Ross County

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• St Johnstone have won both of their last two league games against Ross County; they’ve never won three in a row against the Staggies in the top-flight before.

• After their 1-0 defeat in November, Ross County could lose back-to-back top-flight away games at St Johnstone for the very first time.

• St Johnstone are winless in eight home league games (D3 L5), losing each of their last three in a row. The Saints haven’t scored more than once in any of their last 12 home league matches (nine goals overall).

• Ross County are winless in 16 away league games (D5 L11), losing each of their last seven in a row. This is both the longest winless and losing run they have ever suffered in the Scottish top-flight.

• St Johnstone’s Craig Levein has never lost to Ross County as a manager in the Scottish Premiership, winning three and drawing three of six previous meetings.

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein is not anticipating any notable changes to the squad he had at his disposal for Saturday’s defeat at Livingston. Luke Robinson (knee), Tony Gallacher (calf) and Sven Sprangler (knee) all missed that match although the Austrian midfielder is pushing for a return.

Ross County are still missing Max Sheaf (muscle), Dylan Smith (ankle) and Scott Allardice (knee). Ross Callachan is back training after 13 months out with a knee injury but is not ready to play.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

When the post-split fixtures were released a few weeks ago, many Ross County fans believed Wednesday’s trip to McDiarmid Park to face St Johnstone would prove to be a season decider.

The Staggies currently sit 10th, two points above the Perth side going into this crucial match.

A win would secure our Premiership status for next season. Anything less would take the battle to avoid the play-offs to the final day of the league season.

Both sides go into the game following defeats but under very different circumstances. Don Cowie endured his first home defeat as interim manager as his side were thrashed 5-1 by Motherwell, whereas St Johnstone fell to a 2-1 defeat at Livingston thanks to Andrew Shinnie’s 95th-minute winner.

In Dingwall, Motherwell were clinical in front of goal and punished the Staggies for their individual mistakes and some slack defending in the latter stages.

For the fans travelling down to Perth, they’ll hope to see something that has been extremely hard to come by this season - a win outside Dingwall.

County have only picked up one victory on the road, a 1-0 win against Kilmarnock on 2 September. Since then, they’ve only taken five points from a possible 48 on their travels.

Despite Saturday’s defeat, it feels like there’s more momentum on County’s side going into this crucial match.

With six games to go they were four points behind St Johnstone. But they now know a victory will guarantee top-flight football in Dingwall for another season.

Ross County face a huge battle with St Johnstone in their bid to avoid the relegation play-off.

After Saturday's 5-1 defeat to Motherwell, what changes should Don Cowie make to his starting line-up?

Put yourself in his shoes and pick your XI here.

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Don Cowie insists he's seen "more than enough" to suggest Ross County can secure Scottish Premiership survival with victory over St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Three points at McDiarmid Park would see the Dingwall side move five points clear of their opponents with just one game to go.

"We've got belief," Cowie told BBC Scotland.

"Over the last six to eight weeks, we've picked up some very good results. We've got to take a lot of positivity from that.

"It's going to be a real challenge, a tough game, because there's a lot at stake.

"I'm sure St Johnstone will be ready and prepared, but we've got to match that and go beyond that.

"We know what's it stake if we can get the three points. Do I believe we can do that? Of course I do.

"I've seen more than enough over the past two months [to suggest] we can do do that but we're going to have to be at our best."

County are looking to bounce back after Cowie suffered his first home defeat in charge against Motherwell at the weekend.

"It's a honest group," he added. "We've spoke about Saturday, we dealt with that."

"We've managed to put ourselves in a very good position. With six games to go we were four points behind St Johnstone.

"We now find ourselves two points ahead. We've got to feel good about ourselves."

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Ross County interim manager Don Cowie has been speaking to BBC Scotland as his side gear up for a pivotal relegation clash with St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Here are the key points:

• Insists players are feeling "really positive" heading into a "really important" game on Wednesday.

• Believes the group's "honesty" has helped them reflect and move on from a heavy defeat to Motherwell at the weekend.

• Says his side have created "belief" in their form before Saturday, though stresses they must "match and go beyond" the performance set by St Johnstone.

• Expects a fast start from the home side to rouse the home crowd, but thinks he has players that can "hurt the opposition".

• Has seen "more than enough" over the past two months to assure him they will secure their Premiership status.

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Ross County head into a crucial meeting of relegation rivals with St Johnstone as "slight favourites", says Richard Foster.

Having played for both clubs, the former defender believes the Dingwall side are more likely to score in a high-stakes contest at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday.

However, Foster points to County's poor record on the road as a sign of hope for St Johnstone, who he believes will need a strong defensive showing to move out of the play-off position.

"I think Ross County have more goals in the team," he tells BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Simon Murray's got a great return for a team that are near the bottom of the league.

"They also have got the option of Jordan White, who came on the pitch and makes a difference because of his aerial prowess.

"It's all about whether St Johnstone can stop Ross County scoring and then nick one up to the end.

"I know they actually played quite well against Livingston and missed a few chances.

"But I think for me, I would slightly favour Ross County. Having said that, I don't think their record in Perth is very good. Their record away from home is not very good."

Watch BBC highlights, as Motherwell thrash Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

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We asked for your thoughts after Ross County were thrashed 5-1 by Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what you had to say:

Alistair: I was shocked by their performance. They let themselves and their manager down badly. Wednesday night is the real relegation play-off because neither St Johnstone nor the Staggies will survive games against top Championship sides. Last chance saloon is in Perth.

Ron: A frustrating day in Dingwall. Ross Laidlaw’s errors for the first two goals gave Motherwell an advantage we struggled to overcome. A shame as he has been so good recently. Still, at 1-2 it was quite tight with no shortage of chances that were passed up. Blair Spittal killed the game with his class strike for their third - the best player on the park by far.

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• Motherwell have scored 22 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Celtic (25) have scored more in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Ross County have conceded 17 goals to opposition substitutes in the Scottish Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• Ross County have conceded 22 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other team in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Motherwell have scored 14 goals via substitutes in the Scottish Premiership this season, only Celtic (21) have scored more.

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Ross County manager Don Cowie told BBC Radio Scotland: “I'm disappointed at the way the game finished, we gifted them two goals in the first half and they punished us for that.

“At 2-1 with ten minutes we’re still in the game, just disappointed at the way we lost our discipline and when you do that against a good team with good players, they pick you off and that’s what they did.

“We maybe just got a little desperate, players coming out of their shape and trying a little too hard and coming out of their shape, and players like [Blair] Spittal and [Theo] Bair they take advantage of that.

“The message from me is really clear, you can feel sorry for yourself tonight but when you wake up tomorrow you’ve got to be positive and think about a massive game on Wednesday.

On Ross Laidlaw’s first-half errors, he added: “He’s disappointed but I was really clear at half time, he knows he’s made two errors but on the back of games against Hibs and Rangers he did more than enough to get three points so it was about us trying to bail him out.

“We didn't manage to do that but I’m sure he’ll respond.”

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Were you at the match in Dingwall or following along from elsewhere?

We want your views on Ross County's loss here.

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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At a crucial point in their fight for survival, County's home form failed them as this was their first home defeat in seven.

Cowie made three changes at half-time, all attacking, but his side's periods of dominance failed to produce any clear-cut opportunities.

Late goals have been an issue for them this season, too, and they've now conceded 22 in the last 15 minutes of games - more than any other team in the league.

Their safety, importantly for them, remains in their own hands with only two games to go.

Simon Murray was isolated at times today, but when he was surrounded by other players he was at his best. He'll be key for their final two games you'd imagine.

Simon Murray was tireless up top for the hosts and took his goal well.

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Ross County: Laidlaw, Randall, Baldwin, Dhanda, Murray, King, Efete, Brophy, Nightingale, Leak, Reid

Substitutes: Wickens, Sims, Loturi, Harmon, Henderson, Khela, Jenks, White, Ayina

Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, McGinn, Cassy, Blaney, Gent, Halliday, Miller, Nicholson, Spittal, Bair

Substitutes: Oxborough, Mugabi, Paton, Zdravkovski, Shaw, Devine, Moses, Ferrie, Butcher

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Ross County start this match with the same starting XI as their previous win against Hibernian.

Teddy Jenks returns to the bench in the place of James Brown who drops out of the matchday squad.

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Ross County boss Don Cowie expects to be selecting from an unchanged squad. Max Sheaf (muscle), Dylan Smith (ankle) and Scott Allardice (knee) are still out. Ross Callachan is back training after 13 months out with a knee injury but is unlikely to be involved this weekend.

Motherwell are also set to be unchanged as Jon Obika (hamstring) and Adam Devine (knee) work their way back to fitness. Callum Slattery (knee) and Adam Montgomery (hamstring) are out for the season.

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Eamonn Brophy says Ross County are not looking beyond Saturday's match against Motherwell in their fight to avoid relegation.

County sit 10th in the Scottish Premiership, two points ahead of St Johnstone in the relegation play-off spot, and the sides will meet in Perth on Wednesday (19:45 BST).

Brophy insists County cannot afford to focus solely on the match against Craig Levein's side with three games of the season remaining.

“People are saying it’s a six-pointer and it is a massive game, but we just want to take one game at a time, try and get three points against Motherwell and then go into that game against St Johnstone trying to get three points,” he said.

“That game is going to be the decider in a lot of people’s eyes but at the end of the day it’s only three points and we’ve got nine points to play for. Hopefully we can take as many points as we can from all the games.”

Two of County's remaining three fixtures are at home, where they have won four and drawn two of their six matches since Don Cowie took over from Derek Adams in Dingwall.

Brophy also hopes County's additional "hunger" can provide an edge against Motherwell, with the Fir Park side already assured of top-flight football next season.

“Obviously Motherwell will go out and try to win the game but our mindset has got to be that we don’t want to be involved in the play-offs,” said Brophy.

“They are safe and they can maybe finish seventh but we want to stay in the league so our hunger to win the game has got to be more than theirs.

“Obviously we’ve played against them a few times this season and the last game against them wasn’t great but we’ll try and put that right. We’ve got a lot more to play for than they have and hopefully we can show that on Saturday.”

The Ross County talisman is a striker who has been underrated for much of his career and this season is no different.

Murray's strike against Hibs last week was his 19th in a stellar campaign and fifth in his last six Premiership games.

The 32-year-old is just one behind Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi on the league scoring charts, with his performances pivotal to County's excellent home form.

His work off the ball and ability to create (he has five assists this term) as well as score have allowed his team under Don Cowie to go six unbeaten in Dingwall, defeating Rangers, Hearts, and Hibs in the process.

Murray has already netted twice against Motherwell this season, too, so expect him to play a big part when the Steelman visit on Saturday as County look to further strengthen their pursuit of survival.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

• After their 3-0 win in December, Ross County could win back-to-back home games against Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since November 2015.

• Motherwell have only lost one of their last eight league meetings with Ross County (W5 D2), winning 5-0 against them most recently in February.

• Ross County have won each of their last three home league games, their second-longest ever such winning run in the top flight, behind only a run of five wins from February to April 2015.

• Motherwell have kept just three clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership this season, half as many as any other side (Ross County next fewest with 6). They have gone 11 league games without a shutout, although their last was against Ross County in February (5-0 win).

• Theo Bair has scored 15 goals for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership in 2023-24. Since the SPFL was founded in 2013, only John Sutton in 2013-14 (22) and Kevin van Veen last term (25) have netted more in a league season for the club.

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Simon Murray is the exactly the kind of striker Ross County need in their bid for Premiership survival, says former Scotland frontman Lee Miller.

The 32-year-old has scored 19 goals for the Dingwall side this season, and Miller believes relegation rivals St Johnstone will be wishing they had a player of Murray's stature.

"Don Cowie's done a remarkable job, he's got them playing really good football," he told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"He's got strikers that can score goals. Jordan White and Simon Murray and [Eamonn] Brophy. These are striker that have got a goalscoring record, prolific at times.

"I really like Simon Murray. You put him in any team and he just works his socks off, hassles defenders. He's an absolute pest.

"He doesn't stop running, he anticipates things. He can create a goal out of nothing. When you're down there at that end of the league, that's the type of player you want in your team.

"If Craig Levein was offered him, he'd take him in a heartbeat."