Derek McInnes hoping to 'sell' the prospect of a Celtic Park upset to his players

Kilmarnock head to Celtic Park this weekend with manager Derek McInnes looking to “upset the odds” against the reigning Scottish Premiership champions.

The Ayrshire side are currently fourth in the Scottish topflight with just one loss in their last 13 matches in all competitions.

McInnes’ team have beaten Celtic twice at Rugby Park already this season, with the Kilmarnock boss hoping to be “best salesman I can be” as he tries to give his players the confidence they need to “upset the odds”.

He said: “We work with a team through the week to try and tactically give ourselves the best chance.

“Every manager of clubs like ourselves, when you go to a place like Celtic Park, you’ve got to try and get that balance between attacking and defending and give the confidence that we’re not just there to turn up and shake hands on a one nil defeat and get back down the road.

“We’re there because it’s an opportunity to pick up three points.

“I think my job a lot of the time when you go to Celtic Park is to be the best salesman I can be with my players.

“It’s to try and sell it to them that we can do this and to have that belief.”

Kilmarnock knocked Celtic out of this season’s Scottish League Cup at Rugby Park in August – with another 2-1 league victory for McInnes’ side in December last year.

Killie haven’t recorded a victory at Celtic Park since October 2012, with Cillian Sheridan & Liam Kelly securing a 2-0 win.

He added: “I think that becomes a bit easier for the player who have played in a couple of victories here against Celtic this season. There’s evidence there that you can see ‘look if we do so much right in the game and consistently doing our work properly’ then you can upset the odds.

“Ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do on Saturday.”