Kilmarnock have been fantastic so far this season. They now sit just two points behind Rangers at the top of the league, and had Steven Gerrard’s side not beaten Hearts on Sunday, they would have been top. Could Steve Clarke’s men be potential dark horses in this year’s title race?
Rangers have been seen as Celtic’s main competitors for the league crown. Hearts were also challengers at the start of the season. Their push has fell off a cliff in recent weeks though after an injury crisis at Tynecastle.
Kilmarnock, however, have remained close to the top, lurking just below the top three for the majority of the season.
They have gone about their business quietly, but they have something to shout about now, as they edge closer towards Rangers and Celtic.
Teamwork the recipe for Kilmarnock success
Many would have predicted Aberdeen to be the main challengers alongside Rangers. After all, they have finished second every year since 2014, and have made eight trips to Hampden under Derek McInnes. However, they have lacked consistency this season, something which is Kilmarnock’s key strength.
Killie don’t have any real standout stars. What they do have is a team that are willing to play for each other. It’s this desire that has seen them beat Celtic earlier in the campaign and get points from the likes of Hearts and Hibs.
They can win spectacularly, shown by their dramatic 2-1 victory over the champions. Killie can also gain points the hard way, proving this in a dogged 1-1 draw at Ibrox.
They don’t look like a great side on paper. When you come up against them though, you soon discover they don’t have any real weaknesses either. Former Rangers men like Chris Burke and Kirk Broadfoot have been reborn under Clarke. The former Chelsea coach even managed to make Kris Boyd top goalscorer in the Premiership last year.
In recent years, Kilmarnock have been a mess. Struggling to finish anywhere above eighth, their only real highlight of the past 10 years was a League Cup triumph over Celtic in 2012. Nowadays, however, Kilmarnock are a feared side in the Premiership.
The Ayrshire outfit may not win the league, but they’ll push the two Glasgow sides all the way. They’ve shown remarkable consistency and a European spot will be a target for Killie this season.
If Kilmarnock manage to keep putting points on the board, it’ll be interesting to see how far they can push both Celtic and Rangers.
