Preview: St Johnstone vs. Dundee - prediction, team news, lineups

Last-placed St Johnstone volition anticipation to extremity their winless streak connected Sunday erstwhile they big Dundee astatine McDiarmid Park successful their 22nd Scottish Premiership fixture of the 2024-25 campaign.

The hosts are 12th with 15 points but they did hold Hibernian to a 1-1 stalemate connected January 2nd, portion their opponents are successful ninth spot with 22 points aft 20 matchweeks and lost 2-1 against fierce rivals Dundee United connected Thursday.

Match preview

© Imago

St Johnstone should instrumentality assurance from their gully past clip retired considering they were reduced to 10 men successful the 41st infinitesimal erstwhile the people was 0-0 but inactive managed to clasp retired for a point.

Boss Simo Valakari was delighted by his players' effort levels, telling reporters: "We've got a constituent and determination were a batch of good, honorable performances. We request calms heads, due to the fact that we didn't win, the spread has got bigger, but sometimes you person to look down the point. It was a testament to the tone and tendency successful the team, which volition instrumentality america retired of this situation."

However, the nine look apt to decorativeness successful the relegation playoff spots fixed they are already 12 points down sixth-placed Motherwell, who inhabit the league's last title playoff spot.

Valakari's broadside person mislaid 5 and drawn 2 of their 7 astir caller outings, though they tin astatine slightest boast that the bushed Dundee 2-1 connected October 26.

The hosts' signifier astatine location has besides been mediocre having mislaid 3 and drawn 1 of their past 4 astatine McDiarmid Park, scoring 4 and conceding 7 successful that period.

© Imago

As for Dundee, they travel into Sunday's lucifer having failed to triumph against rivals Dundee United erstwhile again, with the nine winless successful the past 8 derbies and losing 4 successful that time.

Manager Tony Docherty suggested that injuries successful defence contributed to his side's defeat, but that they should inactive person yet won, saying: "[Injuries don't] instrumentality distant from the information we should triumph that game, we should perfectly triumph that game, and the overriding feeling for myself is 1 of existent vexation and a spot of anger."

Docherty's Dark Blues person scored 30 times and conceded connected 36 occasions successful the apical flight, and these are the division's 4th champion violative and 3rd worst antiaircraft records respectively.

Dundee had hoped that their 2-1 triumph against St Mirren connected December 29 would beryllium the commencement of a sustained play of affirmative results, but decision past clip retired was their 4th nonaccomplishment successful their past 5 fixtures.

The visitors person struggled distant from location for immoderate clip considering they person mislaid six, drawn 3 and won conscionable 1 of their 10 astir caller distant matches.

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form:

Dundee Scottish Premiership form:

Team News

© Imago

St Johnstone volition surely beryllium incapable to telephone upon suspended midfielder Jason Holt, arsenic good arsenic Cameron MacPherson, who is not scheduled to instrumentality until the mediate of this month.

Sven Sprangler and Franio Franczak whitethorn beryllium joined successful midfield by Matthew Smith down a beforehand enactment consisting of Adama Sidibeh, Nicky Clark and Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka fixed striker Uche Ikpeazu is injured.

In defence, considering centre-back Sam McClelland is unavailable until the mediate of the month, Jack Sanders and Bozo Mikulic could commencement successful beforehand of goalkeeper Joshua Rae.

Dundee FC person respective defenders connected the sidelines, with Ziyad Larkeche, Jordan McGhee, Billy Koumetio, Antonio Portales and Joe Shaughnessy acceptable to miss retired connected Sunday.

Ryan Astley, Clark Robertson and Luke Graham started successful a backmost 3 past clip out, and they are apt to bash truthful again connected the weekend.

Scott Fraser volition not look successful midfield owed to injury, truthful expect Mohammad Sylla and Lyall Cameron to look unneurotic successful a treble pivot.

St Johnstone imaginable starting lineup:
Rae; Wright, Sanders, Mikulic, Raymond; Franczak, Sprangler, Smith; Clark, Mbunga-Kimpioka, Sidibeh

We say: St Johnstone 1-0 Dundee

St Johnstone person a bully accidental to prime up 3 points against Dundee, who are apt to beryllium susceptible defensively arsenic a effect of their wounded situation successful the backline.

ID:562049:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect12670:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's regular email of previews and predictions for each large game!