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Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 28
Feb 26, 2022 at 3pm UK
Victoria Park
SJ
Ross County
3 - 1
St Johnstone
Charles-Cook (35', 53'), Hungbo (66')
Iacovitti (48')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Hendry (24')
Hendry (26'), Gilmour (82')

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

:Headline: Preview: Ross County vs. St Johnstone - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Saturday's Scottish Premiership clash between Ross County and St Johnstone, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Ross County will welcome St Johnstone to Victoria Park for their relegation battle in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday afternoon.

The Staggies currently sit four points above the danger zone but that gap could be cut to just one point if the Saints were to claim maximum points for the second successive game this weekend.


Match preview

Ross County's four-game unbeaten run came to an end when they suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Hibernian last weekend.

A brace from Jake Doyle-Hayes condemned the Staggies to their fourth loss in their last five away matches and their 12th in total in the league this season.

With St Johnstone's victory over Hearts last weekend moving them off the foot of the table, Malky Mackay's men are now sitting just four points clear of the bottom two.

While Ross County's recent away form has been underwhelming, Mackay can be impressed with his team's performances on home soil, as they are unbeaten in their last four games at Victoria Park, their longest such run in the top flight since a five-match unbeaten home streak between February and April 2018; Overall, the Staggies have lost just one of their last eight home league fixtures.

Ross County, who beat St Johnstone 2-1 in December, are looking to earn back-to-back Premiership wins over Saturday's opponents for the first time since March 2014.

As mentioned above, St Johnstone claimed a much-needed victory last weekend when they won 2-1 against third-placed Hearts at McDiarmid Park.

A lively start to the match saw Ali Crawford open the scoring for the hosts after just 45 seconds, before Nathaniel Atkinson equalised in the sixth minute. Both sides went in level at the break but Jamie McCart's header midway through the second half helped the Saints claim all three points and just their fifth league win of the campaign.

Callum Davidson's men have now moved off the bottom of the table but they still have challenging fixtures ahead, including clashes against the Old Firm as well as Saturday's relegation battle with Ross County.

St Johnstone are unbeaten in their last nine league visits to Victoria Park, though each of their last five have ended as a draw, including the stalemate back in July last year.

Securing three points this weekend would see the Saints win back-to-back top-flight matches for the first time since March of last season and would drag the Staggies closer towards the danger zone.

Ross County Scottish Premiership form:
  • L
  • D
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • L

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form:
  • D
  • W
  • D
  • L
  • D
  • W


Team News

Ross County winger Josh Sims, who joined the club as a free agent earlier this month, was an unused substitute last weekend but he will be hoping to make his debut on Saturday.

However, in-form winger Regan Charles-Cook, who has scored six goals in his last nine appearances, is set to remain in the first XI, with Joseph Hungbo to start on the opposite flank at the expense of Dominic Samuel.

Jordan White is expected to lead the line up front, while Connor Randall, Jack Baldwin, Alex Iacovitti and Jake Vokins are set to retain their places in the back four.

As for St Johnstone, goalkeeper Zander Clark is doubtful with a knock, so Elliot Parish may continue between the sticks.

The visitors are, however, still without Shaun Rooney, David Wotherspoon, Chris Kane, Craig Bryson and Cameron MacPherson due to injury.

Davidson is unlikely to make too many changes, if any, to his starting lineup, with Callum Hendry set to begin as the lone striker ahead of Stevie May and Nadir Ciftci, while Tom Sang and Tony Gallacher could start again as the wing-backs.

Ross County possible starting lineup:
Laidlaw; Randall, Baldwin, Iacovitti, Vokins; H. Paton, Tillson; Hungbo, Callachan, Charles-Cook; White

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Parish; Cleary, Gordon, McCart; Sang, Hallberg, Davidson, Gallacher; Middleton, Crawford; Hendry


We say: Ross County 1-1 St Johnstone

St Johnstone's victory last weekend will have provided them with a much-needed boost as they head into the final third of the campaign and they will be confident of securing another win on Saturday.

The hosts, however, have fared much better on home soil and although both teams will be keen to claim three points, they may have to settle for a share of the spoils.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data



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Read more about Jake Doyle-Hayes Malky Mackay Jamie McCart Ali Crawford Nathaniel Atkinson Callum Davidson Josh Sims Regan Charles-Cook Joseph Hungbo Connor Randall Jack Baldwin Alex Iacovitti Jake Vokins Zander Clark Elliot Parish Dominic Samuel Callum Hendry Stevie May Nadir Ciftci Tom Sang Tony Gallacher Cameron MacPherson Chris Kane David Wotherspoon Shaun Rooney Craig Bryson Jordan White Football
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Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic11004223
2Hearts11002023
3St Mirren11003213
4Kilmarnock11001013
5Dundee10101101
6Motherwell10101101
7Aberdeen10100001
8Livingston10100001
9Hibernian100123-10
10RangersRangers100101-10
11Ross County100124-20
12St Johnstone100102-20
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