St Johnstone

St Johnstone manager Craig Levein and Ross County interim boss Don Cowie look ahead to the final-day battle to avoid the relegation play-off spot.

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Craig Levein is preaching positivity and has pledged St Johnstone will adopt an attacking mindset in their must-win game at Motherwell on Sunday.

St Johnstone head into the final day needing favours to avoid the relegation play-off.

Levein's side have to win in Lanarkshire while hoping Ross County - currently two points above - don’t beat Aberdeen in Dingwall.

"We probably will do [have an eye on events in Dingwall] just to keep a sense of perspective, but we need to win and we will find out what the consequences are after the game," said the Perth boss.

"We couldn’t really have gone much more attacking than we did the other night so it will be along similar lines I am sure. We need to rely on our creative players creating chances for the guys up front.

"And it is quite simple, there are not many permutations here, it is a win or we are in the play-offs.

"It [the late equaliser against County in midweek] gave the players a real boost, it gave the fans a real boost as well and they kept going right to the end.

"So we are on a fairly positive outlook and looking forward to Sunday."

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein has been speaking to the media before Sunday's crucial final-day Premiership trip to Motherwell.

Here are the key lines:

• Levein says: "There is one aim in this game, it's pretty simple - try and win."

• Asked if he will have an eye on relegation rivals Ross County's game with Aberdeen, he says he probably will "just to keep a sense of perspective".

• Saints' dramatic late equaliser against against County gave the players and fans "a real boost".

• He has been "quite pleased" with recent performances and wants more of the same, adding "we are on a fairly positive outlook just now".

• Motherwell will pose a "tough" challenge but he trusts his players to do everything they can to try and win.

• Levein praised the impact of striker Adama Sidiebeh who signed in the January window, saying: "He is still settling in remember. It is a fairly big leap from the level he was playing previously and to do what he is doing just now is pretty impressive.’

• Team news – no fresh injuries.

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Drey Wright believes St Johnstone inflicted a "psychological blow" on Ross County that could turn the tide in the battle to avoid the relegation play-off.

Adama Sidibeh's 90th-minute header denied the Dingwall side guaranteed Premiership survival, taking the tussle to finish 10th to the final day.

And Wright hopes Ross County will struggle to recover from that late disappointment, causing them to slip up and give St Johnstone a window to pull themselves to safety.

“The table won’t say that but I think mentally, if I was to be on the receiving end of that – and seeing the look on some of their faces coming off the park – it is a massive blow," the winger said.

"In the last minute of the game, safety is snatched from them, so hopefully that plays on their minds going into Sunday.

“I can’t speak for characters in their dressing room but that is a big psychological blow, definitely, because from looking pretty comfortable because we weren’t creating many chances, now they have to go and do it all again on Sunday.

"I think it does play in our favour, definitely. We are very confident we can beat Motherwell.

“Obviously it is out of our hands but it happens in football all the time. There is no reason we can’t win and they drop points.”

St Johnstone's Drey Wright draws inspiration from surviving relegation with Colchester United in 2015 as he aims to help the Perth side avoid the drop from the Scottish Premiership. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip

Sportscene pundits Neil McCann and Charlie Mulgrew dissect Ross County's "well-structured" defensive performance against St Johnstone that had them on course for survival until Adama Sidibeh's last-gasp equaliser. (Available to UK users only)

• St Johnstone have failed to win in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their last joint longest winless streak was from 20 December 2023 to 27 January 2024.

• Graham Carey has assisted eight goals this season (one in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player in the Scottish Premiership.

• Ross County have scored in their last 3 games in the Scottish Premiership, their joint longest scoring streak this season.

St Johnstone boss Craig Levein is confident the Perth side can get the win they need at Motherwell to climb out of the Premiership relegation play-off spot, though Saints also need Ross County to drop points. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Watch highlights of the 1-1 draw between St Johnstone and Ross County that takes the battle to avoid the relegation play-off place to the final day. (Available to UK users only)

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein tells Sportsound: "We were a bit inconsistent, but again the team very rarely let me down in regards to effort and willingness to keep going until the last whistle and they've done that again.

"The only things that is slightly disappointing about this evening is that it's slightly out of our hands. I'd rather have the opportunity to beat Motherwell and that guarantee us something.

"We've no control over how the Ross County v Aberdeen game will pan out. We can only think about putting in a good performance against Motherwell and we'll take what we get.

"If we're in a situation where Ross County beat Aberdeen, we're in the play-offs and I'd rather be in the play-offs in a positive frame of mind. If we can win and do well on Sunday, we will be."

Adama Sidibeh’s late header was enough to send the relegation play-off place battle to the final day as St Johnstone claimed a dramatic draw with Ross County at McDiarmid Park.

Yan Dhanda’s first-half solo strike looked set to secure County’s place in the Scottish Premiership and condemn the hosts to second bottom until Sidibeh planted an inch-perfect header past Ross Laidlaw in the 91st minute.

St Johnstone remain two points behind County, who welcome Aberdeen on Sunday while the Perth side visit Motherwell.

What did you think of that St Johnstone fans? Was that a fair result? Do you believe you have what it takes to stay up?

Let us know your thoughts here.

There was a decent crowd to cheer St Johnstone on this evening, but their faces grew more worried as the night went on.

There was not going to be a better chance than May’s in the first half and when he dribbled his effort at Laidlaw, it seemed apparent that the Saints wouldn’t trouble the County goal.

But Sidibeh has been one of the league's feel-good stories. Plucked from the seventh tier of English football, from a team that even Football Manager completists wouldn't have heard of, he might have just pulled off the ultimate rescue.

Only time will tell.

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Dimitar Mitov. Four saves, plenty of them important. St Johnstone would be down scrapping with Livingston if it wasn't for the Bulgarian between the sticks.

He will be vital on Sunday, and potentially in the play-offs.

Former St Johnstone midfielder calls the Perth side's relegation battle with Ross County an "all or nothing" encounter.

• Listen to full episodes of BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

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Liam Gordon insists St Johnstone have the qualities required to fight off relegation, as they prepare for Wednesday's crucial clash with Ross County.

St Johnstone sit 11th in the Premiership, two points behind County with two games of the regular league season remaining, and Gordon believes they can leapfrog the Dingwall side.

"Absolutely no questions about that," he said. "A lot of us have been in similar situations, whether that is at this club or other clubs; we have got enough experience in the room to get us over the line.

"It is all the basic fundamentals that is what it will probably come down to. We need a little bit of quality in the final third. That is when the ability comes into it, but certainly it will be a lot to do with the mind .

"Doing all the basics, the fight, the grit, the determination, I am sure that is what is going to help us and hopefully get the job done for us."

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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.

Liam Gordon says St Johnstone were not trying to replicate Celtic's huddle at Livingston but has pledged that the same unity from pitch to stands will be on evidence at McDiarmid Park for the must-win game with Ross County. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

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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.

St Johnstone boss Craig Levein hopes for a similar performance but better result than last Saturday's defeat by Livingston when his side side host Ross County in a crucial relegation clash on Wednesday night.

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein insists he has no concerns about his position as he attempts to steer the club to safety.

The former Scotland boss was appointed on a two-and-a-half-year deal in November when the Perth side were propping up the table.

Saints are currently second bottom and will be consigned to finishing in the relegation play-off spot if they lose at home to fellow strugglers Ross County on Wednesday night.

There has been criticism from some quarters amid a disappointing run of results that has seen Levein's side win just two of their last 13 league games.

"No, no I don’t [have concerns about his position], in fact I haven’t even thought about it," said Levein.

"Would we have liked to have been out of this position by now? Yes, of course. But we are where we are and we have two games left.

"This one, because it is against our nearest rivals, is hugely important and our intention is to try and get all three points.

"We have been at the bottom end of the table for most of the season and handled it reasonably well."

Despite the weekend defeat at already-relegated Livingston, Levein was encouraged by the performance heading into the crucial midweek showdown with a County side whose only away win this season came in September.

"It is the best we have played this season, certainly since I have been here," he added.

"I am hopeful that is a good sign of the performance that we put on against Ross County."

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein has been speaking to the media before his side host Ross County in a crucial Premiership match on Wednesday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• He said the game is big for both clubs, and insists St Johnstone are "capable" of getting out of the play-off spot "without anybody else's help".

• Says the pressure of the current situation is nothing new - “we have been sitting in this position forever, it is the same."

• Wants his side to deliver a "similar type of performance" to the one they produced at Almondvale, despite that particular result.

• Says be "doesn't understand" Nick Montgomery's sacking at Hibs given he was only given one transfer window.

• He added the shortening lifespan of managers in jobs is getting more "ridiculous".

• Levein insists he doesn't have any concerns about his own position, saying he hasn't thought about it.

• Team news: Levein expects a similar line-up to the team that lost at Livingston. "If there are changes it will be one or two maximum".