Scottish Cup: Kilmarnock v Aberdeen -up

Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer says Sunday’s defeat by Hibs was not a major blow to his side’s confidence.

“It’s a big game for us, and for them as well, to get to the next round of the cup,” he tells BBC Scotland. “It is important we put on a good show but most important we win the game.

“It is about who wants it most because they are two well-matched sides. We’ve both got to go for it.

“The boys are still in a good place and looking forward to this game.

“I brought Kirk Broadfoot back not just for his play, but his personality around the place is infectious, I’ve brought him back in and hopeful he can help us take the next step.”

Gary Holt

Livingston manager on BBC Radio Scotland

Quote Message: It looks like Alex Dyer’s gone back to the basics. He has stuck rigidly to what worked under with Steve Clarke – the 4-4-2 – so the players know their job and it’s tried and tested during the two years he has been here

It looks like Alex Dyer’s gone back to the basics. He has stuck rigidly to what worked under with Steve Clarke – the 4-4-2 – so the players know their job and it’s tried and tested during the two years he has been here

Thomas Duncan

BBC Scotland reporter at Rugby Park

After last night’s thriller between Motherwell and St Mirren, it might be too much to expect a repeat tonight, especially given the recent history between Aberdeen and Kilmarnock.

Only twice in the last 10 meetings has there been more than two goals in matches between the pair and they’ve already drawn 0-0 twice this season, including the first match of this tie at Pittodrie.

The rain is also lashing down at Rugby Park, with the wind swirling too.

But go on, prove me wrong.

Their head-to-head record suggests home advantage might not be much help to Kilmarnock tonight.

They have not scored against Aberdeen in their latest five meetings since November 2018 – and even that was in a 2-1 home defeat.

Their last victory over the Dons came seven games ago, when they won 2-0 at Pittodrie that September.

Indeed, Aberdeen have not lost in 15 visits to Rugby Park since a 2-0 defeat in December 2011.

That included a penalty shoot-out win the last time they met in the Scottish Cup after two 1-1 draws in March 2018.

Aberdeen head to Rugby Park four places and nine points above seventh-placed Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership, but Alex Dyer’s side will fancy their chances now they have home advantage.

However, their mini-revival of four games without defeat, which included the 0-0 draw at Pittodrie that earned tonight’s replay, came to an end on their own patch with Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Hibernian.

Aberdeen ended a run of six away games – and five overall – without a win by beating Hamilton Academical a couple of weeks ago before going down gallantly, 2-1 at home, to Premiership leaders Celtic on Sunday and arrive with some amount of confidence.

On-loan Juventus defender Dario Del Fabro and forward Rory McKenzie are missing from Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer’s match-day squad following the 2-1 weekend defeat at home to Hibs, while goalkeeper Jan Koprivec drops to the bench.

Laurentiu Branescu, who is also on loan from Juve, is in goal, while veteran centre-half Kirk Broadfoot and midfielder Mohamed El Makrini also start.

Thomas Duncan

BBC Scotland reporter at Rugby Park

To give you a flavour of the conditions here, Aberdeen players wandered out of the tunnel to inspect the surface, as is fairly normal for the visiting team.

But midfielder Dean Campbell took one step out, wrapped his arms round himself, shook his head and went straight back inside. Probably a good call.

Scotland midfielders Craig Bryson and Dylan McGeouch come into the Aberdeen starting line-up as Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes makes a couple of changes from the team that lost 2-1 at home to Celtic at the weekend.

Full-back Shay Logan drops to the bench, while midfielder Funso Ojo misses out having had stitches on a knee
gash. Centre-half Michael Devlin has overcome a groin problem to sit on the bench.

It means Aberdeen top scorer Sam Cosgrove remains on the bench for the third game in a row, with Curtis Main continuing up front

Kilmarnock: Branescu, O’Donnell, Findlay, Broadfoot, Hamalainen, Power, Dicker, El Makrini, Burke, Brophy, Kabamba.

Substitutes: Koprivec, Millen, Del Febro, Johnson, Taylor, Kiltie, Connell.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Taylor, McKenna, Considine, McGeouch, Ferguson, Bryson, Kennedy, McLennan, McGinn, Main.

Substitutes: Cerny, Logan, Devlin, Campbell, Hedges, Anderson, Cosgrove.

Last night’s game between Motherwell and St Mirren survived Storm Dennis and the two sides served up a thunderous cup tie that you can relive by clicking the highlights below.

Seven down, one to go. Tonight’s replay will complete the quarter-final line-up.

Friday, 28 February: Hibernian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle – live on BBC Scotland

Saturday, 29 February: Heart of Midlothian v Rangers: St Mirren v Aberdeen/Kilmarnock – live on BBC Scotland

Sunday, 1 March: St Johnstone v Celtic.

The build-up to tonight’s game has already begun on BBC Radio Scotland 810MW and digital.

Expert analysis comes from Livingston manager Gary Holt, the former midfielder who helped Kilmarnock win the cup in 1997, along with former Scotland centre-half Willie Miller, a man of many trophies with Aberdeen.

John Barnes is the man on the mic with the commentary from Rugby Park.

What a feast of Scottish Cup football we had last night as Motherwell came from 4-1 down to take their fifth-round replay against St Mirren into extra-time only to lose on penalties.

Can Kilmarnock and Aberdeen serve up something as stunning tonight? The prize is a quarter-final tie away to last night’s victors.

Stay with us for the build-up, live commentary and post-match reaction on the BBC Sport website and BBC Radio Scotland.