Rangers take the short journey to Kilmarnock tonight to play on a surface that nobody missed last season when Derek McInnes’s side were in the Championship.
Michael Beale has touched on the home side’s record at Rugby Park and it is one that should be respected if not feared, they were also unlucky not to take Celtic to extra-time on Saturday but for some suspect officiating and VAR turning a blind eye to a blatant penalty incident deep into injury time.
The Gers gaffer has spoken before about focussing on our performances and since he has been in charge they have, largely, been acceptable. We just need to cut out the idiotic mistakes at the back.
The injury list has been improving but there will be no Kemar Roofe or Antonio Colak, although I would expect there to be some rotation ahead of the Scottish Cup tie with St Johnstone at the weekend and this is who I think Beale will go with to get all three points:
Starting from the top, we have no choice but to play Alfredo Morelos but he does love a goal at Rugby Park, he will be wanting to hit the goal trail knowing that Colak will be back to full fitness and looking for his jersey back soon.
The fixture list isn’t quite as intense as it has been in recent years but I would still expect a couple of changes, Malik TIllman’s height might see him selected but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Scott Arfield return to the starting XI, Glen Kamara should also come in to give Ryan Jack a rest.
The defence will probably stay the same, if we had been at home I’d have expected Adam Devine to come in for Borna Barisic but the surface could see Beale make a change in goals again and bring Jon McLaughlin back. An artificial surface is not ideal for a man of Allan McGregor’s age or ability on the ball.
Not losing the first goal and scoring an early one would go a long way in helping the game plan, is it too much to ask?