Kilmarnock boss Alex Dyer feels his squad fully appreciate the magnitude of their next four matches.

Killie went down 2-0 against Dundee United on Wednesday to make it seven defeats from eight Scottish Premiership games.

The Ayrshire side have failed to score in all seven of those defeats with the sole win in that run coming against bottom club Ross County, who have since made a managerial change with John Hughes replacing Stuart Kettlewell.

Killie host in-form Livingston on Boxing Day before taking on Motherwell, St Mirren and Hamilton.

Dyer told Killie TV: “It’s a big game, we know that. They are on a good run. It is a big game. We want to get three points and get our season on the right track again.

“It’s a big period now, the next four games, because we play all the teams around us. We all know that, we are honest with one another, and we want to get as many points as we can out of the next four games.”

The former Charlton and Crystal Palace midfielder is sure the spirit and attitude among his players will remain strong amid their slump in form.

“It’s not for the want of trying because they are trying the boys, they are digging in,” Dyer said. “I would tell you if they weren’t but they are all working hard.

“We need a little bit of luck as well and we are not getting it, but we need to make our own luck as well and we have to keep working hard and keep putting ourselves in positions to score goals, and it will change.

“It’s difficult and some of us have been through it before in our careers. They have to stay together and don’t bicker amongst one another, keep a good unit and it will change.

“But that comes with hard work and being honest with one another, and that’s what we are.

“We have to make sure we come out the right side of it and hopefully they will do.”