By Graeme Macpherson

ALEX McLEISH has asked his players to treat their remaining matches like three cup finals as the race for second place hots up.

The Light Blues take on Kilmarnock at Rugby Park tomorrow looking to close the gap on Hearts to just one point ahead of the Tynecastle side's match with Celtic on Sunday.

He said: "We're aware we need to win our last three games and we start with two tough away games.

"We have to treat every game as a cup final. We'll have fantastic away support at the two away venues and hopefully first of all we can take care of Kilmarnock who will be determined to beat us.

"We've done well against Kilmarnock this season and we would like to continue in that vein.

"We then need someone to take points from Hearts as they have that four-point cushion over us.

"Tynecastle is a difficult place to go but Sunday's match with Celtic will be a tough game for Hearts.

"I'd rather be in Hearts' position at this moment in time but they know with the point we got at Celtic Park last week that if they slip up once and we win our last three games we'll get second place.

"We were 16 points adrift and we've got to within four so we've got some good momentum behind us."

With the league already won, it had been suggested that Celtic manager Gordon Strachan - or "wee Chesney" as McLeish labelled him - may rest some first-team players for Sunday's game.

But McLeish would have no complaints if Strachan chose to put in the kids for the trip to Tynecastle.

Eck added: "I know the pride in other managers and players that they will try to win every game.

"It's Gordon's prerogative (if he wants to rest players). He's got himself in a position in the league where he can do that.

"If we suffer because of that it's not down to one game. I did tell him though not to give his players any days off this week!"