O’DONNELL: MASSIVELY DISRESPECTFUL TO TIP KILLIE FOR RELEGATION

majority of the game although we switched off at the back post for their goal.

“We shouldn’t be giving away stupid fouls in our own half when we only have a one-goal lead. There’s a few things we need to learn from pretty quickly but in the main I’m pretty pleased with the character and the effort.

“Kilmarnock took ten points away from us last season so it was important to come here and win, whatever way we did it,” Gerrard, pictured, added. “Sometimes you have to show a different nice. Sometimes it is not all pretty and nice. Sometimes you just have to get over the line and win ugly. Connor has come big for us at the end.”

Kilmarnock manager Angelo Alessio claimed the performance, if not result, proved to his early doubters that the players are all behind him. After an insipid first half, Kilmarnock came back into the game in the second half and probably deserved a point.

“I’m sure of my team and my players,” he said. “These players have a good attitude and mentality, which they showed in every game last season. I’ve read the players are unhappy but that’s not true. They showed it with a good performance today. We still have to improve but I’m happy with my team.”

O’donnell believes some pundits have been disrespectful in quickly tipping a team who finished third last season for relegation. Concerns were raised by an abject defeat to parttime Welsh side Connah’s Quay Nomads in a Europa League qualifying tie last month.

“We are getting tipped by pundits to get relegated which is massively disrespectful to all the players on that park, regardless of who many changes there have been in the squad,” he said.

“We finished third last season and I know Steve Clarke had a massive impact on that but so did the players.”

“We just got it wrong as a club for the second leg, even the fans, with them booking up (for the next round, in Belgrade). No game is ever done, we saw that last season when Celtic and Rangers came here or we went to Ibrox and Parkhead and they struggled. No-one should underestimate any team and, unfortunately, we let it get away.”