St Johnstone are currently bottom of the Scottish Premiership. They still hold onto a ray of sunshine after picking up an important win in their most recent game. Automatic relegation is no joke either and so the club is adamant in avoiding that fate. This weekend, they visit their city rivals, Celtic, and look to win there for the first time in 30 tries. The stakes could hardly be higher! A convincing display would do wonders for their confidence ahead of the battle with Celtic in the Scottish Cup final in just over a week.
With his side battling for European qualification and with only a handful of games left this season, the clock is ticking. The competition is fierce, as many clubs remain vying for European qualification. In most leagues, the fight for 3rd place might earn third a ticket to Europa League. As for fourth, it’s a shot of making the Conference League.
St Johnstone’s Fight for Survival
St Johnstone’s recent turnaround has injected their hope to avoid the drop. Although they languished at the foot of the table for most of the season, they have climbed up to within a handful of points of safety. The first trip to Celtic Park in November will be an enormous test. Our squad has beaten them in thirty years! Such a victory would not only give them crucial points in the playoff race but act as a huge moral booster for the young team.
The club’s management remains optimistic that their recent win can propel them to challenge Celtic effectively. After a rocky start to 2023/24, St Johnstone are ready to face the defending champions with a fresh mindset and newfound belief. The outcome of this match will have big implications on the league standings. It would help prepare them for their first ever Scottish Cup final against Celtic in May.
European Aspirations for Aberdeen and Dundee United
In the battle for European qualification, Aberdeen are still firmly in the race for that coveted third place. To keep their dream alive, they need to pull off an upset at home to Celtic in their next match. Aberdeen’s only hope now is for St Mirren to beat Hibernian. A St Mirren victory on Sunday would leave Aberdeen in a very strong position to qualify for European football next season.
Dundee United would like to qualify for European competition. By extension, they can leapfrog St Mirren if they continue their highly return of form, winning their last five league encounters. Their Scottish League Cup semi-final clash with Hibernian on Wednesday night looks set to be crucial. Dundee United needs to start taking points in the present to increase their hopes in the future. With just a couple of matches remaining in the league season, each point counts!
Dundee’s Struggle for Safety
The future of Dundee hangs in the balance at an important crossroads. A home win over Ross County would guarantee their place in the top tier for another year. A loss would drop them into an automatic relegation play-off spot. This would be a huge additional burden for their otherwise difficult campaign. Combined with the administration’s speculation-filled 2050 climate plan, the team’s recent record is deeply concerning. Since Christmas Day, we’ve lost six of our last ten home league matches, with the fewest home points in the league over that span.
Dundee have historically found Govan a difficult place to visit, winning only once in their last 20 league visits. They haven’t travelled home from Govan with all three points since 2011. This final match—or series of matches—is now proving to be key in their hopes for survival.
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