Kilmarnock vs Celtic – LIVE updates
Rugby Park has been a venue which has been a challenge to Celtic over the years...and it was again this afternoon.
Brendan Rodgers' could have been behind numerous times in the opening half, Marley Watkins' chance was the pick of the bunch. He dinked his attempt over Kasper Schmeichel but it caught the wrong side of the post and just stayed out.
Kilmarnock huffed and puffed and at times probably felt a bit bemused as to how they found themselves behind at the break when Callum McGregor's curling cross evaded everyone — including Adam Idah who stuck a leg out for it — and snuck in past the rooted Robby McCrorie.
Killie has already seen off Rangers on their own turf this season, and the Ayrshire side were eyeing another upset on the plastic pitch even at the start of the second half as they attacked in waves and were the better team for large patches of the match.
The in-form man of the moment Nicolas Kuhn made sure his side would roar back to the top of the Premiership, though. He darted in from the left and bent a lovely shot around McCrorie and into the far corner.
Celtic are back to the top of the league, while Killie are eighth. Derek McInnes' side will be undoubtedly buoyed by their performance though.
Rodgers' side too will take a lot from that one. Often facing a determined and physical Killie attack, they stood resolute and Schmeichel pulled off a few top stops to keep a clean sheet.
Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Mayo, Wright, Deas, Ndaba, Donnelly, Lyons, Watson, Kennedy, Vassell, Watkins Subs: O’Hara, Burroughs, McKenzie, Mackay-Steven, Murray, Cameron, Anderson, Polworth, Bainbridge
Celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Taylor, McGregor, Engels, Hatate, Kuhn, Maeda, Idah Subs: Sinisalo, Kyogo, Valle, Yang, McCowan, Bernardo, Forrest, Ralston, Welsh
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16:58KEY EVENT
A big win for Celtic in a game that was tricky at times.
They go back to the top of the Scottish Premiership thanks to Callum McGregor's first-half goal and the in-form Nicolas Kuhn curling one in after the interval.
16:57Jack Herrall
Bruce Anderson gets his body in well to win. throw in the halfway line.
It's a stop-start affair now with fouls and throws stopping any football from breaking out in the final few minutes.
Not that Celtic will be bothered by that, since they're leading...
Kyogo goes close with a low, driving shot after cutting in on his right football but McCrorie does well to get an outstretched leg to it.
McCowan then bends one past the post too.
16:52Jack Herrall
It's petering out in Kilmarnock now with Celtic seeing the game out in relative ease.
16:46Jack Herrall
16:45Jack Herrall
His studs catch Donnelly halfway up his left but Nick Walsh isn't sent to the monitor to review and the on-field decision on yellow stands.
Perhaps the force wasn't deemed enough to warrant a review.
A 'you've seen them given as a red' tackle.
16:43Jack Herrall
Hatate goes into the book for a lunge on Donnelly.
A VAR check is ongoing for a potential red...
16:41Jack Herrall
A flurry of changes for either side has interrupted the rhythm a bit.
You'd imagine Celtic will see this out rather comfortably now but Killie will be desperate to get something for their hard work and good play this afternoon.
Joe Wright finds Fraser Murray with a searching ball but he's unable to do much with it, and wins a throw for his side.
16:34KEY EVENT
Nicolas Kuhn
He missed one a few moments ago but he's given his side some breathing space with an excellent finish.
He darts in from the left at pace, breezing past David Watson, and curls it low to the far post.
What a season he's having. Exceptional.
16:34Jack Herrall
Lewis Mayo blooters one clear for Killie, and gets a bit of Maeda in the process but it's never a foul.
The Celtic attacker was racing towards the box but the hosts recovered well to deny him going for goal, or giving it to his colleague Kyogo who had raced up to meet him too.
16:32Jack Herrall
2.4 - 1.47 in Killie's favour in terms of xG.
1-0 Celtic on the all-important stat, though.
16:31Jack Herrall
Killie boss McInnes summing up the feelings of the Rugby Park punters.
They'll be scratching their heads as to how they haven't found the bag of the net.
16:29Jack Herrall
Another huge chance for Killie.
Marley Watkins brushes Callum McGregor to one side allowing Matty Kennedy to pick it up on the edge of the Celtic box.
He faints and moves past Scales to open up the angle, but his strike, looking for the far post, is saved by Schmeichel for a corner.
16:26Jack Herrall
Moments after Celtic's chance, Killie run into the final third with Innes Cameron.
The half-time sub blasts it towards the near post, only to be met by Schmeichel.
16:24Jack Herrall
Massive chance for Celtic. Massive save from McCrorie.
Kuhn is in one-on-one but side-foots it right at the keeper who palms it clear before Killie lump it away.
16:22Jack Herrall
Celtic foul in the centre of the park for a David Watson tackle on Arne Engels.
They knock it long and Killie do likewise with their clearance.
Moments later Reo Hatate tries to find Idah who can't head it goalward.
The strike was offside though had he reached it.
16:18Jack Herrall
Celtic get back into their groove and knock it about across the pitch, waiting for a gap to open up for them to attack and cut through Killie.
So far, they've been held at bay by the hosts in the second half. A lot of the play is happening in front of Killie now though, they haven't went man-for-man as they had in the opening 45.
16:13Jack Herrall
From the corner, Corrie Ndaba stoops low to meet it with his head but it squirms narrowly wide of the post.
The hosts are going for it again.
16:12Jack Herrall
Huge Killie chance — they've started this half as they played in the first.
A cross comes through to Lyons at the back post, he takes a touch back across his man and forces Schmeichel to make a smart near-post stop.
The follow-up attempt is blocked for a corner.
16:08Jack Herrall
Back to it in Ayrshire.
16:08Jack Herrall
Kyle Vassell is off for Killie, he must have picked up a knock as he was their best player in the opening 45.
Innes Cameron replaces him
16:02Jack Herrall
...but it's McGregor's goal for sure!
15:56Jack Herrall
Celtic scored in first-half added time to go ahead midweek against RB Leipzig
They've done it again at Rugby Park this afternoon.
It's an old footballing cliche to call it the ideal time to go ahead... but it's a well-worn piece of advice for a reason.
15:53KEY EVENT
Until the final minute of the half, Killie had the better of the chances with Watkins' big chance hitting the post.
McGregor's last first-half cross snuck in at the far post to put Brendan Rodgers' side ahead at the break.
Killie will feel they should be level at least as the sides head in at the interval.
15:50KEY EVENT
Callum McGregor
McGregor dinks in a ball from the right-hand side of the box, looking for Adam Idah.
The big strike dangles a leg out but is short of touching the ball, which seems to wrongfoot Robby McCrorie who remains rooted to the spot as McGregor's effort sails in.
15:47Jack Herrall
Can either side go in ahead at the interval?
15:45Jack Herrall
Kyle Vassel turns in the area and rattles a shot goalward that's deflected over the bar for a Killie corner.
Kennedy's ball in from the corner is met by an attacker but Celtic soon regroup and deal with the danger, thumping it clear way up the field.
15:44Jack Herrall
Robbie Deas makes an impressive recovering challenge on the edge of the box as Celtic look like they're about to cut through the home side's backline.
Daizen Maeda thumps into Matty Kennedy, winning the hosts a foul deep in their own half moments later.
15:41Jack Herrall
Claims for a KIllie penalty as Matty Kennedy goes down as he runs into the area.
No chance says Nick Walsh as play goes on.
15:39Jack Herrall
Some lovely play from Killie.
Liam Donnelly nudges it to Marley Watkins, he's moving into space in the box, and dinks it over Schmeichel but it catches the bottom of the post.
Best move and chance of the game so far but the hosts can't take advantage.
A massive roar goes around the ground afterwards, some great signs for the home side.
15:37Jack Herrall
Wee bit of a lull in the action now as Celtic calm it down and knock it about a bit.
Engels wants a foul as he tries to race for a through ball up against Liam Donnelly, but the referee says no foul.
