ARBROATH and Kilmarnock collide in the Scottish Championship on Friday night with the top two clubs separated by just one point in the standings.
Dick Campbell's side are defying all the odds and are exceeding expectations as they sit at the summit of the second tier after 22 rounds of fixtures.
The Smokies' stellar start to the season is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, with the league leaders recording a 2-1 win away at Raith Rovers last time out.
Campbell's well-oiled machine firmly have the look of genuine title contenders but that tag will certainly be put to the test when Kilmarnock come to town.
The new manager bounce is well and truly in force at Rugby Park under Derek McInnes, whose side have won two and drawn one of their three league games under the 50-year-old's tutelage.
Killie will now look to kick on with another victory, with the opportunity to leapfrog their opponents and go top of the Championship dangling as an added incentive.
Outright Betting
Arbroath, who have avoided defeat in each of their last nine Scottish Championship home games, enter this contest as narrow outsiders at 17/10 (Bet 365).
The two sides played out a dour 0-0 draw at this venue back in September and the same outcome here can be backed at 39/19 (SBK) while a Kilmarnock victory is trading at 13/8 (Betfred).
Betting Angles
Kilmarnock will have their backers at the aforementioned price but I'm more than happy to instead side with the 10/11 (Betfred) on the visitors in the Draw No Bet market.
This is a selection that will see our stake returned should the match end all square whereas a Kilmarnock triumph would deliver a full pay out at shade under even-money.
Buoyed by last weekend's crucial 1-0 win over Inverness – in a game which brought up my recommended bet – Killie will aim to lay down another marker in the title race when they come up against the Red Lichties.
Granted, Arbroath have proven to be a tough nut to crack on home turf but the acid test will come when faced with a Kilmarnock team that finally appear to be getting their act together.
The Ayrshire guests head into this clash on a relative high following the appointment of McInnes and they have also signalled their intent during the transfer window with some eye-catching signings.
With all things considered, the 10/11 (Betfred) on offer on Kilmarnock in the Draw No Bet looks like an attractive betting proposition at Gayfield on Friday night.
I'll also dip into the anytime goalscorer market and take the 7/4 on offer with Bet 365 for Kyle Lafferty to get on the scoresheet.
The Northern Irishman has always had a knack of scoring on the big occasion and after notching against Caley last time out, he looks nicely priced to repeat the trick in what promises to be a tasty televised tussle under the Angus lights.
This Scottish Championship match between Arbroath and Kilmarnock will be played on Feb 4, 2022 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Arbroath vs Kilmarnock prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.