Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Kilmarnock v Rangers

Saturday 26 December 2026, 17:45 · The BBSP Stadium Rugby Park · Round 20

Forecast

KilmarnockRangers
Expected goals1.002.04
Win17%61%
Expected Points0.742.04
Clean sheet13%37%

Kilmarnock 17%Draw 22%Rangers 61%

Most likely score 1–1, 10%. Both sides score 55%.

Rangers goalsKilmarnock goals0123456+0123456+5%7%3%1%4%7%3%1%2%5%5%3%2%2%2%1%9%10%10%10%

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

Kilmarnock

  1. W3–217 OctMotherwell (H)xG 1.64–3.37
  2. L1–310 OctRangers (A)xG 1.15–1.42
  3. D1–119 SepHearts (H)xG 0.39–1.92
  4. W1–015 SepHibernian (A)xG 2.21–1.45
  5. D0–05 SepAberdeen (A)xG 1.11–1.08
  6. L0–12 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 0.41–0.85

Rangers

  1. D2–217 OctDundee FC (A)xG 1.80–1.77
  2. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  3. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  5. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  6. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

KilmarnockRangers
Position11th2nd
Played99
Won, drawn, lost2–⁠2–⁠56–⁠2–⁠1
Points8 (0.89 per game)20 (2.22 per game)
Expected Points per game0.771.98
Goals10–⁠2013–⁠7
xG per game1.10–⁠2.342.13–⁠1.10
Home: points, xG per game0.80, 0.91–⁠3.012.25, 2.60–⁠1.20
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.35–⁠1.492.20, 1.75–⁠1.03
ManagerNeil McCann (25)Derek McInnes (9)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackKilmarnock1.17, 8thRangers1.90, 2ndDefence (lower is better)Kilmarnock1.62, 12thRangers1.00, 2nd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctKilmarnock attack: 1.17Rangers attack: 1.901.901.17RangersKilmarnockDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctKilmarnock defence: 1.62Rangers defence: 1.001.621.00

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

KilmarnockRangers
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play−15%+53%+41%−42%
Counter-attacks−69%+102%+8%+3%
Set pieces−25%+31%+29%−16%
Penalties−100%−43%+14%−43%
Headers−44%+116%+26%−26%
Left side−14%+49%+14%−22%
Centre−33%+101%+56%−28%
Right side−20%−15%+18%−41%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Kilmarnock attacking

Kilmarnock createdRangers concededLeft side−14%−41%Centre−33%−28%Right side−20%−22%Open play−15%−42%Counter-attacks−69%+3%Set pieces−25%−16%Headers−44%−26%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdKilmarnock concededLeft side+14%−15%Centre+56%+101%Right side+18%+49%Open play+41%+53%Counter-attacks+8%+102%Set pieces+29%+31%Headers+26%+116%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

KilmarnockRangers

1.10xG2.13
2.34xG against1.10
43%Possession55%
10.9Shots20.2
18.2Shots against9.6
4.2Shots on target6.6
2.0Big chances2.8
21.6Touches in the opposition box38.4
393Passes452
77%Pass accuracy80%
4.7Corners7.2
39%Field tilt60%
36.9Final-third entries47.5
10.5Box entries18.6
16.5Passes per defensive action11.4

Per league match this season before kick-off. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

Kilmarnock

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level311.082.19
Ahead191.332.28
Behind401.022.47

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level472.071.41
Ahead321.950.74
Behind112.910.83

xG by period

Kilmarnock

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.190.281–4
16–300.090.501–3
31–450.180.412–5
46–600.240.424–3
61–750.200.251–2
76–900.200.471–3

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.310.193–1
16–300.430.131–0
31–450.420.323–3
46–600.340.152–0
61–750.290.191–1
76–900.330.143–2

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Kilmarnock

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTStryjek 6Ferrie 3Ring 3Brandon 3Kamara 2McCarthy 6Schilte-Brown 1Stanger 8Yfeko 2Deas 1Schjønning-L… 9Schjønning-LarsenTshibola 4O'Hara 2Lowery 8Rice 3Ring 1Ring 4Kiltie 2McCarthy 1John-Jules 4Kiltie 3Lowery 1Hugill 4Kiltie 4Cleșcenco 1Hugill 4John-Jules 4Daniëls 14-2-3-1 in 2 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (2), 4-4-2 (2), 3-4-1-2 (2), 4-1-3-2 (1), 4-1-2-1-2 (1), 4-4-1-1 (1)

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 9Sterling 7Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 9Godfrey 1Makhanya 7Rommens 1Penrice 7Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 7Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 6Diomande 1Curtis 3Bouanani 2Kim 2Kim 4Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 8Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 3Naderi 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-1-4-1 (1), 4-4-1-1 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
10 October 2026Rangers3–1KilmarnockxG 1.42–1.15
4 February 2026Rangers5–1KilmarnockxG 3.14–1.39
6 December 2025Kilmarnock0–3RangersxG 0.66–0.75
26 October 2025Rangers3–1KilmarnockxG 1.36–1.04
26 February 2025Kilmarnock2–4RangersxG 1.38–1.95
4 December 2024Rangers6–0KilmarnockxG 4.60–0.09

17 league meetings since 2020/21: Kilmarnock won 2, Rangers won 15, and 0 were drawn. Goals 13–45 and xG 0.75–2.21 per game.

Key players

Kilmarnock

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Kiltie9776300.350.18
John-Jules8560100.250.12
Hugill9810110.240.04
Ring8623000.070.18

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi5546410.650.15
Kim6487000.400.13
Gassama8646020.310.17
Raskin7595100.190.11

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.