The second home game in three days is scheduled for Celtic. The leaders will visit number five St Johnstone. Will Celtic live up to their role as favourites and keep Glasgow Rangers well away? Or will St. Johnstone make the title race a bit more exciting again? In this preview we look ahead with a prediction, betting tip and quotes for Celtic – St. Johnstone.
Celtic – Latest Team News & Statistics
Celtic has continued in the Premiership where it ended before the start of the World Cup: winning. Last weekend, they won – albeit very painstakingly – 0-1 at Aberdeen and midweek they won 2-1 at home against Livingston. It was Celtic’s ninth and tenth league win in a row. Scotland’s leaders last lost a league game on 18 September against Saint Mirren (2-0). The lead over number two Glasgow Rangers has increased to nine points.
The European season is already over for coach Angelos Postecoglou’s team. In the Champions League, in a group with Real Madrid, RB Leizpig and Shakhtar, it picked up only two points, finishing last.
Defender Moritz Jenz has already received four yellow cards this season. Another yellow card therefore automatically results in a suspension for the next game.
St Johnstone – Latest Team News & Statistics
St Johnstone also started the Premiership well after the World Cup break. It turned a 1-0 deficit into a 1-2 win in the away match at Ross County. For St Johnstone, substitute Alister Crawford proved his worth by scoring twice. Coach Callum Davidson’s team is unbeaten for six games as a result of the victory. It last lost on 15 October in the away game at Livingston: 1-0 and occupies fifth place with 24 points from 17 games. The difference with number three Aberdeen is just one point.
The goals at St Johnstone this season have mainly come from strikers Nicholas Clark and Steven May. Both Scots have scored four and three times so far. Chris Kane and Callum Booth, who have not yet been in action this season, are again missing against Celtic. Adam Montgomery is on alert and will miss the home game against Heart of Midlothian if he is shown another yellow card.
Celtic – St. Johnstone Previous encounters
Celtic and St. Johnstone have played each other 11 times before since 2020. In those, Celtic were too strong for St. Johnstone ten times. St. Johnstone managed to grab a point once, this was on 6 December 2020 at Celtic Park: 1-1.
Earlier this season Celtic won in Perth, through a late goal by former VVV player Giorgos Giakoumakis 1-2. Last season, St Johstone took a beating, losing by a whopping 7-0. In 2016, St. Johnstone last won against Celtic. At home, it turned a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 victory. The last time St. Johnstone took the three points from Celtic Park was in March 2015: 0-1.
Betting on Celtic – St. Johnstone: Tip & Odds
The bookmaker is very clear. Celtic are normally going to win again against St Johnstone. A win for the leaders has a quote of just 1.11. A win for the Premiership number five has the high quote of 21.00. We also expect the in-form Celtic to record their 11th win in a row and beat St Johnstone for the eighth consecutive time. In doing so, we also think this will happen by wide margins. Our betting tip is: Celtic win – 3-way Handicap 0-2. This has a quote of 10/11 at Unibet.
- Betting Tip: Celtic wins – 3-way Handicap 0-2.
- Odds: 10/11 at bookmaker Unibet
- Risk assessment: medium
- Recommended stake: 6/1