Will we be happy on the way back? It's very hard to say. Our previous games with Kilmarnock this season have both ended 0-0 but if we play to our best we will feel capable of stealing a win. Nothing less will keep our championship challenge alive – stop sniggering at the back – but more realistically a draw or win will move us into second before Rangers play on Sunday. With Rangers second favourite against Celtic and then coming to Fir Park, this is just the latest in a series of vital games for us.
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We will be without Lasley once more due to suspension and Adam Cummins will drop out of the defence following a decent debut last week. Page has more of a shout to keep his place but with Clancy and Hutchinson both back from bans it would still be a surprise if he isn't moved back to the bench. Craigan is a doubt once more and Saunders is injured.
Kilmarnock are missing a handful of players with the most notable being Pascali. Kelly will be on leave after the death of his father while Shiels and Sissoko are out with suspensions but in Heffernan, Harkins and Dayton they definitely have players who can hurt us. Cup hero Van Tornhout will understandably be flavour of the month but may find himself on the bench once more.
The hosts are a hard prospect to judge this term. On one hand they have played nice football but they have managed just seven league wins and will finish in the bottom six. They have beaten Rangers home and away but have lost 0-3 at home to Dunfermline and 3-6 to Inverness – two results which seem absolutely incredible. They have a manager who has the rare distinction of having won a major trophy in Scotland but frequently appears as a rambling madman in interviews. Will they be boosted by their cup win or will they struggle to care about a meaningless league game? Are they looking to finish the season on a winning run or is throwing in kids to prepare for next season the priority? Contradictions and questions abound.
What is sure is that with Motherwell playing well and generous offers available from Kilmarnock and Scotrail, a large away support will make the journey to cheer on the team. It would seem unlikely that we'll lose but far from certain we'll win – a 1-1 draw would not be a disaster.