Derek McInnes isn't underestimating the challenge facing his side this weekend – but it won't stop him eyeing up a result at Ibrox.
Kilmarnock head up the M77 to do battle with Rangers, who are in the middle of their Champions League tie with Union Saint-Gilloise.
And Rugby Park boss McInnes reckons if they make it tough for Gio van Bronckhorst's side, then Killie will have a chance of leaving Govan with a positive result.
He said: “Any time you go to Ibrox or Celtic Park I always try to put the game into quarters and try to get to that first 20 to 25-minute period. I’ve gone with different teams; St Johnstone, Aberdeen and tried to get to half-time. If the home fans are mumping and moaning that’s music to any away team manager’s ears.
“We try to break the game down that way. For us it’s trying to not let Rangers enjoy the game too much. They’ve got good players, they can all handle the ball well.
"When you play for or manage Rangers you are used to the pressure and the demands that are there. We just have to try to be as good as we can be in the game.
“We expect a tough match but I also want Rangers to expect a tough match and for it to be a challenge to beat us. I’m looking for my Kilmarnock team to be resilient, tough to play against, be strong in the duels and one-v-one situations.
"But also be a bit bolshie and have a bit of confidence about us and show the personality that’s going to be needed.
“There will be some of my players playing there for the first time and others who have experienced it. I want us to go and experience getting a positive result, not just experience going to Ibrox and sitting back and saying afterwards how good Rangers were.
"I want us to give a good account of ourselves and be as good as we can be.”
McInnes doesn't feel that Rangers losing 2-0 to their Belgian opponents will affect Saturday too much, despite the Glasgow side having to overcome that deficit next week.
He said: “As managers, we maybe, especially at this stage of the season, are working on getting boys back, but Rangers will be treating this is an important game.
“While you cannot dilute the importance of Tuesday night, there will still be a full focus from them on getting a positive result to go into it and we can’t expect to be any different from what we’d normally be expecting, a tough match.
“Whether they won on Tuesday, drawn, or as they did lost, the options afforded to putting a team out are huge as they have a brilliant squad and Rangers ordinarily don’t usually lose two games in a row, so they’ll be looking for a response ahead of Tuesday which will be important.
“Knowing Giovanni and how he works, he sees the importance of every game, so we’re not looking at them having one eye on Tuesday.”
Killie will be without Zach Hemming, Scott Robinson and Chris Stokes this weekend, and McInnes is hoping to add Reading centre-back Jeriel Dorsett to the squad on loan ahead of Saturday's Premiership showdown.
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