Kilmarnock and Northern Ireland international Brad Lyons set for three months out due to meniscus injury

Lyons suffered the injury in a recent Premiership clash against Dundee and was not in the squad for Killie’s last game against Rangers, with McInnes revealing that the Ballymoney man has had surgery on the injury.

Furthermore, the Ayrshire side received a further blow in midfield as Kyle Magennis has also gone under the knife after sustaining a hamstring injury.

McInnes, who is “delighted” to be named the cinch Premiership manager of the month for December 2023 – his second monthly award of the season – said before Saturday’s tie: “We have two significant injuries.

“Kyle Magennis had has a recurrence – a different muscle in part of the hamstring but still a significant injury – and he has had an operation and he will be out for the next wee while.

“And Brad Lyons has had an operation, the challenge here, where he had to come off against Dundee has now ruled him out for the best part of 10 weeks or so.

“He has had an operation on the cartilage so two boys, particularly Kyle at the start of the campaign and Brad throughout, have been really influential.

“So it is a real blow that we are missing both lads, in the same areas of the pitch, but we have to deal with these injuries.

“We could do with a couple of healthy days going into Saturday’s game and then we will see where we are sitting before the window closes.”

Lyons has starred for Kilmarnock this season after netting the winner against Rangers back in August, as well as playing his part in two wins against Celtic.

Those performances earned him a call-up to the senior Northern Ireland squad, where the former Coleraine player made his international bow against Slovenia at Windsor Park.

"Yeah I feel like this is only the start for me," Lyons said after his Northern Ireland debut.

"Yes it's the pinnacle and the dream, but I'm not happy with one I want to keep going now.

"It was a very proud moment for me tonight, but I want to keep going and play better than that.”