Preview: St Johnstone vs Elgin City - prediction, team news, lineups

St Johnstone welcome Elgin City to McDiarmid Park this Saturday afternoon for the final group game in the Scottish League Cup.

While the Saints are flying high at the top of their group with three wins from three, the Black and Whites are already heading for elimination, having failed to win a single point in this year’s competition.

Match preview

Finishing bottom of the Scottish Premiership last season consigned St Johnstone to relegation, meaning the club will compete in the second tier for the first time in 17 years.

Manager Simo Valakari, who arrived in Perth last October, has a big job on his hands as he looks to lead the Saints back into the Scottish elite at the first time of asking.

His men have certainly made a good start to the campaign, winning all three of their League Cup games, scoring seven goals, and conceding just twice.

While some will question the low level of opposition in their group, few would deny that stringing together a series of victories can only boost their momentum ahead of the Championship season.

Valakari was unable to steer the club away from relegation last season, but the Finnish coach was able to take his side to the Scottish Cup semi-final – something he would undoubtedly love to replicate in this season’s League Cup campaign.

Elgin, on the other hand, have endured another woeful group stage campaign in the competition, failing to win a single point and conceding 11 goals along the way.

The Scottish League Two side were thumped 5-1 by Raith Rovers on home soil in the first match of the group stage, and they followed it up with a 2-0 loss at Inverness and a 4-1 loss to last season’s Lowland League champions, East Kilbride.

Manager Allan Hale, who has been in charge of the team since December 2023, has overseen steady progress in the league, with the club going from a ninth-place finish a couple of seasons ago to a fourth-placed finish last term.

Looking at their early performances in the League Cup, it is clear that continuing that improvement will not be easy for the Black and Whites this season.

Nevertheless, Elgin will be looking to give a good account of themselves as they take on St Johnstone in a competitive fixture for the first time in three years.

St Johnstone Scottish League Cup form:

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Elgin City Scottish League Cup form:

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Team News

St Johnstone striker Uche Ikpeazu has been struggling with a knee injury since the end of last season and has only played 34 minutes in the League Cup this season. The Ugandan forward is available for selection, but he is more likely to watch Saturday’s game from the sidelines.

Sam McClelland and Bozo Mikulic are definitely out due to injury, with both missing the previous outing against Raith Rovers.

Elgin have no fresh injury worries as Hale and his men prepare for their weekend trip to Perth.

The manager has chopped and changed his team throughout their League Cup campaign, with the likes of Tom Ritchie, Lyall Booth, Brian Cameron and Lewis Hyde coming in and out.

St Johnstone possible starting lineup: Steward; Tumilty, Diabate, Boyes, Foulds; Sprangler, Holt, McPake, Gullan, Sidibeh; Kirk

Elgin City possible starting lineup: Ritchie; Booth, McDonnell, Cameron, Cairns; Hyde, Draper, Murray, Virtanen; Gallagher, Gavin