Preview: St Johnstone vs Falkirk - prediction, team news, lineups

St Johnstone will host Falkirk at McDiarmid Park on Saturday afternoon for a matchday seven clash in the Scottish Premiership.

The hosts are seventh with seven points from six games, while the visitors are 10th with five points from six league matches.

Match preview

St Johnstone secured their place back in the Scottish Premiership with a superb Championship title-winning campaign last term, finishing 11 points clear of runners-up Partick Thistle.

The Saints carried that momentum into the opening game of the new league season, thrillingly beating Kilmarnock 4-3, with Kai Fotheringham scoring an 80th-minute winner.

Despite subsequently losing three of their next five games, Simo Valakari's side have continued to show they are capable of competing at the top level during that time.

St Johnstone have suffered narrow one-goal defeats to St Mirren (1-0), Hearts (2-1) and Celtic (1-0), while they have also drawn with Dundee (1-1) and defeated Hibernian (2-1).

Valakari's men have been particularly impressive at their home ground, winning two of their three matches at McDiarmid Park, with the exception the defeat to reigning champions Celtic.

Now looking to extend that formidable home record, St Johnstone will welcome faltering Falkirk to McDiarmid Park on Saturday.

Falkirk, after a brilliant sixth-placed finish in their first year back in the top-flight last term, have had a slow start to the 2026-27 campaign, accumulating just five points from six fixtures.

In fact, John McGlynn's side failed to win any of their opening five league matches, with three defeats and two draws, while they were also disappointingly eliminated from the Scottish League Cup in the group stage.

However, the Bairns finally ended their winless start in the Scottish Premiership with a much-needed 2-1 triumph against Hearts on Tuesday, and Falkirk will be eager to build on that result in the coming games.

Falkirk will have to overcome their lacklustre record at McDiarmid Park if they are to pick up another positive result, having lost three of their last four visitors, alongside a 1-1 draw.

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form:

St Johnstone form (all competitions):

Falkirk Scottish Premiership form:

Falkirk form (all competitions):

Team News

St Johnstone only have one injury concern heading into Saturday's game, with Jamie Gullan back in training but unlikely to be fit in time to feature.

Josh Fowler has scored four goals in six league appearances this term, and Valakari will be hoping his star striker can make the difference on Saturday afternoon.

Falkirk, in comparison, are contending with six absences due to injury, with Aidan Nesbitt, Connor McLeod, Ethan Laidlaw, Joe Gardner, Finn Yeats and Keelan Adams all unlikely to play.

After securing their first league win of the season earlier this week, McGlynn could opt to name an unchanged starting 11 on Saturday, including goalscorers Ben Krauhaus and Owen Eames in attack.

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:

Steward; Todd, Finlayson, Diabate, Alic; McAlear, Holt; Campbell, Cotterill, Steven; Fowler

Falkirk possible starting lineup:

Bain; Strain, Neilson, Henderson, McCann; Barbrook, Spencer; Ross, Krauhaus, Eames; Murrell

We say: St Johnstone 2-1 Falkirk

St Johnstone have had a strong start to the season at their home ground, and with Falkirk enduring a slower opening to the new campaign, while also having a poor recent record at McDiarmid Park, we are predicting the hosts to win.

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