Why Killie's latest drop battle 'feels totally different' for Tshibola

Aaron Tshibola has lost one relegation battle with Kilmarnock, but the London-born midfield player is confident it won't happen again.

The DR Congo international is in his fourth stint with Killie, having initially signed on loan from Aston Villa in 2018 under Steve Clarke.

In his third spell in the 2020-21 season, under Alex Dyer and then Tommy Wright, Killie finished second bottom of the Premiership and couldn't beat the drop, losing to Dundee in the play-off final.

This time, though, he says it will be different.

"The team's positive," fan favourite Tshibola said.

"With the recent games that we've had, we have every right to be positive, we feel things are going to change for us.

"We have a good atmosphere around the camp. It feels totally different to the last time, so much more positivity going around, the team, everyone believes in it.

"We know what we can do, we've shown it in games, and we most definitely feel like we can turn it around.

"Personally, having seen some of the clubs around us, I believe we're definitely one of the better ones, if we're judging based on our recent games.

"I see the last five games as five finals and we have to win every game, there's no way around it."

The 16-cap international's travels have taken him to clubs in Belgium, Turkey, Dubai and Portugal, as well as a host of English sides. He rejoined Killie in a surprise January move, having most recently played for Levadiakos in Greece.

Since returning, Tshibola has been impressed with the club's latest management team of Neil McCann and assistant Billy Dodds.

"Every gaffer's had their own way of doing things. Since I've come in, they've been nothing but amazing," he said.

"Everybody has really just embraced the fact that they've come in and changed things around.

"They're really demanding of us in training, I think you can see in games how hard we're working.