Michael Beale defends his unbeaten record at Rangers as he bids to keep the pressure on league leaders Celtic.
The Light Blues currently trail their Old Firm rivals by nine points, with the Ibrox men been unable to claw back the gap at the top due to the form of both sides in the Premiership. Tonight is another big game in that regard with three points required to take back to Glasgow to keep chase with Ange Postecoglou and his troops.
Rangers go into this one off the back of a hard 120 minutes of action in the League Cup against Aberdeen on Sunday. Kemar Roofe was the extra-time hero to secure a spot in the final and a return to the national stadium next month. Derek McInnes' men fell to a 2-0 defeat to the Hoop s at the same stage of the competition 24 hours prior and will be out to give their fans something to cheer about as they bid to cause a bid upset and claim crucial points in their bid for top flight survival.
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Speaking ahead of this one, Beale said: “I am expecting a really tough test, I know Derek well, he is a good guy and the Aberdeen battles between our teams were really tough games.
“He has done a good job at Kilmarnock, obviously getting them back up and they have got a lot of familiar faces in their squad who have got good experience in this league. They have lost one in nine at home and they have beaten every team that we have beaten since we came back in so game on.
“It should be a good game, we need to go for three points and I'm sure they are feeling the same after what was a really good performance at Hampden at the weekend. I'm sure although they will be disappointed, that will give them a lot of confidence for the remainder of the season.
“For us playing 120 minutes maybe we naturally rotate the squad, we had some key players that came on at the weekend and did well that are probably looking at me thinking come on when is my chance to show I can have a big impact in the season. It is important I choose the moments, if that isn't tomorrow night then it certainly will be on Saturday evening.”
Kilmarnock XI: Walker, Alebiosu, Taylor, Stokes, Wright, Armstrong, Power, Polworth, McKenzie, Vassell, Doidge
Subs: Hemming, Sanders, Waters, McInroy, Lyons, Alston, Murray, Robinson, Lafferty
Rangers XI: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Kamara, Lundstram, Arfield, Fashion JR, Kent, Morelos.
Subs: McGregor, Jack, Sands, Wright, McCann, King, Devine, Lowry, Tillman.
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