Kilmarnock 0 - 2 Dundee United

Wright: Time to give Kyle some support

Updated: November 6, 2009, 3:48 PM UK

Frazer Wright has urged his Kilmarnock team-mates to take the pressure off Kevin Kyle by getting among the goals.

Kyle has been Killie's main attacking threat with six goals this season and has notched four of their eight goals in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Only three other players - Jamie Hamill with two, Conor Sammon and Danny Invincibile - have been on target in the league for Killie.

Defender Wright insists they cannot always rely on Kyle to get the goals, as the club captain has notched a double in each of their league wins this season.

The only time Wright has been on the scoresheet was when he netted an own goal in their win over St Johnstone but he is determined to be a threat at the other end against Dundee United at Rugby Park tomorrow.

Wright said: "We need to start getting goals from all over the park and not just rely on Kevin.

"I can't actually remember the last time we scored from a set-piece and, if we did, it was probably Big Kev that scored it.

"The likes of myself and the midfielders need to chip in with a few goals.

"I usually get a couple each season, although this year the only one I've had was an own goal against St Johnstone.

"But hopefully I can start getting a few goals.

"It has been frustrating this season because, if you look at the chances we have been creating, we've been unlucky not to have a few more points, especially from our home games.

"We drew with Rangers, Aberdeen and were beaten by St Mirren but if we'd taken our chances in those games, we'd probably have gone onto win them and we'd be sitting seven points better off.''

Kilmarnock took seven points from their three league meetings with United last season.

On-loan goalkeeper Mark Brown is available after being unable to feature against parent club Celtic.

Killie boss Jim Jefferies will have to decide between Brown and Cameron Bell, who performed well against the Hoops last weekend.

Dundee United striker Francisco Sandaza's groin operation has been put back to next week after the Spaniard contracted food poisoning.

The ex-Valencia B player was due to go under the knife in Bradford yesterday but fell ill overnight and was unable to travel.

He has now been booked in for a new appointment on Monday and faces six weeks of rehabilitation.

The 24-year-old has not played at all this season after undergoing a double-hernia procedure in his homeland over the summer but the doctors are convinced this latest bout of surgery will cure the problem once and for all.

Manager Craig Levein revealed: "Fran is having his operation on Monday now.

"It was supposed to be today but he's contracted a bit of food poisoning so it's been put back.

"He'll be out for six weeks after it but the good thing now is that we know exactly what the problem is.

"He's been really down about being injured but he'll get the operation next week and then will be able to look forward.

"Obviously, having him out for longer than we thought is a blow but it's the lesser of two evils because we were worried it might be three months.''

United travel to Kilmarnock in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League tomorrow looking to put to bed an unhappy record at Rugby Park.

The Tangerines have won only once in their last eight visits to Ayrshire but Levein has seen enough from his players in recent weeks to suggest they are edging back to peak form.

He said: "We've not got a great record against Kilmarnock recently so that's something we want to rectify.

"A lot of it has been down to the way we've played. But Killie are a good side, so we are fully aware that if we don't play at our best then we'll struggle.

"I saw encouraging signs against Rangers last week. We played with the tempo and aggression that I want the team to show.

"We'll put out an attacking side this weekend so hopefully we'll continue to create chances and get a positive result.''

United will have striker Damian Casalinuovo available, even though he only returned from a hamstring injury.

The Argentinian is vying for a start along with Danny Cadamarteri and David Goodwillie and Levein has challenged the trio to make permanent claims for a jersey.

With Jon Daly nearing his comeback and Sandaza set to embark on his recuperation, competition for places will hot up in the near future.