St Johnstone

Brian McLauchlin, BBC Scotland at Easter Road

It wasn’t quite ‘Ange Ball’ but there were certainly glimpses of a new style of play from Nick Montgomery's Hibernian.

We all know about the electric pace of Martin Boyle, but Jair Tavares, who was making his first start in over a year, showed he is no slouch.

There was more of an urgency from the home side and if they can maintain these levels they may well push towards the top end and claim another European spot come May.

Keeping Joe Newell fit will be important as the captain is the key stakeholder in midfield, with a terrific passing range.

St Johnstone certainly didn’t look like a team struggling at the bottom of the table. Stevie May was a workhorse throughout and was ably assisted by Cammy MacPherson, but the second goal killed any momentum.

Despite showing up well in recent matches, it’s now six without a win in the league.

Next up is Livingston at home and that is already looking like a must-win. Or at least a must-not-lose.

Chris Kane missed out through injury today and manager Steven MacLean will be hoping the muscular striker is not out for long.

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Hibs forwards Elie Youan and Christian Doidge drop to the bench after going off injured in the 2-2 draw at Kilmarnock last weekend.

Adam Le Fondre and Jair Tavares start in their places, with the Portuguese winger making just his third league start since joining from Benfica B in the summer of 2022.

There's a change at left-back as well, with Jordan Obita taking over from club stalwart Lewis Stevenson.

St Johnstone include Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler for the first time now that his work permit process is complete.

Drey Wright returns from a calf injury, while James Brown, Sam McClelland, Cameron MacPherson and Stevie May also come in.

Captain Liam Gordon is missing after a head knock in the 2-0 loss to Rangers, with Chris Kane also absent. Oludare Olufunwa, Max Kucheriavyi, Matt Smith, Dara Costelloe are among the substitutes today after starting last time.

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Hibernian: Marshall, Lewis, Fish, Bushiri, Obita, Boyle, Jeggo, Newell, Tavares, Le Fondre, Vente.

Substitutes: Boruc, Hanlon, Levitt, Stevenson, Delferriere, Campbell, Doidge, Youan, Whittaker.

St Johnstone: Mitov, Brown, McLelland, Considine, Robinson, Sprangler, Phillips, MacPherson, Wright, Carey, May.

Substitutes: Richards, Smith, Costelloe, Gallacher, Kucheriavyi, Franczak, Olufunwa, Turner-Cook, Jephcott.

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Hibs attackers Elie Youan and Christian Doidge are expected to be fit after going off injured at Kilmarnock last weekend, but Jake Doyle-Hayes (ankle), Dylan Levitt (ankle), Jojo Wollacott (thigh), Harry McKirdy (heart) and Chris Cadden (Achilles) are all set to remain sidelined.

St Johnstone could include Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler for the first time if his work permit process is completed in time.

Drey Wright returns after a calf injury but Nicky Clark (ankle), DJ Jaiyesimi (hamstring), Ali Crawford (calf), Ross Sinclair (broken arm) and Callum Booth (back) are all set to remain sidelined.

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Dara Costelloe believes his Scottish football baptism of fire will stand him in good stead for the remainder of his season-long loan at St Johnstone.

The 20-year-old Irish striker joined Saints from Burnley in mid-August and his first three outings have been against Celtic and Rangers either side of a home match against Tayside rivals Dundee.

Ahead of another big game away to Hibs in the Premiership on Saturday, Costelloe said: "I've quite enjoyed being thrown in at the deep end.

"It gives you a feel of the league straight away, which is a good thing. You always learn more by being thrown in at the deep end, which I love.

"I'm really enjoying it so far. The lads have been great with me, they've put their arms around me and helped me settle in."

Saints are bottom of the league and still waiting for their first win of the season but Costelloe, who has helped them to two draws in their last three games, feels Steven MacLean's side are starting to find their feet.

"We've got a lot of good players here but we're a young group and there are a lot of players who are new to each other," the striker said.

"The team's only just starting to gel and I think we'll do very well this year. There’s a lot to come from us.”

Celtic's Premiership trip to face St Johnstone in December has been pushed back a day for TV coverage.

It will now take place on Sunday, 3 December with a 12:00 GMT kick-off at McDiarmid Park.

St Johnstone travel to Easter Road to take on Hibs on Saturday, still looking for their first league win of the season.

Would you make changes from the team that went down 2-0 to Rangers?

Put yourself in Steven MacLean's shoes, and pick your St Johnstone XI here.

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• Only Celtic (11) have scored more goals than Hibs (9) in the Scottish Premiership this season. However, Hibs have also conceded a league-high 10 goals so far.

• St Johnstone have won one of their last seven league matches on the road (D3 L3), conceding 2+ goals in each of their three defeats during this run (3-0 v Hearts, 2-0 v Ross County, 2-0 v Livingston).

• Hibs have lost both of their home games this season in the Premiership, both by a 3-2 scoreline (v St Mirren and Livingston); they haven’t lost three consecutive home matches in the division since December 2021.

• St Johnstone won their last league trip to Hibs 2-1 in October 2022, last enjoying back-to-back away wins over Hibs in the top flight in November 2018.

• Hibs have lost just one of their last seven league games against St Johnstone (W4 D2), although are winless in the most recent two (D1 L1).

St Johnstone boss Steven MacLean is relishing a first managerial meeting with Nick Montgomery after the pair "had a few run-ins" as players on opposite sides of the Sheffield divide.

MacLean takes his side to Easter Road on Saturday to face Hibs in Montgomery's first home game in charge since moving from A-League champions Central Coast Mariners.

Montgomery spent the bulk of his playing career patrolling the Sheffield United midfield and crossed paths with MacLean who spent three years as a Sheffield Wednesday striker.

“I played in a derby against him. We had a few run-ins there, probably kicked each other," said MacLean with a smile.

"He's another new young manager who plays a different way, has been in Australia.

"It’s good to pit your wits against different people and I’m looking forward to seeing him.

"It'll be different. I've watched his game against Kilmarnock and we've done a bit of work on him and Hibs and his old team so we know what to expect.

"It's his first home game so he'll be wanting a good performance from his team and it's up to us to stamp our authority and look to win."

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Steven MacLean has been speaking to the media before St Johnstone face Hibs in the Premiership this weekend.

Here are the key lines from the Saints boss:

• He’s “very hopeful” Sven Sprangler will have received international clearance and be available for selection on Saturday.

• Drey Wright has trained all week and is back in the squad but Nicky Clark remains out.

• A first league win of the season would be “massive” and provide momentum as well as hauling the club off the bottom of the table.

• Hibs will be a “different” proposition under new manager Nick Montgomery but Saints have “done a bit of work” on him and the Easter Road men and know what to expect.

• MacLean says his side could have had two spot-kicks in last weekend’s defeat to Rangers – “If the on-field decision was penalty I don’t think the VAR would have overturned it” – and they created other opportunities so there were positives to take.

• Chris Kane has returned from a long injury lay-off with a “spring in his step” and MacLean is now looking for him to add goals.

• On opting not to send 16-year-old midfielder Fran Franczak out on loan: "He’s a bundle of energy and has a lot of quality as well. He’s a box-to-box midfielder but can play everywhere. We’re really excited about him. It’s just about when it’s the right time to put him in."

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St Johnstone have unveiled an eye-catching third kit that will benefit owner Geoff Brown's local charity.

CEO Stan Harris says the club "worked closely with Brown on the design and partnership", resulting in a black strip featuring teal pinstripes and magenta bordering.

All profits from the kit sales are to be donated to Kinfauns Stables R.D.A., which Brown established in 2015 and is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through the provision of horse riding and horse care.

"To have this partnership between my club and Kinfauns Stables R.D.A, both of which mean so much to me, is an occasion I won't forget," said Saints honorary chairman Brown.

“I have always kept the two separate, but this was a special occasion that would help raise money and better the lives of disabled people in the Perthshire area."

Harris added: "We decided to go with an all-black kit, whilst incorporating the popular teal and magenta colour scheme into the design after it resulted in the best-selling away kit the club has ever produced last year.

"We feel this has created a striking design that fans will love, resulting in a great product that will also help raise money for a fantastic local charity with strong ties to St Johnstone."

Jamie Beatson, We Are Perth, external

A defeat, yes, but not one to lose sleep over.

We’ve played Rangers and Celtic in our first five games and have managed to take a point and not blow a disastrous hole in our goal difference, which could make all the difference down the line.

It’s been reported today that Drey Wright and Nicky Clark are fit again, while Sven Sprangler’s paperwork is nearing completion. That’s a huge boost going into the next run of fixtures.

We have to get off the mark in terms of wins as soon as possible. Whether we can do that at Easter Road on Saturday remains to be seen but we need to go in to it trying to win the game.

Points on the board are key, they need to come soon.

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked for your views on St Johnstone's loss to Rangers

Anon: Saints failed to lay a glove on a very poor Rangers side.

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BBC Scotland's Martin Dowden at McDiarmid Park

Chris Kane bemoaned missing chances in his first St Johnstone start in nearly 20 months but believes his team's performance in their 2-0 home defeat by Rangers was more sign of progress.

"We're a right good squad now," the striker told BBC Scotland. "We were a bit bare at the start of the season, loads of injuries, but injuries are coming back, boys we've brought in, we're all getting fitness.

"The manager has got loads to choose from and I think we showed against Celtic we can compete against the better teams. We just need to keep ourselves fit, keep ourselves going, have a good week's training and, as these games come, we will start picking up points."

As for his own return, Kane said: "It's been close to 20 months now since my last start. I'm delighted with how I'm progressing.

"I feel fit, I feel good and obviously I've had loads of bounce games, but my first start here, to get 80 minutes and to come out of it feeling good, I'm delighted with that."

Kane believes his side improved after going into the break 1-0 behind against Rangers.

"I thought we came out and played well - we had loads of chances ourselves," he said. "I had a great chance at 1-0 to level it and there were chances after that.

"Obviously we're disappointed, but I think we can look at the positives and take quite a lot from it.

"Obviously you don't expect to have all of the ball against Rangers. We knew it would be a game when we had to just wait our time and just try and create chances and defend well and I think we did do that."

St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean queries the decision not to give his side a penalty following a coming together of Chris Kane and Rangers' Tom Lawrence at a corner while his side trailed 1-0, with the game ending 2-0 to the visitors. (Scotsman), external

MacLean believes Saints "will be fine" despite having only two points from five Scottish Premiership games this season. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip

St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean: "I thought our shape was very good. We worked ever so hard. I'm really disappointed with the two goals we conceded, one is from our corner, the other is from when we're in possession of the ball.

"I thought the players gave everything we asked of them and I thought we were a little bit unfortunate with opportunities we had. In games like these you need to take your opportunities when they come along."

"We've played Celtic, Rangers and Hearts now. We knew it was a difficult start to the season. We've brought 11 new players in. They showed me a lot of character. They did exactly what I want apart from the two goals we conceded."

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Were you at McDiarmid Park on Saturday or did you follow the match elsewhere?

Either way, we want your views on the game - have your say.

Martin Dowden, BBC Scotland at McDiarmid Park

St Johnstone made more of a game of it for a spell after the break, but when the dust settles they are bottom of the table.

Steven MacLean's side now really need a victory to get things going after accumulating just two points from their first five league games.

With Chris Kane back to lead the line, there is a nucleus of a squad there that looks capable of improving.

Following that dramatic 2-2 draw with Dundee two weeks ago, Steven MacLean makes four changes to his St Johnstone XI.

James Brown and Sam McClelland drop out of defence, with captain Liam Gordon and Oludare Olufunwa coming in.

At the top end of the pitch, Stevie May makes way for Chris Kane, who starts for the first time since January 2022, while Jay Turner-Cooke is replaced by Max Kucheriavyi.

• Listen to live match commentary from McDiarmid Park