St Johnstone will welcome Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday afternoon looking to win their third consecutive match at McDiarmid Park.

Meanwhile, the Dons have been beaten in each of their previous four away league outings, including a 1-0 loss to Dundee United on March 20.

Match preview

St Johnstone progressed from the third round of the Scottish Cup last weekend courtesy of a narrow 1-0 away victory at Dundee.

Despite only having 39% possession against the Championship outfit, Guy Melamed's 20th-minute strike was enough to secure the win and set up a fourth-round tie against League One side Clyde.

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson will be very pleased with the run his side have put together since the turn of the year; the Saints have suffered defeat in just two of their last 16 matches in all competitions, losing by a one-goal margin to both Rangers and Celtic in February.

However, the Perth-based club do not have the best of records against Aberdeen, having won just one of their previous seven league games against them, a 1-0 victory at Pittodrie in February 2020.

Victory on Saturday for St Johnstone, who sit sixth in the table, would see them win three consecutive Scottish Premiership matches for the first time since January 2019.

Stephen Glass claimed his first victory as Aberdeen boss last weekend when his side narrowly won 1-0 away at League One side Dumbarton in the third round of the Scottish Cup.

The visitors were frustrated for much of the game, but substitute Callum Hendry sealed Aberdeen's place in the fourth round when he fired a left-footed strike into the bottom right corner seven minutes from time.

The Dons have struggled for goals in recent months and Hendry's effort last Saturday was only their second goal in 11 matches.

Glass will be keen for his forward players to improve their form in front of goal as they look to finish inside the Scottish Premiership's top three for the first time in three years and also continue their cup run.

Aberdeen are unbeaten in their last eight visits to McDiarmid Park, keeping five clean sheets in the process since a 3-0 defeat in April 2016.

Remarkably only one of the last nine Aberdeen managers have won their first top-flight match in charge of the club, with Craig Brown enjoying a 2-1 win over Hibernian in December 2010; claiming all three points on Saturday would be a great way for Glass to start his reign in the league.

Team News

St Johnstone's Murray Davidson, who has missed the last eight matches including the League Cup final last month, could again miss out with a calf injury.

Davidson currently has no other injury or suspension concerns ahead of this weekend's game.

Striker Stevie May was handed a start in the Scottish Cup last Saturday, but Chris Kane could return to the side to face the Dons at his expense.

Aberdeen remain without forward Fraser Hornby, who is out with a ruptured thigh muscle, while Welsh winger Ryan Hedges is ruled out for the rest of the season with a muscle problem.

Glass could name the same starting lineup that beat Dumbarton last weekend, although Hendry and Connor McLennan will be pushing for a return to the first XI.

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Clark; Kerr, Gordon, McCart; Rooney, McCann, Craig, Booth; Wotherspoon, Melamed; Kane

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:
Lewis; Ramsey, Hoban, Considine, Hayes; Campbell, Ferguson; McLennan, McCrorie, McGinn; Hendry

We say: St Johnstone 1-1 Aberdeen

St Johnstone seem to be in much better shape than Aberdeen, but the appointment of Glass should provide a much-needed boost for the visitors that could have an instant impact this weekend.

The Dons have shared the points in six away games so far this season – only Dundee United have drawn more – and we feel that they may claim another point on the road this Saturday.

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