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

Fighting to record their first victory since the opening round of the Scottish Premiership, St Johnstone welcome Hibernian to McDiarmid Park on Sunday afternoon in the top flight of Scottish football.

The Saints secured a share of the spoils at the base of Dundee last time out, whilst Hibs were made to pay for a slow start on Thursday night, when they lost the Edinburgh derby to fierce rivals Hearts.

Match preview

After winning the Scottish Championship by a commanding 11 points last season, St Johnstone have experienced a modest start to life back in the Premiership, collecting four points from as many fixtures.

That being said, the Saints are currently in the midst of a three-match winless sequence (D1 L2) and only avoided a third consecutive defeat courtesy of a last-minute Josh Fowler equaliser at Dundee on Tuesday night.

Replaced first by head coach Simo Valakari in that Dens Park encounter, playmaker Jamie Gullan created three chances on the evening, with the 27-year-old providing a staggering 31 goal contributions in all competitions last season.

After managing just a single point from three straight away contests, St Johnstone will happily return to McDiarmid Park on Sunday, with the hosts unbeaten at the Perth venue since a 1-0 defeat by Dunfermline Athletic on January 24.

Looking to boost their chances of avoiding relegation trouble this campaign, the Saints bolstered their midfield options on transfer deadline day, signing Joel Cotterill and Josh Campbell from Swansea City and Hibernian respectively.

© Iconsport / PA Images

Courtesy of their fifth-placed finish last season and subsequent Conference League qualification, Hibernian have already played 11 competitive matches and experienced sizeable heartbreak this term.

Games at Easter Road have haunted Hibs in recent times, with David Gray's men knocked out of Europe by a 90th-minute Gent winner on August 27, a week before Hearts picked up a 3-1 Premiership success on enemy territory.

On a positive note for Hibernian supporters, Sunday's visitors are unbeaten across their last four away matches in all competitions (W2 D2) - a run which includes victories at Dundee and Scottish giants Rangers.

After a quartet of fixtures at the beginning of the 2026-27 top-flight term, Hibs are currently occupying seventh spot in the Premiership standings with six points, a position and two points ahead of St Johnstone.

Aiming to compete at the top of table once again this term, Hibs have added youth to a defence which is headlined by veterans Grant Hanley and Jack Iredale, with promising right-back Alex Williams arriving from West Bromwich Albion.

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form:

St Johnstone form (all competitions):

Hibernian Scottish Premiership form:

Hibernian form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / Focus Images

Signing from Easter Road this week, St Johnstone midfielder Campbell will not feature against his parent club on Sunday.

There is certainly a case for ex-Swansea youngster Cotterill to grace the pitch, though, providing competition for Reece McAlear and Jason Holt.

After his goalscoring antics off the bench at Dens Park, Fowler should be afforded a spot in the hosts' forward line this weekend.

Seeing red in the Edinburgh derby on Thursday, Hibernian centre-back Iredale is suspended for the trip to Diarmid Park.

Jordan Obita managed just 29 minutes last time out before being forced off with an injury, making him a doubt for this weekend.

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:

Steward; Todd, Mitchell, Diabate, Alic; Stanton, Holt, McAlear, Steven; Fowler, Gullan

Hibernian possible starting lineup:

Sallinger; Kerr, Hanley, Passlack; Williams, Mulligan, Chaiwa, McGrath; Boyle, Mayor, Lowe

We say: St Johnstone 1-1 Hibernian

Boasting an unbeaten league run at McDiarmid Park which dates back to January, St Johnstone will be confident of picking up at least a point on Sunday.

Gray needs to pick his Hibs boys off the floor following Thursday's Edinburgh derby embarrassment, with the visitors surely good enough to secure a share of the points from this one.

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