St Johnstone vs Ross County Predictions

St Johnstone to boost survival prospects

St Johnstone can keep their Premiership survival hopes alive by beating relegation rivals Ross County when they host them at McDiarmid Park on Saturday. The visitors have lost the last two Premiership head-to-heads and could be heading for an unwanted hat-trick.

Ross County had just 32.9% possession and were beaten 1-0 by St Johnstone in their last Premiership meeting in February, when they were priced as 21/10 outsiders. There were 15 corners in the game, more than in any of St Johnstone’s league matches so far this season, and they have scored the opening goal in four of the last six meetings with these opponents.

They are one place above rock-bottom St Johnstone in the table, with six points separating the two teams. Ross County could not break their losing run last time, losing 3-1 at home to a Hearts side who had gone four Premiership games without a win. Ross County were priced as 14/5 outsiders to win the game, but still would have been hoping to be more competitive than the final margin of defeat.

They have been disappointing up front away from home this season, failing to score in four of their last six league games on the road. They have scored just 13 goals in 17 away matches – an average of 0.76 goals a game. No team has failed to score in more Premiership games this season than Ross County (15 in 35).

The hosts are the most profitable home team in the Premiership this season. Backing St Johnstone to a one-point level stake in all their home games would have shown a profit of 12.53 units and they are unbeaten in seven of their last eight Premiership meetings with Ross County.

Ross County’s recent away form has been poor, with four successive defeats on the road in the Premiership. They have lost five of their last six away games in the league.

St Johnstone’s defence has been in good form, keeping clean sheets in three of their last four home games in the Premiership. They haven’t conceded in four of the last six meetings with Ross County.

A narrow 1-0 win for St Johnstone looks the most likely outcome in a tight game. At least one of the sides has failed to score in five of the last seven Premiership head-to-heads, and six of St Johnstone’s eight wins this season have come by a single goal.

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Edited by Mark Langdon