St Johnstone

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Craig Levein probably didn't want to make any changes to his side after they trounced Kilmarnock 3-0 last weekend in East Ayrshire, but the St Johnstone manager has been forced into one at Hampden.

Midfielder Aaron Essel is out as he is suspended after being sent off against Alloa Athletic in the previous round of the competition.

Veteran winger Graham Carey comes in, but Andre Raymond and David Keltjens have failed to recover from knocks.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernie, Souttar, Propper, Jefte, Sterling, Dowell, Diomande, Cerny, Matondo, Danilo.

Substitutes: Kelly, Barron, Dessers, Davies, King, McCausland, Fraser, McKinnon, Rice.

St Johnstone: Rae, Raymond, Cameron, Sanders, Neilson, MacPherson, Carey, Wright, Sidibeh, M. Smith, Kimpioka

Substitutes: Sinclair, May, Clark, C. Smith, Sprangler, McPake, Kirk, Olufunwa, Franczak

Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Premier Sports Cup holders Rangers will look to put Tuesday's Champions League qualifying defeat by Dynamo Kyiv behind them on Saturday as they host Scottish Premiership rivals St Johnstone in the last 16.

It means Philippe Clement's side return to the national stadium having won just one of their four outings this season - Saturday's narrow defeat of struggling visitors Motherwell.

Rangers' temporary home amid Ibrox renovations was far from full to watch them against the Ukrainians. How many will turn up to see them against less lauded opponents from the east after such a European body blow?

Craig Levein's visitors have had a mixed start to the season but arrive on the back of an impressive 3-0 win over Kilmarnock, albeit the hosts were down to 10 men for most of game.

The form of Benjamin Kimpioka, with six goals already this season, and fellow striker Adama Sidibeh, with four, has led to media speculation about their futures and scouts will be keen to see how they test a Rangers defence that lost left-back Ridvan Yilmaz to injury on Tuesday.

Indeed, St Johnstone have not scored in the latest five meetings between the sides since winning at McDiarmid Park in November 2022.

Saints lost all three meetings last season by an aggregate of 8-0 and they have suffered four straight defeats away to Rangers since a penalty shoot-out Scottish Cup win at Ibrox in April 2021.

Read the Premier Sports Cup preview in full here.

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein hopes to compound Rangers' woes by knocking the Ibrox side out of the Premier Sports Cup this weekend.

Saints travel to Hampden in the last 16 to face a Rangers side reeling from their Champions League exit Dynamo Kyiv.

"If we play well and manage to keep the ball for a period of time then I am pretty sure there will be some negativity in the stadium," said Levein.

"And if we can keep it scoreless for a while there will be some negativity in the stadium.

"It is easy saying those things but you have got to do them and that is the hard part.

"I thought they played well the other night. I thought they were unlucky with the sending off.

"I am sure they will recognise this is a route to winning silverware so they will be up for the match, I am certain, and so will we.

"I think my players will take confidence from last week [3-0 win at Kilmarnock]. There was some really good performances, so that helps with confidence of course."

Levein says there have been no bids for Adama Sidibeh amid reported interest from Aberdeen in the Gambia striker

"I haven't heard anything, received any offers or bids for Adama. As far as I am concerned it is business as usual," he said.

"He has had a brilliant time since joining St Johnstone. He has made his first international appearance and scored."

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The draw for the quarter-finals of the Premier Sports Cup will take place on Sunday after the Celtic v Hibs tie, which kicks off at 15:00 BST.

The draw will be shown live on Premier Sports following their coverage of the game from Parkhead.

All quarter-final ties due to be played on the weekend of September 21-22.

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St Johnstone academy star Callan Hamill is set for a move to Arsenal next summer, according to The Athletic football journalist Jordan Campbell.

The 15-year-old Scotland youth international, who can play in midfield or defence, has today signed a new one-year deal, with the Perth club saying: “Callan has been attracting interest from both north and south of the border. Some of the top English clubs are watching him closely."

Campbell revealed Hamill has rejected interest from the Old Firm in favour of a move to Arsenal, where he has already spent time training, when he turns 16.

Speaking to the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Campbell said: "He's been of interest for Rangers and Celtic who could have signed him this summer because he's only 15 still.

"But he's turned that down and it looks like the direction of travel is that he's going to sign for Arsenal next summer when he turns 16.

"It's better for St Johnstone financially because I think the training compensation would have only been about 30,000 euros from the Old Firm but they're due close to 130,000 if a player moves to an English team.

"He's done well and over the next year he's going to continue to go down to Arsenal having arranged it with St Johnstone who I think, like other Scottish teams, are learning to accept these players are going down now at this age to try and accelerate their development with the facilities and the money that gets put into these academies and the level they're playing at.

"I think they're trying to accept that and try and help the move."

Aberdeen intend to activate 26-year-old striker Adama Sidibeh’s £500,000 release clause with St Johnstone before the Perth side's Scottish League Cup last 16 meeting with Rangers this weekend. (Football Insider), external

There have been no bids for St Johnstone forward Sidibeh. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Sam Miller
Fan writer

After what was a turbulent week off-field for the Saints, it was brilliant to see an untested team brimming with confidence.

Where Craig Levien gets stick for tactics and formations, he has certainly made up for in unearthing some absolute diamonds.

Mackenzie Kirk, Aaron Essel, Andre Raymond and most importantly Adama Sidibeh, to name a few.

With just over two weeks of the transfer window left, St Johnstone's new American owners are going to have their mettle tested as cash rich English teams try and pick our pockets with low ball offers for star Sidibeh.

He's already a fan favourite and having him a St Johnstone player on 1 September could make or break the season...

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St Johnstone goalkeeper Josh Rae believes the squad Craig Levein has assembled is capable of a top-half finish in the Premiership this season.

Rae is one of several arrivals at the club this summer, and started as the Perth Saints beat Kilmarnock 3-0 at Rugby Park on Sunday.

"We’ve got to push for the top six definitely," Rae said.

"With the squad we’ve got, with the pace, we’re all powerful, young and hungry so I’m really confident we can push for that top six.

"We were solid right from the first minute [against Kilmarnock]. It was a solid performance.

"I thought we could have controlled the second half slightly better because they had a few chances but overall, a brilliant result.”

"It’s a lot slower than Championship football but obviously more quality.

"You need to be concentrated the full 90 minutes because it can just happen in the blink of an eye that someone with quality can hurt you."

Saints fans, we asked for your views on Saturday's 3-0 win over Kilmarnock.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Rooney: An excellent result and a better performance. Still worries defensively that we are lacking experience and set-pieces are a major concern.

Chris: Some great signings and we look a threat going forward. After so many years of a lack of goals I'm looking forward to entertaining football from the Saints again.

Gordon: The fact we have two pacey strikers up top now and causing havoc to defenders is good to see and both scored.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jack Sanders was key in a superb St Johnstone performance that saw them earn three points and a clean sheet at Rugby Park, and is one of three Saints players in my Team of the Week.

His team-mate Andre Raymond played his part at both ends of the park, providing the assist for the second goal, and Adama Sidibeh was a certain pick after his superb double. What an inspired signing he has been by Craig Levein. A constant menace and alive to every opportunity.

Watch highlights as St Johnstone put three past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

Kilmarnock 0-3 St Johnstone | Watch Craig Levein's post-match thoughts.

An Adama Sidibeh double helped St Johnstone coast past 10-man Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to pick up their first win of the new Premiership season.

Sidibeh's strikes sandwiched Joe Wright's red card, as the defender was sent off after two yellows in the opening 16 minutes.

It got worse for Kilmarnock in the second-half when they were denied a penalty before conceding one two minutes later, with Benjamin Kimpioka converting.

What did you think of the match? Was it the best St Johnstone performance of the season?

How impressed are you by Adama Sidibeh and Benjamin Kimpioka?

Let us know your thoughts on the game here, external.

Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Despite the loss to Aberdeen last Monday, Kimpioka and Sidibeh were singled out as St Johnstone's main threats. They were at it again today.

Helped by marauding left-back Andre Raymond, Sidibeh could have a few more and Kimpioka was a constant thorn in the side of the Kilmarnock defence. They tore apart a back-four bereft of confidence and seemed to feed on their energy.

Behind them, there are still improvements to be made. Despite being down to 10 men, Kilmarnock did go close a few times and hit the post right at the end.

Ultimately though, the game was managed in the second-half, allowing St Johnstone to pick up their first win on the road this season. Last year, they had to wait until February for that.

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein told BBC Scotland: "There was some really good stuff, but the points are the most important thing after playing reasonably well last week and not getting any.

"Kilmarnock is a hard place to come to. I know they've had a tough game in Europe and that's taken a toll, but all credit to our guys. We played really well for long spells.

"We did too many things I think we can do better. Our defending could be better, we survived by the width of the post on a couple of occasions. Saying that, the clean sheet argues against that."

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Adama Sidibeh. Since turning up from Warrington Rylands in England's Northern Premier league, the Gambian striker has gone from strength to strength.

Craig Levein was worried he'd struggle to hold onto his little diamond and there's still a few weeks for someone left to pinch him.

He could have had even more today, but he'll take a brace - a brace that showed off his strength and his finishing ability.

Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Wright, Deas, Findlay, Armstrong, McKenzie, Watson, Lyons, Murray, Vassell, Cameron.

Substitutes: O'Hara, Mayo, Kennedy, Mackay-Steven, Anderson, Watkins, Wales, Polworth, Bainbridge.

St Johnstone: Rae, Neilson, Sanders, Cameron, Raymond, Wright, MacPherson, Essel, M Smith, Sidibeh, Kimpioka.

Substitutes: Sinclair, Clark, Carey, C Smith, Sprangler, McPake, Kirk, Olufunwa, Franczak.

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Marley Watkins remains a doubt for Kilmarnock with a groin problem while Kyle Magennis and Corrie Ndaba are just off featuring.

St Johnstone defender Sam McClelland is facing a lengthy lay-off after rupturing his Achilles against Aberdeen on Monday.

David Keltjens has a chance of returning after missing the Dons game with an ankle knock but Uche Ikpeazu (knee) is still out.

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Nicky Clark has challenged St Johnstone to get points on the board early as they seek to avoid another Premiership relegation battle.

Craig Levein's Saints narrowly stayed up last season after a slow start, with only goal difference keeping them above Ross County in the play-off spot.

There has been a large turnover of players at McDiarmid Park this summer under new owner Adam Webb, and Clark believes the new faces can help push St Johnstone up the table.

"There's been a lot of changes, I think 19 boys left and a lot of boys came in, so it will take time to gel but all the lads that have come in have been great," he said.

"The new owner has come in and is doing a lot of things around the place that the boys are noticing, which is great. It’s an exciting time to be at the club.

"We didn’t have a great start last year, we were down there scrapping away. Thankfully we got out of that, which was great, but it’s important we pick up results quick this year.

"We don’t want to be down there chasing everybody, we want to be up there with teams chasing us. Hopefully starting on Sunday we can get three points and then push on from there."

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Craig Levein has had one of those weeks again as St Johnstone manager.

As if losing their opening Premiership game at home to Aberdeen wasn't bad enough, the 59-year-old lost defender Sam McClelland for a couple of months following an injury picked up during the game.

Then came the fan furore after midfielder Cammy MacPherson shared a post on social media by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

The 25-year-old apologised on Friday evening, with the club confirming the player would now face disciplinary action.

Levein blanked questions about the matter during his pre-match media conference and would not say whether MacPherson would be in his squad to visit Kilmarnock on Sunday.

However, the affair will have been an unwelcome distraction for Levein, who has already admitted that he is having to operate with a playing budget smaller than most of his rivals despite the arrival of the club's new American owners.

St Johnstone recovered from a shock defeat by League 1 side Alloa Athletic to qualify from the League Cup group stage, with strikers Adama Sidibeh, Benjamin Kimpioka and summer arrival Makenzie Kirk proving a potent strike force.

The good news for Levein as he looks for positives again is that Saints are visiting a side yet to win in their four outings this season after Thursday's 2-2 draw at home to Tromso. Albeit three of those were in European competition and the other was against the reigning champions.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks