Stuart Kettlewell keen to improve Kilmarnock’s form away from home

Kilmarnock manager Stuart Kettlewell has been working on a formula to improve the club’s away form as he looks to build on encouraging early season results during Saturday’s trip to Tannadice.

Killie only won seven away games in total in the previous two William Hill Premiership campaigns combined but have secured draws on the road at Easter Road and Fir Park this season so far.

“It’s obviously something I looked at when I came into the football club,” Kettlewell said. “It was something that was discussed way, way back at the end of May.

“But there’s never a magic wand in this. I can only give you the way that my mind works is that sometimes the game’s going to feel different here than it does away from home. And again, we’ve practised that way.

“So when we go into an away fixture, it doesn’t mean to say that we’re going to work the exact same way during the week. We’ll work slightly different. We’ll maybe try and change the mindset.

“There’ll be a few tweaks and changes to your game plan because it is away from home and you’re playing against a team that’s obviously doing well.

“Dundee United had a 2-0 victory (against Aberdeen) through the week there. You’re playing against a team full of confidence. So, I do believe in those slight alterations during the week to try and get to that game.

“As I keep saying, I’m not going to give you exactly what that is and how that’s going to look. But it’s been a different preparation than it was to Celtic, different preparation from it was to the cup game against St Mirren. And that’s how I’ve always worked.

“Whether that changes, that statistic, that form, it’s certainly something I believe in and it’s certainly something I think can get us some more points on the road.”