Celtic will play Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday in an important Scottish Premiership match as they aim to maintain pressure in the title race.
Kilmarnock, currently second-bottom, is fighting to avoid relegation, while third-placed Celtic seeks to reduce the gap with league leaders Hearts as the 2025-26 season nears its end.
Kilmarnock vs Celtic – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 15th February.
- Kick-off: 2pm BST.
- Venue: The BBSP Arena, Kilmarnock.
Kilmarnock team news
Full-back Dominic Thompson returns after serving a one-match suspension for a red card received against Rangers, missing the win over St Mirren.
Coach McCann is likely to keep the same lineup that won against St Mirren, with Bruce Anderson partnering John‑Jules in attack after their strong performance midweek.
Kilmarnock will be without several key players: Kyle Magennis (knee), Djenairo Daniels (knee), and Matty Kennedy (hip) are all missing for the Celtic match.
Injuries have been a persistent issue for Kilmarnock, especially for Magennis and Daniels, who have been sidelined for an extended period this season.
Celtic team news
Arne Engels, who was injured during the match against Livingston, is uncertain for the Kilmarnock game, possibly allowing Oxlade‑Chamberlain or Reo Hatate to start in midfield.
Celtic are also missing long-term absentees Cameron Carter‑Vickers (Achilles), Jota (knee), Alistair Johnston, and Callum Osmand (both hamstring), who remain out of action.
Martin O’Neill indicated in November that Johnston would be out for “four or five months” and Osmand for “five months” following their surgeries, while confirming that Jota will not return for the rest of the season.
Form
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock’s recent form includes losses to Rangers and Motherwell, along with a Scottish Cup exit against Dundee, wins over Aberdeen and St Mirren, and a draw with Livingston.
Under Neil McCann, Kilmarnock’s performance has noticeably improved, with their points per game rising from about 0.62 before his tenure to roughly 1.4 over the last five matches, aided by better scoring.
Celtic
Celtic has achieved four consecutive wins in all competitions following draws with Bologna and Hearts in late January, securing victories against Utrecht, Falkirk, Dundee, and Livingston.
O’Neill’s side is currently third with 51 points from 25 league matches, six points behind Hearts but with a game in hand. The coach boasts an impressive 82.3% win rate this season (14 wins from 17 matches).
Predicted lineups
Kilmarnock: Roos; Curtis, Brown, Deas, Schjonning-Larsen; Watson, Lyons, Polworth; Kiltie; John-Jules, Anderson
Celtic: Schmeichel; Araujo, Trusty, Scales, Saracchi; Hatate, McGregor, Nygren; Tounekti, Cvancara, Maeda
How to watch Kilmarnock vs Celtic?
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports Ultra HD.
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