Derek McInnes is adamant that his Kilmarnock side won’t be intimidated by the prospect of facing a high-flying Celtic on Sunday at Rugby Park.
Kilmarnock’s Challenges and Celtic’s Impressive Form:
After an exhilarating performance against RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic team returns to league action this weekend, facing a tough away fixture at Rugby Park. Despite having experienced several defeats at this venue in the past—including a 1-0 loss in the Scottish League Cup in August and a 2-1 league defeat last December—Celtic secured an emphatic 5-0 win over Kilmarnock the last time they met at Rugby Park, a result that helped them clinch their third consecutive title.
Celtic have been in formidable form domestically, dropping just two points in their last 10 league matches, with 12 wins from 13 games and an impressive 43 goals scored across the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup.
However, Celtic’s position at the top of the table could be challenged before they even play, as Aberdeen, who are currently second, could leapfrog them with a win over Dundee on Saturday evening.
Kilmarnock’s Struggles and Improvements:
Kilmarnock, on the other hand, have had an inconsistent start to the season. A tough schedule due to their participation in the Europa Conference League qualifiers hindered their early league form, with the team going winless in their first six matches. However, a crucial 1-0 victory at Dens Park in early October gave McInnes’ side a much-needed boost. Since then, Kilmarnock have been unpredictable, with notable wins against Rangers at Rugby Park and Hearts at Tynecastle, but also disappointing losses, including a 2-1 defeat at home to Dundee last weekend, after surrendering a two-goal lead.
As a result, Kilmarnock have dropped to 8th in the table and now face the daunting challenge of hosting the reigning champions. Despite this, McInnes has been full of praise for Celtic’s recent performances, particularly their impressive victory over Leipzig.
McInnes Praises Celtic and Outlines Kilmarnock’s Approach:
McInnes acknowledged the quality of Celtic’s recent performances, especially their resilience against a strong Bundesliga side. “I think Celtic are clearly improving, and there was a maturity in their performance against Leipzig,” he said. “Not so long ago, many pundits were saying Celtic couldn’t compete with top Bundesliga teams, but they’ve shown they can.”
Looking ahead to the match, McInnes remains optimistic, drawing confidence from Kilmarnock’s good results against Celtic last season. “We’re not daunted by the challenge,” he stated. “We’re in the same league, and we have a home game against them. It’s up to us to make it difficult for them.”
He also acknowledged that Celtic’s improvements will make the match more challenging, but he believes his players must be confident in their ability to get a result. “It’s going to be a huge challenge,” McInnes admitted. “We have to make good decisions on the pitch, but we must also be confident that we can get a result. And it’s important that Celtic see that confidence in us.”
A Tactical Approach to the Challenge:
McInnes also emphasized the importance of playing with intent rather than simply sitting back and allowing Celtic to dictate the game. “The stadium will be full, it’s live on Sky, and it’s the type of game everyone wants to be involved in,” McInnes said. “We’ve got to make it uncomfortable for them, and to do that, we need to play well. My job as manager is to give my players the best chance to win.”
While acknowledging that there will be moments when Celtic’s quality may force Kilmarnock to defend, McInnes made it clear that his team will not simply allow Celtic to dominate. “There’ll be times when Celtic’s quality forces us to sit back, but that’s not by design. In those moments, it’s important that we remain comfortable with that and stay organized.”
Ahead of the match, The Celtic Star will attend a media conference with Brendan Rodgers and a player at Lennoxtown to discuss the upcoming game against Kilmarnock.
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