The Rugby Park side currently sit third in the table, just a point off the summit, having gathered more top-flight points than any other club in 2018.

However, Clarke is refusing to "get carried away" by their fine form.

"I've got good players here. We'll need to keep this squad together and continue to work hard," he said.

"The harder you work, sometimes the luckier you get. Hopefully we can do at least as well as last year if not a little bit better."

Kilmarnock's next game is a Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Forfar Athletic on 19 January, followed by the Premiership visit of Rangers four days later.