Preview: Kilmarnock vs. Dundee United - prediction, team news, lineups

Dundee United, with their eyes on a top-six Scottish Premiership finish this season, travel to Ayrshire to face struggling Kilmarnock this Saturday.

Killie have lost their last eight games and are now level on points with bottom-placed Hamilton Academical, who have a game in hand.

Match preview

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Tommy Wright was appointed as Kilmarnock manager on February 8 and he is yet to win a game in charge of the Rugby Park club.

Since his appointment, the Ayrshire side have lost 1-0 at home to Motherwell, 1-0 away at Rangers and 1-0 at Aberdeen.

The club have been in the Scottish top flight for 28 years and Wright is under pressure to keep the team safe from relegation.

Former Scotland manager Craig Brown has backed the Ulsterman to keep Killie up but he is undoubtedly facing a tough task.

Killie have failed to score in their last five league games so the pressure is also on recent signing Kyle Lafferty to step and start finding the net.

Dundee United head into this game on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox last Sunday.

That loss followed on from two solid victories for Micky Mellon 's men, 2-0 at Ross County and 3-0 at home over Livingston.

The Arabs are now in seventh place in the table, two points behind St Mirren, and three points from the game at Rugby Park on Saturday would be very handy indeed as they look for a top-six finish.

They need to improve their away form, as Mellon's men have failed to win in 12 of their last 13 away league matches.

Kilmarnock Scottish Premiership form: LLLLLL

Dundee United Scottish Premiership form: LLLWWL

Team News

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Kilmarnock manager Wright will be checking on the fitness of Stuart Findlay, who is expected to return from an ankle injury soon.

Otherwise, Wright has no other injury concerns ahead of this game.

Dundee United's Declan Glass has a knee injury that will keep him out of action for much of the rest of the season.

Dillon Powers is expected to return from a head injury soon, while Peter Pawlett should also be back in the squad after being suspended for the trip to Ibrox last week.

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:

Doyle; Millen, Broadfoot, Dikamona, Haunstrup; Burke, Dabo, Dicker, Mulumbu, Pinnock; Kabamba

Dundee United possible starting lineup:

Siegrist; Smith, Reynolds, Edwards, Robinson; Butcher; Fuchs, Harkes; Clarke; Shankland, Appere

We say: Kilmarnock 0-1 Dundee United

The Terrors should be travelling back to Tayside on Saturday with three points in the bag after a narrow victory.

Killie simply cannot score the goals they need to win games right now and that pattern will continue this weekend.

Top tip

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