Kilmarnock may have fired off an impressive 18 shots against Celtic, but their efforts were in vain as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Rugby Park.
The hosts showed plenty of attacking intent and gave their fans moments to cheer, but ultimately they lacked the clinical edge displayed by Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn, whose goals secured victory for the reigning champions.
Despite the loss, there were positives for Derek McInnes and his side, who outshot their illustrious opponents and created numerous chances.
McInnes Reflects on Killie’s Performance
Speaking after the match, McInnes could have easily bemoaned his side’s misfortune and claimed they deserved more. Instead, he struck a balanced tone, praising his players’ efforts while acknowledging their wastefulness in front of goal.
When asked if Kilmarnock should have taken something from the game, McInnes told Sky Sports:
“No, because we don’t take our chances that were presented to us. If I look at the stats in terms of as many shots as we did, touches in the opposition box, the game played out how I was hoping.
“It wasn’t just about work rate and winning the ball, it was actually looking after the next pass and getting to Celtic’s back lot as soon as we could and causing them problems.
“The goal is a sucker punch right before half-time.
“But the performance… full of pride in terms of the effort and how we tried to execute what we wanted to do.
“The number of shots we had, the xG, everything was good for us. But we don’t score.
“You have to say Celtic, for as much as they’re good players and normally enjoy control, I don’t think they had that control.”
McInnes on Reo Hatate’s Challenge
A flashpoint late in the game offered Kilmarnock a glimmer of hope. Reo Hatate’s high challenge on Liam Donnelly, which caught the midfielder just below the knee, sparked debate over whether the Celtic man should have seen red.
Former Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd insisted it was a sending-off, while James McFadden disagreed during Sky Sports’ post-match coverage.
McInnes, however, remained measured in his view.
“At the time I thought it was high but I didn’t think there was a lot of force in it,” he said.
“When it goes to VAR, I’m sure the pictures wouldn’t have looked good.
“In terms of actual force, I’m not sure it was exactly a red card, to be honest.
“Honestly, we would take that because I think we have been victims of that. But sometimes you don’t get these wee breaks against teams like Celtic.
“I didn’t think there was a lot of force but I did think it was a bad tackle.”
Despite the defeat, McInnes will take heart from his side’s performance as they look to climb the Premiership table.