sides volition apt consciousness they tin win, but fixed their existent signifier and caller league records, we consciousness determination volition beryllium thing to divided them astatine the last whistle.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer please click here.

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