St Johnstone vs Inverness CT Predictions

Goals look likely to be scarce when Saint Johnstone seek to finish the job off against Inverness Caledonian Thistle and secure their top-flight berth for another season. Friday’s first leg of this promotion play-off was a topsy-turvy affair – in contrast to what we have seen from almost all of the Caley Jags’ postseason games.

Billy Dodds’ side were without their biggest attacking threat, Shane Sutherland, through injury, and two other first-team stars that were suspended after red cards against Arbroath in the previous round. They started poorly and were two goals down at the break before Dodds switched to a back four and Reece McAlear struck twice in the space of seven minutes to grab an unlikely draw.

With defenders Danny Devine and Wallace Duffy available for the second leg, but still no Sutherland, we’d expect ICT’s focus to be on frustrating their Premiership hosts, who will be furious that they allowed such a superb first-half display go to waste. After winning two domestic cups in 2020-21, Saints had a shocker of a season, but there’s enough expertise both in the squad and in the dugout to get it right in a one-off such game as this.

They will probably find a way to stay up in the end, even if it takes extra time or penalties, and we believe a cagey affair is more likely to occur than the dramatic scenes of Friday night. Fewer than three goals have been scored in six of St Johnstone’s last eight home games and likewise in seven of Inverness’ last 11 away games, so an unders play has plenty going for it here.