Celtic vs Kilmarnock
Scottish Premiership
Saturday
17th February 2024
Celtic Park
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the Scottish Premiership fixture between Celtic and Kilmarnock.
Celtic vs Kilmarnock: Preview
Celtic form analysis
Celtic’s recent results show a team excelling at home but less dominant on the road. After an impressive 2-1 Old Firm derby win over Rangers, Celtic comfortably dispatched St Mirren 3-0. However, Brendan Rodgers’s side have found wins harder to come by away from home, needing an early Johnston goal to beat bottom side Ross County 1-0. Defensive fragility on their travels was evident again as Celtic conceded late to draw 1-1 away at Aberdeen.
But Celtic showed their resilience and quality by grinding out a 2-1 away win against Hibs, with substitute Idah netting two late penalties. Generally, while Celtic have been close to perfect at Parkhead, they have come up short on same control and authority out and about. Rodgers will need more prominent consistency from his group, particularly in defense and midfield, while playing ceaselessly.Celtic’s firepower means they can win games without reaching top form, but shoring up vulnerabilities away from home will be key to maintaining their Premiership title push in the coming weeks.
Kilmarnock form analysis
Kilmarnock’s recent results portray a resilient team capable of grinding out results but prone to defensive lapses. After fighting back to draw 2-2 with Dundee, Killie suffered a 3-1 home loss to Rangers as their defence struggled to contain the visitors’ attacking flair. However, Derek McInnes’ side responded well by twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 away at Hibernian in a gritty display. Another comeback followed as Kilmarnock recovered from conceding early to draw 1-1 away at Motherwell.
Most recently, Killie displayed their stubbornness again as Watkins’ late winner secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Livingston. Overall, while shaky defensively, Kilmarnock have shown they possess spirit and determination to battle back into games. McInnes appears to have instilled belief and resilience into this group of players. If Killie can tighten up their backline and eradicate individual errors, their fighting qualities give them potential to push for the title. Building defensive solidity will be crucial to compliment their threat on the counterattack.
