- Saint Mirren have won four of their last five fixtures, defeating Falkirk 2-0 away from home in the last round.
- St. Johnstone have won three of their last five, but consecutive defeats could leave them vulnerable this Saturday.
- St. Johnstone have scored 16 goals in seven away matches across all competitions, so their transition game travels well.
Two different pressing systems meet in Paisley
Craig McLeish has only recently taken over the reigns at Saint Mirren, but there has already been a notable uptick in intensity and aggression to their play. The Buddies' pressing game is more front-foot, but still disciplined enough to set up the numbers in the proper shape. Henry Fieldson has supplied one assist in one Premiership appearance for the club and he could make the difference again this weekend.
Simo Valakari has St. Johnstone playing a high-work-rate 4-3-3 system built around a compact midfield shape and quick vertical breaks in transition. Ruari Paton has been their sharpest finisher, striking three of their ten goals across the last five.
Saint Mirren have recent edge in Paisley
Saint Mirren have won two of the last three head-to-heads in this fixture, while St. Johnstone took the points the other time in a 1-0 victory in Premiership 2024/2025, so they do know how to nick this one. Paisley has been a decent hunting ground for Saint Mirren in recent seasons, but the Buddies have the edge in terms of form and freshness for this encounter.
Saint Mirren's last three matches have been a mixture of cup chaos and league control as they beat East Kilbride 4-3, lost 1-0 to Dunfermline and then overcame Falkirk 2-0 last time out. St. Johnstone have posted a three-match sequence as they thumped Greenock Morton 3-0, lost 1-0 to Inverness and then fell at the first hurdle of the Scottish Cup after a penalty shootout defeat following a 1-1 draw with East Fife.
St. Johnstone are a formidable traveller
Across all competitions, Saint Mirren have gone 7-1-2 in their last ten and St. Johnstone have won eight and lost only two of their most recent ten, so we could see a real scrap at The SMISA Stadium, Scotland.
The odds suggest Saint Mirren are the slight favourites in this one at 23/20, with St. Johnstone available at 21/10 and the draw at 13/5. Saint Mirren are a more than capable Premiership side, but St. Johnstone have been superb on their travels this term with six wins and just one defeat in seven Premiership games. There is a case for a St. Johnstone result on the road, but we'll side with Craig McLeish's men to nick it due to their home advantage and the better recent run.
Bodacious Buddies can get the better of Saints
The Over 2.5 option looks like a good play at 3/4, but we'll go with Both Teams To Score - Yes at 63/100 as our main selection for this game as it will be a close run thing and goals are likely.
Saint Mirren have scored six goals in their last five home games across all competitions and St. Johnstone have hit 16 goals in their last seven away matches across all competitions. Saint Mirren have a 2-1-2 home record in the current Premiership so they have been solid, but not lockdown.
Saint Mirren have the extra bite at the top of the pitch in Killian Phillips, who has scored two goals in his only Premiership appearance so far. St. Johnstone play a compact midfield shape and have more players who can score, but their top marksman Ruari Paton is available and has scored three in his last five games. So it is worth having a punt on both clubs hitting the net, with Saint Mirren just shading it on home edge.
