Following the sacking of Lee Johnson, Hibernian will begin life under new manager Nick Montgomery when they face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday afternoon.

Returning from the international break, Killie and Hibs are separated by a solitary point in the Scottish Premiership table, having both won just one of their opening four games.

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Kilmarnock avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth last term, finishing one place above the bottom two after losing 20 of their 38 league games in 2022-23.

If the early stages of the new campaign are anything to go by, Killie will likely be involved in another relegation scrap, as the East Ayrshire outfit find themselves just two points clear of bottom club St Johnstone after taking four points from a possible 12.

In fairness, Derek McInnes's men kicked off their 2023-24 Premiership campaign with a memorable 1-0 victory over Rangers before knocking Celtic out of the Scottish League Cup, but their inability to overcome lesser teams is a cause for concern.

Following a goalless draw with Hearts, Kilmarnock endured a 2-1 defeat at Motherwell before suffering a 1-0 home loss against Ross County last time out, meaning that McIness's side head into Saturday's clash on a three-game winless run in the league.

It is also worth noting that Killie possess the joint-worst offensive record in the division, having scored only two goals in four outings this term, so they will need to improve their attacking output in order to steer clear of the drop zone.

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Hibernian, meanwhile, started their season with a couple of impressive triumphs in Europa Conference League qualifying, clinching a 7-3 aggregate victory over Andorran side Inter Club d'Escaldes before dispatching Swiss club Luzern 5-3 on aggregate.

However, the Edinburgh outfit were brought back down to earth with a bang as they suffered a humiliating 8-0 aggregate thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa in the playoffs, losing the first leg 5-0 on home soil to end their qualification hopes.

Hibs also lost each of their opening three Premiership matches, falling to St Mirren, Motherwell and Livingston while conceding a total of eight goals, with Lee Johnson receiving his marching orders shortly after the home defeat to Livi.

Under the guidance of caretaker manager David Gray, Hibernian picked up their first league win of the season before the international break, registering an eye-catching 2-0 victory at Aberdeen thanks to second-half goals from Adam Le Fondre and Christian Doidge.

On Monday, Hibs appointed ex-Central Coast Mariners boss Nick Montgomery as their new permanent manager, trusting the relatively inexperienced 41-year-old to take the club forward.

Team News

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Thankfully for Kilmarnock, their injury list has shortened drastically in recent weeks, meaning that defender Corrie Ndaba (ankle) is the club's sole absentee at the moment.

Derek McInnes is expected to deploy a 3-5-2 formation on Saturday, with Lewis Mayo, Stuart Findlay and Robbie Deas lining up across the backline, while Kyle Magennis should anchor the midfield.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Matty Kennedy and Marley Watkins look set to partner one another in the hosts' attack, although 23-year-old striker Innes Cameron is pushing for a start.

By contrast, Hibernian possess a lengthy list of injury absentees, with Chris Cadden (Achilles), Jake Doyle-Hayes (ankle), Dylan Levitt (ankle), Joe Wollacott (thigh) and Harry McKirdy (heart) all expected to miss Saturday's clash.

It is difficult to predict exactly how Hibs will line up for Nick Montgomery's first game in charge, but key performers like David Marshall, Elie Youan and Martin Boyle should be included.

Kilmarnock possible starting lineup:
Dennis; Mayo, Findlay, Deas; Armstrong, Watson, Magennis, Lyons, Davies; Kennedy, Watkins

Hibernian possible starting lineup:
Marshall; Miller, Fish, Hanlon, Stevenson; Campbell, Jeggo, Newell; Boyle, Vente, Youan

We say: Kilmarnock 1-1 Hibernian

The Hibernian players will be eager to impress their new manager, but the visitors may have to settle for a draw as Kilmarnock aim to kick-start their campaign on home soil.

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