Three weeks on from admirably securing a point at champions Celtic, St Johnstone will endeavour to frustrate another Glaswegian giant when they welcome Rangers to McDiarmid Park for a Scottish Premiership clash on Saturday.
While the visitors have picked up just six points from a possible 12 available so far this season, the hosts are rooted to the foot of the table without a win from their opening four league fixtures.
Match preview
After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premiership last season, St Johnstone have since endured a difficult start to the new campaign, winning just one of their opening eight competitive matches across all competitions.
The Saints brought a four-game losing run to an end when they played out an aforementioned goalless draw with Celtic at Parkhead at the end of last month, before rescuing a point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Dundee before the international break.
Steven MacLean's side were two goals down against Dundee heading into the final eight minutes, but a late brace from Ukrainian substitute Max Kucheriavyi, including a 96th-minute equaliser, ensured that the hosts snatched a point at the death on home soil.
St Johnstone will be looking to put together a positive run of form in the coming weeks as they prepare for three final fixtures in the month of September against Rangers, Hibernian and Livingston, who have all experienced mixed starts to the new campaign.
However, success on Saturday could prove challenging for the Saints as they have won just one of their last 18 meetings with Rangers – a 2-1 home victory in November last year which was the last time that the Gers visited McDiarmid Park.
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There has been plenty of talk about the future of Rangers head coach Michael Beale in recent weeks following an underwhelming start to the new season, with the Gers winning just two of their first four Premiership games and suffering elimination in Champions League qualifying to PSV Eindhoven.
However, Beale has insisted that his job is not in peril and he is expected to remain in the Ibrox hotseat for the time being as alleged top target Graham Potter has reportedly turned down the chance to manage Rangers, while Birmingham City's John Eustace has dismissed links with the Glaswegian giants.
Rangers entered the international break off the back of a heavy 5-1 defeat to PSV in the Netherlands before losing 1-0 at home to Old Firm rival Celtic, albeit in controversial circumstances as the Gers felt that they were wrongly denied a first-half goal via the intervention of VAR.
The Gers can ill-afford to drop too many more points in the Premiership if they wish to remain in touch of leaders Celtic, who already boast a four-point lead over their Glaswegian rivals, but Beale and co should welcome an encounter with St Johnstone considering their recent record against the Saints.
Indeed, Rangers have won six of their last seven meetings with St Johnstone in all competitions and have kept a clean sheet on five of those occasions, while the aforementioned loss at McDiarmid Park in 2022-23 is their only defeat in their last 15 visits to Perth.
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Team News
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St Johnstone duo Drey Wright and Ali Crawford are both ruled out with calf injuries and they are joined in the treatment room by Nicky Clark (ankle) and Callum Booth (unspecified).
Diallang Jaiyesimi joined on loan from Charlton Athletic a day before the draw with Dundee and the winger is now available to make his Saints debut against Rangers.
Dimitar Mitov, Sam McClelland and Daniel Phillips have all returned from international duty and could be handed starts in goal, defence and midfield respectively this weekend.
As for Rangers, Beale has confirmed that Todd Cantwell and Kieran Dowell will be out for up to three and four weeks respectively with knee injuries, while Steven Davis is also nursing a knee problem and is not expected to return until the end of this month at the earliest.
Tom Lawrence has made two substitute outings in the last two matches since recovering from a long-term Achilles injury, and the Welshman will soon be pushing to start his first game in 13 months either as a midfielder or out wide.
The likes of Danilo, Abdallah Sima, Sam Lammers, John Lundstram and Jose Cifuentes will all be hoping to force their way back into the first XI after beginning as substitutes last time out, with the former two set to battle with Cyriel Dessers and Rabbi Matondo for a place in attack.
St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Mitov; Brown, McClelland, Considine, Robinson; Costelloe, Phillips, Smith, Carey; Turner-Cooke; May
Rangers possible starting lineup:
Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Barisic; Raskin, Jack, Cifuentes; Roofe, Dessers, Sima
We say: St Johnstone 1-2 Rangers
Under-pressure Beale will be seeking a response from his Rangers players following their dip in form, and anything but a victory on Saturday would seemingly cast doubts over his future at the club.
However, the Gers should be confident of success against basement club St Johnstone and we believe that they have the firepower at their disposal to outscore their opponents in Perth.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
