Kick-off: 1330, 04/08/2019
Stadium: Rugby Park
TV: Sky Sports
Rangers have only won once in their last seven trips to Rugby Park but can improve that record in their Scottish Premiership opener against Kilmarnock on Sunday.
Killie have lost manager Steve Clarke since finishing a highly-creditable third in the table last term and suffered an embarrassing Europa League defeat versus Welsh minnows Connah’s Quay here recently.
With the visitors having strengthened well over the summer, 57/100 for an away win looks the way to go with our initial Kilmarnock vs Rangers prediction.
A Look At Kilmarnock’s Betting Odds
Angelo Alessio’s first home match in charge of Kilmarnock ended in humiliation when Connah’s Quay pulled off a shock 2-0 triumph to progress in Europe.
Reports of crisis talks and potential player revolts have emerged from Rugby Park following that dire display.
Captain Gary Dicker insists the players and staff are united, stating: “We have a good dressing room, a good core of players who have been there before, and everyone is pulling in the same direction.”
However, when asked about changing managers, he admitted: “It’s always hard…there are no two managers the same out there and it just takes time.
“What probably makes it a bit more different is when you change manager and you’re not doing well, plus when you have competitive games straight away.”
There is still enough talent in this team to turn things around, but this is a tough test for Alessio, whose main experience came as Antonio Conte’s assistant at the likes of Chelsea, Juventus and Italy.
Looking at the Kilmarnock vs Rangers odds, we like 12/5 for the visitors to win by a one-goal margin.
A Look At Rangers’ Betting Odds
Rangers signed off last season with a 2-1 loss at this venue and will be eyeing revenge after that result ended a run of six straight victories.
Steven Gerrard has since been active in the transfer market and the likes of Sheyi Ojo, Joe Aribo, George Edmundson, Greg Stewart, Steven Davis and Jordan Jones have already made a good impression.
In the Europa League, St Joseph’s of Gibraltar were thrashed 10-0 on aggregate, before a 2-0 triumph over Progres Niedercorn exorcised the demons of bowing out to the Luxembourg outfit a couple of years ago.
Ryan Jack now wants to put the record straight by erasing the memory of May’s reversal at this venue, which came via a last-minute Eamonn Brophy penalty.
Jack told RangersTV: “We’re going down there fully focused and we want to get off to a strong start.
“We know what happened on the last day of the season, but this is now a chance for us to go and put that right.”
Let’s finish off our Kilmarnock vs Rangers betting tips by taking 15/2 for a 2-1 away win.
Gerrard hopes Davis will shake off a hamstring strain, but left-back Jon Flanagan and new defender Filip Helander are still building up fitness so will not feature, while Jamie Murphy (groin) and Graham Dorrans (calf) have niggles ruling them out of contention.
Additional stats
Last result:
KILMARNOCK 0-2 Connah’s Quay
Progres 0-0 RANGERS
Head-to-head: Kilmarnock 2-1 Rangers, Rangers 1-1 Kilmarnock, Rangers 5-0 Kilmarnock, Kilmarnock 0-0 Rangers, Kilmarnock 2-1 Rangers
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