Home after perilous away fixtures

Kilmarnock come to Celtic Park tomorrow on what is an historical run of form.  One defeat (at Ibrox) in 12 games since early December, which includes their win over Celtic, has elevated Derek McInnes to a regard almost as high as their pies.

As we found to our cost in December, they are a very well organised outfit who know how to defend and who can break forward with purpose, but let’s not overplay the threat, they are not Brazil 1970.  They have only won three league games since defeating Celtic, single goal victories against St Johnstone, St Mirren and Livingston.

They have opened a 10-point gap on better-resourced Hibs and Aberdeen, but it has been an exerting time for maxed-out squad.  McInnes’s experience has elevated them beyond the normal scope of their resources.

After three consecutive away games a return to Celtic Park is welcome.  That run of fixtures had a perilous look to it beforehand, so taking seven from nine points is not a shoddy return.   I expect Adam Idah to start up front with Kyogo sitting behind as he did so effectively in Paisley.

Brendan Rodgers now has options in forward positions, so can confidently change things up if we are not making progress.  We are likely to see four wingers deployed at stages across the game as he figures out who his preferred starting pair is.