Gordon Strachan believes that Kilmarnock's impressive start to the season will fail to protect Celtic from criticism if they don't beat the Ayrshire side tonight.

Jim Jefferies' side are currently third in the SPL after a decent run of games, albeit that they lost to Falkirk at the weekend.

While Strachan knows that they have been given all sorts of plaudits in the build-up to the game, he knows that critics will be quick to jump if there are any surprises this evening at Rugby Park.

"You will say it is going to be a tight game because they are third in the league," he said.

"You will say it's going to be a tight game because they are playing well.

"But if we don't win it will be a complete and utter sensation.

"We'll go from people building them up and saying they are doing great and having a great season and then if we don't win all the usual nonsense will come out.

"They are a team that are playing well and they will be pleased with how they are doing but we are expected to win."

Strachan, has no problems with tonight's Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final tie against Kilmarnock adding to an already-packed fixture list.

The Hoops go into the game on the back of a Champions League defeat by Manchester United and a Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Hibernian in the past week.

There is little room to manoeuvre for Strachan's men, who face Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday before squaring up to the European champions at Parkhead the following Wednesday.

The Celtic squad is already stretched due to injuries to strikers Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Georgios Samaras, Chris Killen and midfielder Marc Crosas.

And Strachan is waiting to see if skipper Stephen McManus recovers from a tight hamstring for the trip to Ayrshire.

However, he refused to diminish the importance of the League Cup.

"If you want to play at a top club, you have to play in a lot of games, so we don't have a problem with it," he said.

"Where else can we squeeze them in?

"You only play four games to get to the final, so it's not too many.

"The organisers helped us out by missing us out in the first rounds, so we can't complain too much.

"If you look at the League Cup, you play four teams to win it. You might not even have to play an SPL side to do that, it depends on the draw."

Stachan's team tonight will depend largely on who is fit and available, although he may be tempted to bring in a couple of fringe players.

"If you said that everyone in the squad is fit, then you would be really happy," said the Celtic manager. "We don't have that at the moment, but we get on with things.

"One plus point is that it is allowing other players to get games. I said a few months ago that I would rotate things from time to time because it was going to be a right hard season.

"I told the players they would have to accept that and they have.

"We are into the swing of it now. Everybody likes to play ...I know that. Sometimes a player is on fire and you just have to let them get on with it.

"But I look at everything."