An inspired Kilmarnock performance against Aberdeen delivered a first victory in 17 Scottish Premiership games and moved them six points clear of the bottom.

Neil McCann's side played with an intensity and sharpness which has been lacking all season as they dismantled a sorry Aberdeen team who ended the game with 10 men and considering huge questions as they seek a permanent manager.

Brad Lyons and Bruce Anderson scored in the space of two first-half minutes to give the long-suffering Rugby Park faithful something to roar about.

And when Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie was sent off in the second half for a high tackle on Greg Kiltie, Tyreece John-Jules bolstered the scoreline and gave new manager McCann a first win at the fourth attempt.

Crucially, it pushes KIlmarnock two wins in front of Livingston and a first win since 4 October is bound to swell confidence as they seek to push further up the table.

Aberdeen, who were guided by interim manager Peter Leven for the fifth time, stay in seventh but hopes of a top-six place will fade after this display.

Rugby Park has been a dark place this season. The home fans had just one victory - four months ago - to enjoy and watched seven defeats in their last eight on their own patch.

As a result they would have been rubbing their eyes in disbelief after 16 minutes as the players swarmed around Aberdeen with ferocity and conviction.

Liam Polworth had already missed a virtually open goal before captain Lyons glanced in Kiltie's superb cross from the right to give them a deserved lead.

In keeping with their start, they gave Aberdeen no time to recover as they immediately pressed high and got the ball up to John-Jules, who laid it to Anderson to flash a low shot past goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov.

John-Jules' slick first-time finish from Anderson's low delivery showed the confidence Kilmarnock played with - as did his overhead kick effort shortly after.

McCann hopes new faces in attack Findlay Curtis, on loan from Rangers, striker Joe Hugill, and winger Nicky Clescenco would inject energy and freshness.

And though Curtis and Hugill made good debuts from the bench, it was the core squad who showed they still have plenty of life this season under new leadership.

That is more than can be said for Aberdeen.

Anyone who thought last week's 6-2 win over bottom side Livingston meant they could continue to wait for a permanent manager will have been completely disposed of that notion after a shambolic display.

No player can emerge with their held held high.

However, another error-strewn performance from goalkeeper Mitov and the carelessness of captain Shinnie to get himself sent off - and booked after six minutes - are symptoms of a rudderless side.

Too often they are outrun and outfought, a feeling backed up by a fifth straight away defeat while mustering a single goal.

This team needs a new manager - and quickly.

Their afternoon was made bleaker by Knoester's potentially serious injury, with the centre-back taken off on a stretcher after an awkward fall.

Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann: "I couldn't pick a standout from the team. From the first minute to the last everybody who took to the pitch today had belief about them - which is what we've been missing.

"There was a real snap about us and aggression about our play, and some of the football we played was so good.

"I want us to catch fire. I want it to be a catalyst, a platform we can launch from."

Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven: "Nowhere near good enough. I thought they won first and second balls, they wanted it more.

"We weren't up for the fight today. That's really disappointing because we said all week it's a tough place to come. You've got to run and fight and we were nowhere near it."

Aberdeen host Celtic on Wednesday night (20:00 GMT) while Kilmarnock are at Ibrox to take on Rangers (19:45).