Ross County travel to Ayrshire tomorrow to take on mid table Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Jim McIntyre’s men have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks but will face a tough test against Allan Johnston’s men who sit sixth in the Premiership.
Kilmarnock team news
- Captain Manuel Pascali returns from suspension.
- Allan Johnston has a couple of un-named injury doubts, while striker Michael Ngoo is out long term with an ankle injury.
Ross County team news
- Darren Barr will miss the game against his former club after twisting his knee.
- Richard Brittain will return to the squad after missing Monday’s defeat by Aberdeen through illness.
- Long term absentees Uros Celcer (hamstring), Tim Dreesen (back) and Rocco Quinn (hip) remain sidelined.
Did you know
- Three of the last four encounters between the teams have finished 2-1 – with two Kilmarnock victories and one County win.
- County will be glad Kris Boyd has left Kilmarnock – he netted five goals in the four games between the teams last season.
- Alexi Eremenko (four) is the only Kilmarnock player with more than one assist to his name this season.
- Graham Carey (three) is the only County player to have created more than one goal this campaign.
Jim McIntyre says:
“They’ve got the artificial surface and the biggest thing with that is to make sure it’s soaked and wet. They really do suit a passing team.
“We had one at Queen of the South. That’s why I know you need to keep it wet, because if you don’t it can stick in places and be slick in others.
“It’s an advantage for home teams, especially when there’s only two in the league. It’s a bit different in the Championship where there’s four of them – all different.
“They really encourage you to pass the ball and move it quickly but can catch you out if you’re not used to playing on them”
Provisional Kilmarnock squad
Samson, O’Hara, Pascali, Ashcroft, Johnston, Slater, Hamill, Eremenko, McKenzie, Muirhead, Barbour, Clingan, Connolly, Magennis, Davidson, Obadeyi, Miller, Westlake, Chantler, Brennan, Mackay.
Ross County provisional squad
Brown, Frempah, Boyd, Balk, Carey, Kiss, de Leeuw, Brittain, Maatsen, Cardle, Jervis, Boyce, Latouchent, Arquin, Gardyne, P Quinn, Irvine, Fenlon, Dunfield, Woods, Reckord, Saunders, Reguero.