Kilmarnock

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jack Butland (Rangers)

Made several vital stops to keep Hibs at bay in Sunday's goalless draw at Easter Road.

Paul McGinn (Motherwell)

Continues to perform heroically at centre back for free-flowing Motherwell, who beat Livingston on Saturday. Sticking him in at his more accustomed right-back spot in my team.

Robbie Deas - (Kilmarnock)

Laid a solid foundation as Kilmarnock kept Aberdeen out to earn a much needed and well-deserved win.

Kieran Tierney (Celtic)

Becoming increasingly important as the weeks roll by for Celtic after getting through the first part of the season. 83 good minutes against Falkirk and an assist for the Scotland defender.

Harry Milne (Hearts)

Continually impressive this season for Hearts. Provided the assist for the opening goal at Tannadice as Derek McInnes' side won comfortably.

Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock)

Led by example and got a goal to kickstart a superb performance. The captain showed heart and soul for the cause.

Elijah Just (Motherwell)

The New Zealand winger has been one of the discoveries and players of the season. An assist for Motherwell's first goal against Livingston. Elegance, poise and football intelligence in an abundance. A joy to watch.

Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell)

Two goals to sink Livingston, 18 goals in all competitions and the top scorer in the Premiership. The Zimbabwe international has been a revelation this season.

Pierre Landry Kabore (Hearts)

Filling the Lawrence Shankland-shaped hole at the top end of the pitch and did the business away at Dundee United with a double.

Tyreece John-Jules (Kilmarnock)

All round excellent display. Held the ball up, got an assist and a goal.

Alexandros Kyziridis (Hearts)

A livewire presence for Hearts. Always looks a threat, and on the scoresheet from the penalty spot.

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock have announced the signing of midfielder Aaron Tshibola.

Tshibola, 31, has had three previous spells at Rugby Park - two separate loans from Aston Villa before penning a one-year deal for the 2020-21 season.

Having last been contacted Levadiakos in Greece, Tshibola returns to Ayrshire on a permanent deal.

Watch highlights as Kilmarnock defeat Aberdeen 3-0 for a first league win in 17 matches. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views after Kilmarnock ended their long winless run by beating Aberdeen 3-0 on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

James: What a difference. Amazing what three new players can do. Although not on from the start it made the existing players buck themselves up. Competition for places is an amazing thing. Well done, but why did it take so long?

John: Brilliant, performed from the off. Aggressive in the press, slick passing and some great goals. Onwards and upwards!

Brett: Wow, I was not expecting that! Now we need to keep up a consistent level of performance to avoid the drop. Good to get a clean sheet, but we still need a decent centre back.

Grant: Outstanding performance from every single player from start to finish. Hopefully the corner has been turned, now to put a spanner in the Rangers title challenge on Wednesday night!

Peter: That is without any doubt our best performance of the season and probably better than any from the second half of last season as well. A team performance with some really good front-foot football. Neil McCann and his team have had a short period of time to make a difference and let's hope this is a start of better things to come.

Adam: At last! Something to shout about, a great game to watch and Kilmarnock were by far the better team. Great to see some new faces, and old ones waking up - fantastic day.

An inspired Kilmarnock performance against Aberdeen delivered a first victory in 17 Scottish Premiership games and moved them six points clear of the bottom.

Could this be the turning point in Killie's season?

Have your say.

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann: "The fans have waited a long time for this. It was so important the boys got a win today because since I've come in with Billy [Dodds] and joined the club - their attitude has been first class.

"I could feel there was something coming, the turn coming. I just felt today was a right good opportunity. Playing at home today, could we get that elusive result, and I'm so happy for everyone concerned with the club we managed to do that. And do it in style as well.

"I couldn't pick a standout from the team. From the first minute to the last everybody who took to the pitch today had belief about them - which is what we've been missing.

"There was a real snap about us and aggression about our play, and some of the football we played was so good.

"I want us to catch fire. I want it to be a catalyst, a platform we can launch from. We've got a really tough game midweek at Rangers which we need to recover for.

"But the boys deserve to let loose tonight and just enjoy that victory because it has been such a long time."

McCann says the club are working on further additions but there are "no guarantees" and he is happy with the squad.

Image source, Getty Images/SNS

Kilmarnock have signed Manchester United striker Joe Hugill on an 18-month deal, while also adding young Rangers winger Findlay Curtis on loan until the end of the season.

Hugill, 22, spent time with Newcastle and Sunderland as a youth before joining Manchester United in 2020, where he has never made a senior appearance.

He has spent time on loan at Altrincham, Burton Albion, Wigan Athletic, Carlisle United and most recently Barnet.

Curtis, 19, has scored three goals and chipped in with two assists in 21 appearances for Rangers this season.

Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann knows Curtis from his time on Barry Ferguson's coaching staff last season at Ibrox and will hope the new signings help Killie climb the Scottish Premiership table.

The Rugby Park outfit are 11th, three points above bottom club Livingston.

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock could include new winger Nicky Clescenco if international clearance comes through.

Jamie Brandon and Max Stryjek are back in training but neither will be risked, while Djenairo Daniels, Kyle Magennis and Matthew Kennedy will also be absent.

Aberdeen are waiting on Afeez Aremu's visa paperwork to be completed following his move from Kaiserslautern, so the Nigerian midfielder's debut may have to wait.

Defender Jack Milne is suspended after his red card in the win over Livingston, but Liam Morrison, signed on loan from QPR, has been in full training so should be involved.

Goalkeeper Nick Suman (ankle) remains sidelined along with defenders Gavin Molloy and Kristers Tobers (both knee).

Image source, Getty

Kilmarnock have signed Moldova winger Nicky Clescenco on a contract until summer 2027.

The 24-year-old, who arrives from Zimbru Chisinau in the Moldovan Super Liga, has scored six goals and provided three assists in 20 appearances this season.

Dublin-born Clescenco spent time in Sporting Lisbon's youth academy and played for Sion's second team in the Swiss lower leagues before a move to Petrocub in Moldova.

He made his Moldova debut in 2021 and has seven caps.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

"He's on the right track."

That's what Rangers head coach Danny Rohl said about 19-year-old Findlay Curtis on Thursday night as questions continue to swirl over the youngster's future.

Curtis started the Europa League defeat in Porto and made an impact after just six minutes, providing the cross for Djeidi Gassama to head Rangers into an early lead.

Rohl's side went on to lose 3-1, bringing an underwhelming European campaign to and end, but Curtis proved to be a shining light on an otherwise dull night.

"I want to praise Findlay," Rohl said after the game.

"He understood my words to him two-and-a-half weeks ago when we spoke honestly about where I see him.

"Since then, he's had exactly the right mindset. Today he was brave and nice in possession."

The winger has made 21 appearances in all competitions this season but has only played 596 minutes, which works out at around 28 minutes per game.

Still, in his limited game-time he has shown plenty of promise, registering three goals and two assists.

In the Premiership he has played 194 minutes across 10 games and created three chances from open play. His two fast breaks have only been bettered by Djeidi Gassama and Nedim Bajrami while his shooting accuracy of 66.7% is better than strikers Youssef Chermiti and Danilo, as well as captain James Tarvernier.

With Rohl keen in bring in additional attacking reinforcements before Monday night's transfer deadline, Curtis could find himself pushed further down the pecking order. He has been strongly linked with a loan move to Kilmarnock.

Rohl said: "We'll make a decision in the next couple of days on him but we need to look at the bigger picture.

"It's about game-time. It doesn't matter what we decide - he's on the right track."

Kilmarnock assistant Billy Dodds, who alongside manager Neil McCann worked with Curtis during their time on Rangers' coaching staff last season, thinks a loan switch to Ayrshire would be the best move.

"I can't confirm anything at the moment," the Killie assistant told BBC Sportsound about a potential loan.

"The best case for him to develop would be to get game-time and I'm not sure he's going to get that at Rangers with the signings they've made.

"He's got to play games somewhere and I think it'll be good for his development.

"I know Neil worked with him hard in terms of shaping crosses in and he's like a sponge, he takes it on board. His cross in Porto was top drawer.

"He's got a fantastic attitude to go with his technical ability. His attitude is to die for so he would be a good addition."

Rangers fans, what do you think? Should Curtis be kept at Ibrox for the title run-in - or sent to Kilmarnock for more game-time?

Let us know your thoughts.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here are the main points:

• McCann stresses "we're working hard behind the scenes" to get bodies in before Monday night's transfer deadline.

• And while the Killie boss has "nothing to tell you right now", he is "pretty positive we'll have one or two in" before the window shuts.

• McCann admits "it's not that I need them, I would like them" when it comes to new arrivals, adding: "I think the dressing room would benefit from a wee boost."

• But he knows "I need to show we're capable of getting results with the players we've got".

• McCann says "the squad is looking good" for Saturday's game and he was "pleased to have had more time on the training pitch to try and eradicate the disappointment" of last weekend's 4-0 loss at Motherwell.

• While the Killie boss is keen to "park" that result, he thought his side were "very good" in the first half until Tom Lowery's sending off for a second yellow.

• McCann is expecting a "confident" Aberdeen after their 6-2 victory over Livingston, adding "they'll be in a good mood".

• He says it will take "a lot of hard work and maybe a wee bit of luck" to get a result on Saturday but stresses "we've got to try and use" home advantage.

• Max Stryjek and Jamie Brandon have started training but are not ready for the weekend.

Image source, SNS

• Aberdeen's 6-2 win over Livingston last time out was the first time they scored six-plus goals in a league match since May 2017, when they beat Partick Thistle 6-0. It was more goals than the Dons had netted in their previous seven Scottish Premiership fixtures combined (four).

• Aberdeen have lost each of their last four away league games, after having won four in a row on the road before that. Indeed, since the start of 2025, the Dons have suffered more away defeats than any side in the Scottish Premiership (14).

• Kilmarnock have lost six of their last seven home league games (D1), including each of their last three in a row. Killie last suffered four successive home defeats in the Scottish Premiership in August 2017 under Lee McCulloch, and last did so within a single top-flight campaign in May 2015 under Gary Locke.

• The side playing at home has won 11 of the last 14 Scottish Premiership matches between Kilmarnock and Aberdeen (three away wins), although the Dons did win their last away to Killie 1-0 in October.

• Kilmarnock have lost each of their last three league meetings with Aberdeen, after having won four of their previous five beforehand (L1).

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

Throughout Killie's embarrassing winless run, we have shown a tendency to fold like a cheap suit once we lose a goal and it was there for all to see again on Saturday.

We started the game fairly well, but the loss of a goal at Motherwell - followed by another red card - sealed our fate before half-time.

We need reinforcements in all areas of the team, but an experienced centre-half who can organise that defence is desperately needed.

A couple of wingers and another striker are required too, but we are now in the final week of the window and time is running out.

There is a general feeling that relegation this time around would be a financial disaster and could see us out of the top league for a long time.

Aberdeen visit the 'Theatre of Pies' this weekend and a win would lift the gloom that surrounds the place at present.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

Watch Sportscene pundit Steven Naismith analyse Kilmarnock's red card and their defensive frailties in Saturday's defeat at Motherwell.

UK only

Watch the best of the action from Fir Park as Motherwell continue their superb home form with a 4-0 rout of Kilmarnock. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views on Kilmarnock's 4-0 defeat against Motherwell.

Here's what some of you said:

Kenny: It's the same old story. Killie don't have the quality required to compete in the league and, unless drastic measures are taken to improve the squad, the Championship looks inevitable. If the squad doesn't get improved before the end of the transfer window then I think Neil McCann would have better luck playing the boys from the U19s as they know what it takes to win a game.

Iain: Same old, same old. I think the fans are getting tired of hearing about the lack of confidence, poor decisions by the referee, yellow then red cards undeserved, a bit of bad luck, and so the excuses continue. It is about time the players took a long hard look at themselves and not at the excuses.

Jon: You can't help but think that we're doomed. I don't think any manager could turn the results around with this current squad. The most disappointing thing is that there is no passion or fight in the players. They're just lucky that Livingston keep losing as well. Scraping survival via the play-offs is our only hope.

Tom: How much longer before McCann admits that he hasn't got the players in the building to keep us up. A clear-out of the deadwood and better quality in is the only answer or we will go down.

William: Maybe it's worthwhile just letting the season run its whole course - venting our frustrations doesn't seem to have had any effect in the last three months.

Colin: The officials did not cost us that game. McCann is clutching at straws already but the real blame lies with Stuart Kettlewell and his one dimensional squad. He left us in a hole we do not look like getting out of.

Motherwell maintained their superb home record and deepened Kilmarnock's relegation fears as the hosts strolled to a comfortable Scottish Premiership win.

Read the report

Have your say

Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann tells BBC Scotland: "I felt we were the better side in the first part of the game.

"The offside goal was not what killed us today, but it's so marginal. It looks like guesswork.

"We've got another still where it looks like [Polworth] is just on with Sparrow's shoulder.

"What has hurt us is the red card. What we have suffered at Livingston in the early part of the game where the Livingston player's not received the red card and then what we've got today.

"I'm told the first one is reckless. I can't see anything reckless whatsoever. It's such a poor decision, because it puts a combative midfielder on a tightrope. I thought the second one was soft as well.

"When we go down to 10 men against a side with their tails up, it's going to be difficult.

"I'm trying to get instructions onto the pitch. The fourth official knows I'm talking to two of my players and he lets them take a quick free-kick.

"I'm a bit disappointed with that. You're just looking for a wee bit of common sense.

"The whole flip of the game comes from a red card decision because before that I thought we were the better team.

"I don't think shoulders went down. They're just a group suffering from a lack of confidence.

"To concede so soon after the red card is a massive blow.

"I feel a wee bit of an injustice with the red card I have to say.

"What I will say is I don't see a dressing room that chucked it today. They fought. I'm sorry to the fans who came here that they saw a team that was so good until the red card succumb to that defeat.

"We're working hard - the recruitment side of the club have been going at it to try to get bodies in to help the dressing room."

Image source, SNS

New Motherwell striker Eythor Bjorgolfsson could feature against Kilmarnock. Sam Nicholson is almost back in full training while Andy Halliday is on his way back from injury. Elliot Watt (hamstring) and Regan Charles-Cook (ankle) remains out with long-term absentees Filip Stuparevic (knee) and Zach Robinson (Achilles).

Greg Kiltie is closing in on a comeback for Kilmarnock, who got relatively positive news on Marley Watkins' injury this week. Long-term absentees Max Stryjek (heart), Kyle Magennis (knee), Jamie Brandon (ankle/groin), Djenairo Daniels (knee) and Matty Kennedy (hip) remain out while James Brown has also been missing with a knock in recent weeks.