Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Kilmarnock v Rangers

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

Forecast

KilmarnockRangers
Expected goals0.982.05
Win17%62%
Expected Points0.722.07
Clean sheet13%38%

Kilmarnock 17%Draw 22%Rangers 62%

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

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

From the forecast as it stood on 11 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

Form

Kilmarnock

  1. L1–310 OctRangers (A)xG 1.15–1.42
  2. D1–119 SepHearts (H)xG 0.39–1.92
  3. W1–015 SepHibernian (A)xG 2.21–1.45
  4. D0–05 SepAberdeen (A)xG 1.11–1.08
  5. L0–12 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 0.41–0.85
  6. L0–429 AugDundee United (H)xG 1.13–3.42

Rangers

  1. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  2. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  3. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  4. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  5. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00
  6. W1–030 AugAberdeen (A)xG 2.10–0.35

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

Season to date

KilmarnockRangers
Position12th2nd
Played88
Won, drawn, lost1–⁠2–⁠56–⁠1–⁠1
Points5 (0.62 per game)19 (2.38 per game)
Expected Points per game0.812.06
Goals7–⁠1811–⁠5
xG per game1.04–⁠2.212.17–⁠1.02
Home: points, xG per game0.25, 0.73–⁠2.922.25, 2.60–⁠1.20
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.35–⁠1.492.50, 1.73–⁠0.84
ManagerNeil McCann (24)Derek McInnes (8)

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

Ratings

0.51.01.52.0League average 1.34AttackKilmarnock1.17, 8thRangers1.92, 2ndDefence (lower is better)Kilmarnock1.58, 12thRangers0.97, 2nd

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctKilmarnock attack: 1.17Rangers attack: 1.921.921.17RangersKilmarnockDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctKilmarnock defence: 1.58Rangers defence: 0.971.580.97

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−20%+41%+42%−46%
Counter-attacks−77%+88%+20%+14%
Set pieces−15%+48%+42%−33%
Penalties−100%−40%+20%−40%
Headers−36%+137%+40%−50%
Left side−39%+57%+17%−14%
Centre−23%+80%+66%−31%
Right side−20%−5%+20%−59%

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−39%−59%Centre−23%−31%Right side−20%−14%Open play−20%−46%Counter-attacks−77%+14%Set pieces−15%−33%Headers−36%−50%

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdKilmarnock concededLeft side+17%−5%Centre+66%+80%Right side+20%+57%Open play+42%+41%Counter-attacks+20%+88%Set pieces+42%+48%Headers+40%+137%

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

1.04xG2.17
2.21xG against1.02
42%Possession55%
10.2Shots20.1
18.5Shots against9.5
4.0Shots on target6.2
1.6Big chances2.9
20.1Touches in the opposition box38.1
378Passes449
77%Pass accuracy80%
4.6Corners7.4
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.

Game state this season

Kilmarnock

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level280.821.77
Ahead171.462.19
Behind451.012.49

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level442.191.33
Ahead351.960.69
Behind112.750.87

xG by period

Kilmarnock

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.160.300–4
16–300.100.371–2
31–450.170.422–5
46–600.230.323–2
61–750.170.280–2
76–900.200.521–3

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.340.203–1
16–300.480.061–0
31–450.410.272–2
46–600.350.151–0
61–750.260.191–0
76–900.330.153–2

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

Most used players by position

Kilmarnock

GKRBCBCBLBRMCMCMLMSTSTStryjek 6Ferrie 2Ring 3Brandon 3Kamara 1McCarthy 5Schilte-Brown 1Stanger 7Yfeko 2Deas 1Schjønning-L… 8Schjønning-LarsenKiltie 2Ring 2McCarthy 1Tshibola 2Ring 2O'Hara 2Lowery 7Rice 2Kiltie 5Tshibola 2Cleșcenco 1John-Jules 7Daniëls 1Hugill 84-4-2 in 2 of 8 starts

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

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 8Sterling 6Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 8Godfrey 1Makhanya 6Rommens 1Penrice 6Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 6Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 5Diomande 1Curtis 3Kim 2Naderi 1Kim 3Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 7Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 34-2-3-1 in 6 of 8 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 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
Kiltie8699100.290.18
John-Jules7483000.220.10
Hugill8720110.250.04
Ring7533000.050.18

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi4456410.770.18
Gassama7556020.340.17
Raskin6505000.220.12
Sterling6496000.010.28

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