Two teams with contrasting aims in the Scottish Premiership will come together on Saturday afternoon when top-six chasing St Mirren host relegation-battling St Johnstone.
The hosts are seventh in the table with 30 points from 24 matches, while the visitors are at the bottom of the standings with just 18 points from 24 league outings.
Match preview
![Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/31/stephen-robinson.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Stephen Robinson of St Mirren during the UEFA Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match at the SMISA Stadium, Paisley, on August 1, 2024 [on August 2, 2024]")
© Imago
St Mirren came into the 2024-25 season aiming for a third successive top six finish in the Scottish Premiership, having finished sixth in 2022-23 and fifth in 2023-24.
They are currently in the race to place inside the top six, currently seventh in the table and only behind sixth-placed Hibernian on goal difference, but Stephen Robinson may feel his team could be higher in the rankings if not for several periods of inconsistency.
Their season has been marked by streaky runs, from starting the campaign with just two wins, two draws and six defeats in their first 10 to winning three and drawing one in the following four.
That pattern has continued as the season has progressed, with St Mirren subsequently losing two in a row before winning three, losing four and now heading into this one having won their last two.
Looking to keep their winning run going, St Mirren should be confident of securing all three points on Saturday, with St Johnstone sitting rock bottom of the table.
The visitors are 12th in the standings with just 18 points from 24 games, after five wins, three draws and 16 defeats, leaving them a significant seven points behind 11th-placed Kilmarnock.
However, Simo Valakari's men did bring an end to a dismal nine-game winless run by beating Motherwell 1-0 in the Scottish Cup, and they built on that result with another win over the Steelmen in their last outing, a 2-1 win in the league.
Hoping those results can serve as a catalyst in their fight to survive relegation, St Johnstone will be looking to defeat St Mirren on the road for the first time since May 2021.
Team News
© Imago
St Mirren will be without the services of Alex Iacovitti (hamstring), Charles Dunne (hamstring) and Conor McMenamin (calf) due to ongoing injury issues.
On the back of two successive victories, Robinson may decide to name a similar starting 11 in this match, with a strike partnership of Toyosi Olusanya and Mikael Mandron expected to start.
As for St Johnstone, Uche Ikpeazu is yet to make an appearance this season and is not set to return to action until February, while Sam McClelland is also out with an Achilles tendon injury.
Following a brilliant 2-1 victory against Motherwell last time out, courtesy of goals in the 86th and 88th minutes, Valakari could name a similar starting team here.
St Mirren possible starting lineup:
Hemming; Fraser, Taylor, Gogic; Bwomono, Phillips, Boyd-Munce, O'Hara, Tanser; Mandron, Olusanya
St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Fisher; Wright, Sprangler, Mikulic; Curtis, Kucheriavyi, Holt, Douglas; Carey, Griffith; Kirk
We say: St Mirren 2-0 St Johnstone
The hosts may have been plagued by inconsistency this term, but they are undoubtedly the favourites to secure the win here, and given St Johnstone's struggles on the road, we believe St Mirren will win this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ellis Stevens
