St Johnstone vs Kilmarnock Predictions

• Kilmarnock have won six of their last nine William Hill Premiership matches 
• Five of the last six meetings between St Johnstone and Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park have gone under 2.5 goals
• One or both teams have failed to score in seven of St Johnstone’s last eight games

You’d be silly not to back Killie 

St Johnstone are favourites to beat Kilmarnock on their return to the William Hill Premiership, and while the Saints may deserve to be the market leaders, offers of around 23-20 look a little too short. 

The Saints cruised to the second-tier title last season, but they were without a rival in a below-par division and St Johnstone’s summer transfer business doesn’t indicate that it will be a serene transition to top-flight football. 

Josh McPake has left for Hearts and Simo Valakari’s men were beaten at Inverness and lost a penalty shootout to East Kilbride in the Scottish League Cup. 

St Johnstone failed to progress from the group stage of the cup competition, and although the form of the early rounds of the Scottish League Cup isn’t totally reliable, there are enough doubts to oppose the Saints against Kilmarnock. 

Killie have been quiet in the transfer market, but manager Neil McCann gets his first full season in charge at Rugby Park and Kilmarnock finished last term with four straight Premiership victories. 

A low-scoring contest looks likely at McDiarmid Park, which makes the draw a big runner and Kilmarnock look a play on the draw not bet market.