Our prediction for this Scottish Premiership match:
Rangers
Match Time & Date:
02/01/2024
10:00 AM
Prediction: 3-0
Kilmarnock
Rangers will be aiming to make amends for a heart-breaking loss to Celtic when they take on Kilmarnock in the first game of the year. The Gers are eyeing their eighth home win of the process, but they will have to prove their worth on the field. Leon Balogun is banned for the match after the Nigeria defender was sent off in the Old Firm derby, while all Kemar Roofe, Tom Lawrence, Danilo Pereira, Ryan Jack, Nicolas Raskin, and Steven Davis remain in the recovery room.
The Killie, on the other hand, are eager to overtake Hearts in third place in the standings, but given Rangers’ splendid home record, we predict that the visitors are going to return home empty-handed. Bradley Lyons limped off with injury in a 2-2 draw with Dundee, with Rory McKenzie likely to step up. Both Kyle Magennis and Innes Cameron remain in the treatment room.
Highlighted Player (Jon McLaughlin):
Jon McLaughlin is a goalkeeper who plays for Sunderland. The 188-cm-tall shoot-stopper played for non-League sides Harrogate Railway Athletic and Harrogate Town in the past, but in 2008 he joined Bradford City. After spending six years at Valley Parade, McLaughlin signed a contract with Burton Albion and he has been playing for the Pirelli Stadium outfit ever since.
Jon McLaughlin made 45 appearances for Burton Albion in both 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons and he has established his self as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. He was producing scintillating displays for Burton in the 2015/2016 League One campaign and, no doubt, he helped the team secure promotion to the Championship.
Jon McLaughlin was born on 9 September, 1987 in Edinburgh, but he has yet to make his debut for the Scotland national team. Speaking of his honours, the goalkeeper won the Football League Two play-offs with Bradford City in the 2012/2013 season.
Highlighted Team (Kilmarnock):
Founded on January 5, 1869, Kilmarnock are the oldest professional club in Scotland. The Killie welcome their opponents at Rugby Park, the stadium with the artificial turf. The venue, which was opened back in August 1899, can hold up to 17,889 people.
Kilmarnock won their first and only Scotland Premier League trophy in the 1964/65 season despite being level on points with Hearts at the end of the season. Fellow Ayrshire club Ayr United are considered the Killie’s bitterest rivals. The two teams have been facing each other in the Ayrshire derby since September 1910.
Dark blue is the dominant colour of the club’s home kit, while Kilmarnock footballers wear yellow and blues kit when playing on the travels. The Killie recorded their biggest win back in 1896, with the team beating Saltcoats Victoria 13-2 in the second round of the Scottish Qualifying Cup. The club suffered their biggest defeat in August 1938 as they were hammered by Celtic 9-1 in the Scottish League Division.
Southampton
Liverpool
Ipswich
Manchester United
Napoli
AS Roma
Leganes
Real Madrid
Lazio 
Bologna 
Nice 
Strasbourg 
