St Johnstone return to Scottish Premiership action after their weekend League Cup exploits, welcoming Aberdeen to McDiarmid Park on Wednesday evening.

Dons boss Derek McInnes relieved some of the pressure on his shoulders with a 2-0 win at Motherwell last time out and will want his team to build on that victory.

Match preview

Perth Saints manager Callum Davidson steered his side to the Scottish League Cup final on Saturday, with his team beating Hibernian 3-0 at Hampden Park.

The club can now look forward to a final against Livingston that gives them a chance to win their first silverware since 2014 when they won the Scottish Cup, the only major honour in their history.

The manager needs to get his players to refocus on the league campaign now, though, with a relegation battle still looming over the Perth club.

The Saints are in ninth place in the Scottish Premiership table, just four points off the bottom, so work needs to be done if the club want to retain their top-flight status.

The team have shown sides in recent weeks that Davidson has something to build on, and they are now unbeaten in their last four league matches.

Draws at home to Hamilton Academical, and away at Ross County and Dundee United were followed by a 1-0 home win over St Mirren in the week before the League Cup semi-final win.

If they can maintain that level of consistency then the Saints should be okay when it comes to relegation, but they will need to show intent against an Aberdeen side that has been wounded in recent weeks.

Dons manager Derek McInnes came under pressure this month with fans hanging a banner outside Pittodrie calling for his dismissal.

While many observers felt that the fans' protest was unfair, McInnes has clearly felt the pressure, and will have been relieved that his team won in their last outing.

The Dons enjoyed a relatively comfortable 2-0 home win over Motherwell at the weekend, a result which soothed nerves somewhat after the 4-1 defeat at Ross County the week before.

It has been confirmed this week that Scott Wright will be leaving to join Rangers in the summer, so the fans will want him to continue the good form that has seen the forward score two goals and contribute five assists in his 18 games in 2020-21.

The Dons should certainly feel confident about making the trip to Perth to face St Johnstone, as they have not lost in their last nine games at McDiarmid Park in all competitions.

Aberdeen last faced the Saints on Boxing Day last year, when they emerged as 2-1 victors after going a goal down in the 38th minute.

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form: LLDDDW
St Johnstone form (all competitions): LDDDWW

Aberdeen Scottish Premiership form: DWDLLW

Team News

The Saints are set to welcome winger Glenn Middleton on loan from Rangers for the rest of the season, so he could be in contention for a start on Wednesday evening.

Callum Davidson has no other injury or suspension concerns ahead of the visit of Aberdeen to Perth.

Dons manager McInnes still has a relatively long injury list with which to deal, with Ross McCrorie and Michael Devlin still absent with ankle injuries.

Dylan McGeouch and Marley Watkins are due to make returns from groin and hamstring injuries respectively but it remains to be seen whether they are fit enough yet to claim a place in the squad.

Connor McLennan is still out with a foot injury and Greg Leigh remains a long-term absentee with a knee problem.

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Clark; Kerr, Gordon, McCart; Rooney, Davidson, McCann, Tanser; Wotherspoon; Conway, Kane

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; Hoban, Taylor, Considine; Hedges, Ferguson, Ojo, Hayes; Wright, Kennedy; Cosgrove

We say: St Johnstone 1-2 Aberdeen

We suspect that tired legs and a League Cup hangover may affect St Johnstone this Wednesday, and Aberdeen will edge a close game 2-1.

Aberdeen have not been in the kind of disastrous form that some of their fans seem to think they have been, and this will be another important three points for the Dons.

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