Two clubs hoping to finish the regular season in the top six meet at Rugby Park in the Scottish Premiership on Thursday, when Kilmarnock host St Mirren.
The visitors enter the matchday in fifth, but Kilmarnock know a win will close that gap to just three points in a congested mid-table.
Match preview
© Imago
After losing 6-0 to Rangers early last month, Kilmarnock embarked on a very positive run of form, but that was ended by a narrow defeat to Hibernian at the weekend.
Derek McInnes had seen his side take eight points from four games, drawing away to Dundee United and Motherwell, beating Hearts, and thrashing Aberdeen on Boxing Day, but they lost a close affair 1-0 with 10 men on Sunday.
Killie are down in ninth but are by no means out of contention of breaking into the top six, especially when it is taken into consideration that only eight of their 20 league games so far have been at home.
Those eight home matches are seeing them take an average of 1.5 points-per-game - form that could easily see them break into the Championship Group when the league splits.
McInnes will know they cannot get carried away after some good recent form though, because the gap to Hearts in the relegation playoff spot is still only four points.
After breaking into Europe themselves against all odds last season, St Mirren are threatening to do so again, especially after a run of six wins in nine games.
![Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/stephen-robinson.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
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Stephen Robinson's side ended 2024 with a defeat though, going down 2-1 at home to Dundee in what will feel like a huge missed opportunity, given the form they had shown.
It came just three days after a victory over Rangers on Boxing Day, which was their third in succession, but they have now allowed the three sides behind them to make up ground.
Motherwell in sixth have a game in hand, and seventh-placed Hibernian are among the most in-form teams in Scotland at present, so they will likely need something here to maintain fifth spot.
A trip to Celtic next illustrates that more than anything, but St Mirren have a dismal record against Kilmarnock, failing to win any of their previous 10 head-to-heads, and losing 5-2 on their last visit to Rugby Park a year ago.
Team News
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Kilmarnock will be without Daniel Armstrong after he was sent off in the defeat to Hibs at the weekend, joining the injured Stuart Findley on the sidelines.
McInnes will hope to have the goals of Matty Kennedy available again soon, while top scorer Bruce Anderson should return to the side after scoring three in their four-game unbeaten run recently.
Visitors St Mirren are likely to be without midfield duo Conor McMenamin and Mark O'Hara for this one, but the former is edging closer to a return.
Toyosi Olusanya added another goal to his impressive tally this season despite defeat to Dundee at the weekend, with only four players in the Premiership having scored more than his total of six so far.
Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:
McCrorie; Burroughs, Wright, Mayo, Ndaba; Lyons, Polworth, Watson, Murray; Anderson, Vassell
St Mirren possible starting lineup:
Balcombe; Iacovitti, Gogic, Fraser; Bwomono, Phillips, Smyth, John; Idowu, Olusanya, Kiltie
We say: Kilmarnock 1-1 St Mirren
In one of the most evenly-matched fixtures of the matchday in the Premiership, it is tough to separate these two, who have both shown promising signs in recent weeks.
Killie had taken eight points from a possible 12 before Sunday's defeat, while St Mirren have won six of their last 10 games, so both sides should feel confident of taking something.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
