St Mirren

Philippe Clement makes four changes to the team that started Thursday night's 4-0 win over FCSB.

James Tavernier drops to the bench while John Souttar drops out of the squad completely. Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Robin Propper are in from the start.

In midfield, Mohamed Diomande replaces Tom Lawrence and up front Cyriel Dessers is benched in favour of Hamza Igamane.

Stephen Robinson makes four changes to the side that started the 4-0 defeat to Hearts last weekend.

Oisin Smyth drops to the bench while Kevin Van Veen misses out completely.

James Scott and Elvis Bwomono are in for only their second starts of the season.

Forward Conor McMenamin is back on the bench after recovering from a knee injury, as is midfielder Dennis Adeniran after missing out last week with an illness.

• Follow live coverage of Sunday's SPFL action.

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• Rangers have won 22 of their last 24 league meetings with St Mirren (D2), including each of their last six in a row. Their last league defeat to the Buddies came in December 2011 (2-1).

• In all competitions, St Mirren have lost 22 of their last 24 away games at Rangers (D2) since a 1-0 victory in November 1991 under David Hay. They have lost their last 13 such trips in a row, failing to score in 10 of their last 11.

• Rangers have won 17 of their last 19 home league games (D1 L1), including each of their last six in a row. Indeed, of their 16 points in the Scottish Premiership this season, 12 have come at Ibrox (75%).

• St Mirren have lost each of their last three league games, last losing four in a row in April 2022.

• Although only Celtic (20.1) have a higher expected goals total in the Scottish Premiership this season than Rangers (13.8), Philippe Clement's side have underperformed their xG the most of any side in the division this term (-1.8, scoring 12 goals from 13.8 xG).

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Rangers attackers Tom Lawrence (knee) and Cyriel Dessers (eye) will be assessed after picking up injuries in midweek.

Ianis Hagi serves the second of a two-game ban while Oscar Cortes and Rabbi Matondo remain out.

Conor McMenamin is back in contention for St Mirren after recovering from a knee injury. Dennis Adeniran is struggling with illness.

Richard Taylor remains out after hernia surgery and Alex Iacovitti (tendon) is out long term.

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Stephen Robinson insists St Mirren have ‘reset’ after their 4-0 defeat to Hearts as they prepare to face Rangers on Sunday.

The heavy defeat leaves the Paisley side with just one win in 11 games as they prepare to take on a Rangers fired up by their Europa League victory in midweek.

But Robinson – who signed a new contract extending his stay at the club to 2027 this week – believes his side are ready to put their recent form behind them.

“We had a performance that we didn’t like last week as a group,” he admitted.

“We’ve spoken about it, we’ve reset and we will get a better performance. The result will take care of itself, but we will get a lot better performance.

“Big success for St Mirren is top six and Europe. And suddenly you believe that you’re maybe a good team for different reasons.

“We’ve reset that. We’re a good team when we work hard, when we’re organised, when we press people, when we win second balls, and then the good football comes through.

“So we’ve reset our thinking, reset the reasons why we’ve been good over the last three seasons, and we aim to make sure that our performance is looking like we’re a team on Sunday.”

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Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence and striker Cyriel Dessers will be assessed after picking up injuries in midweek.

Midfielder Ianis Hagi serves the second of a two-game ban, while wingers Oscar Cortes and Rabbi Matondo remain out.

Forward Conor McMenamin is back in contention for St Mirren after recovering from a knee injury, but midfielder Dennis Adeniran is struggling with illness.

Richard Taylor is still recovering after hernia surgery and Alex Iacovitti is out long term.

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Alex Gogic aims to utilise his experience to help steer St Mirren back to form.

Following the "unacceptable" 4-0 defeat at Hearts, the Buddies have one win in 11 games in all competitions and are away to Rangers on Sunday.

Cyprus international Gogic, 30, said: "Now that I am one of the older boys you have to try to guide the young players and motivate them.

"Sometimes they haven't been in this position or played at Ibrox with pressure, or have had a bad game.

"When I was younger the older boys helped me and now it is my time and responsibility to help them.

"No one was happy with the performance on Saturday. It happens, it is one of those games in football sometimes, you can learn from the mistakes and get better because it was unacceptable.

"It is never easy going to Ibrox. At the same time, it is one of the games that if you do get a result it is a big one.

"We can't be anywhere near where we were last Saturday because that will get us an even bigger scoreline."

Gogic is "buzzing" that the club have secured manager Stephen Robinson on a new contract for the next three years.

"He deserves it, I'll be here until 2027, so I'm happy we'll be together," he said.

"You can see from the past what he's done and he's a perfectionist, in a good way and he always demands the best of us and makes the players better."

We asked for your views on manager Stephen Robinson signing a new contract at St Mirren until summer 2027.

Here's what some of you said:

Huey: I'm happy Stephen has signed. The last four games notwithstanding, he's brought renewed energy and vision to St Mirren. We talk about players "giving it everything" on the park, but Stephen also does that from the sidelines! The last manager that galvanised the fans, increased attendances and made us hard to beat was a certain Alex Ferguson.

Ian: Stephen deserves it considering what he has to operate under. It's down to the players to be more professional and mentally strong.

Andy: Robinson has taken the club to a new level and has instilled a belief that we can continue to progress. I am very happy the club has recognised this by offering him a new extended contract. I am positive that he will bring continued success to the club.

Douglas: Robinson signing a contract to 2027 is great news for the club. It shows a sign of ambition and continuity keeping a manager of the calibre of Robinson. He has worked wonders in his two-and-a-half years in Paisley and obviously he sees the vision of the club going forward. A brilliant piece of business by the board.

Anon: Robinson is a super manager who worked wonders at Motherwell on a shoestring budget. He has shown his qualities at St Mirren and will move on yet again to a bigger club in future.

Jim: The manager deserves a new contract based on his last two seasons. What should now be a priority is an established playmaker in midfield and two quality strikers. Where he gets the finances is another question, but he has players in the squad who just haven't stepped up when asked. Time to offload the excess baggage.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson is relishing the challenge of "massively" heightened expectations as he aims to continue the club's "upward trajectory" in the next three years.

Robinson has committed his future in Paisley to summer 2027 after leading the club to sixth and fifth - St Mirren's highest finishes in almost four decades - in his two full seasons in charge, as well as ending their 37-year wait for European football.

"It’s been an upward trajectory at the football club, we hadn't been in the top six for a long time, 37 or 38 years, and hadn't been in Europe for a long time as well," said the 49-year-old Northern Irishman.

"So that is something people have been accustomed to and expectation has risen massively.

"I've said previously that if we can be a top-six side once in every four and five years that's real success. Obviously as a manager I want more than that and I want it every single year.

"But there are always periods where clubs like ourselves are rebuilding, there will be young boys put in to develop, and it goes around in swings and roundabouts where that success comes.

"But we have to try and and make that more often, we have to try and sustain that relative success and continue to build the football club for years to come.

"I'm only here for a short period of time in the grand scheme of things and you have to try and leave things in a really good place for the people that matter most and that's the fans."

St Mirren, having balanced domestic and European football early in the season, are currently eighth in the table after three success Premiership defeats.

"Our results haven’t been good enough if recent weeks, some of the performances have been good," Robinson added.

"Saturday was poor [4-0 defeat at Hearts]. But it's a longer-term approach, it's stability for the football club and I'm grateful for the support the board has given me because they believe in what we are doing.

"I think we have proved that over a period of time that longevity and stability will take the club forward and keep progressing."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson, whose St Mirren side visit Rangers on Sunday, has been speaking to the media after signing a new contract until summer 2027.

Here are the key lines from the press conference:

• Signing the new contract was a "very easy decision". Robinson been talking to the club for a long time about it and says it was always going to happen.

• He cites "longevity and stability" as the key to taking St Mirren forward.

• A top-six finish every four or five years is "real success" for the club but he wants it every season.

• Results haven't been good enough in the past four or six weeks.

• St Mirren have "reset our thinking" after last weekend's 4-0 defeat by Hearts.

• Robinson adds: "The marker is down now, you have to run to be in this team, you have to press to be in this team, everything else I will forgive."

• Rangers always a tough match but Robinson is focusing on St Mirren and getting a reaction from his players after the Hearts defeat.

St Mirren fans, are you pleased with manager Stephen Robinson new contract?

Having achieved back-to-back top-six finishes in the Scottish Premiership under the Northern Irishman, do you think the club can continue to improve under his guidance?

Have your say here, external.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

At this exact point last season, St Mirren had 18 points in the bag and a goal difference of +5.

A four-goal destruction of St Johnstone in their ninth fixture fuelled the fire of European fantasies and kept the Buddies level with second-placed Rangers going into November.

A year later at Tynecastle, despite European memories having since been made and treasured, it was the Saints' turn to take a four-goal pasting and face up to some tough questions.

Characteristically, Stephen Robinson opted not to mince his words post-match. Taking the responsibility on his own shoulders, he nevertheless urged his side to get back to basics, defend better and make smarter decisions.

A once resolute St Mirren back five has become a makeshift back four, hindered by both injury and off-field drama. Several seasons of a heroically dependable goalkeeping conveyor belt have met their first sustained blip. A once irrepressible counter-attacking side have lost their mojo.

Any conversation of pressing a managerial panic button should be banished to the fringes of Facebook nonsense, but tough questions are tough questions. In seasons gone by, short-term thinking might then take those questions and roll those little snowballs down the mountainside until they gather weight.

However, the noises emerging on long-term thinking are far more promising. Initial suggestions are making print that a longer-term deal for the manager is in the works. Consistency and stability have so often neglected football in Paisley, and two years of relentlessly positive development in that direction should not be ignored.

Robinson worked minor miracles with Motherwell not too long ago before third-season struggles moved him to tender his resignation. Motherwell have yet to reach those levels again in the four seasons since.

The apparent thinking in Paisley is to rally behind the man who brought consecutive top-six finishes and European travels, and make sure he's backed through stormy weather to continue that long-term march of progress.

The manager is determined to deliver on that commitment, the club are seemingly working to demonstrate that commitment too - now it's for the fans to vocally follow suit.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

St Mirren are close to finalising a new long-term contract for manager Stephen Robinson until 2027. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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William: To lose 4-0 to a team sitting bottom of the table must surely ask a lot of questions. It is very depressing that our scoring record is so poor. I can see our matches in the next few weeks being tougher than we expected. Ibrox coming up. The international break it seems didn't benefit the team. Pity I can't say anything positive.

Douglas: That was simply embarrassing from St Mirren today. Could have played all night and we wouldn't have scored. No shots on target all afternoon. Played like they were strangers throughout the side. Stephen Robinson's work starts now but I know he will turn this around.

Craig: Absolutely disgraceful performance against a very poor Hearts side. Robinson is right in one sense, Hearts didn't beat us, we beat ourselves! Too many looking for others to do something.

Anon: Totally unacceptable. No structure, no heart. Schoolboy stuff. Unfortunately it is relegation form.

Alan: Another really poor performance, to be honest we have been poor all season and need to sort it out very quickly because before we know it we could be bottom of the league. Our keeper is definitely one of our biggest issues, looks to have very little confidence and the defence look uncomfortable every cross that comes in.

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• St. Mirren failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Celtic on 13 April 2024.

• Hearts have scored in their last four games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of six games from 28 February 2024 to 13 April 2024.

• Lawrence Shankland has contributed to goals in his last three games in the Premiership (one goal, two assists).

• Shankland has assisted three goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Hearts player.

• Blair Spittal has scored two goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hearts player has more.

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "There weren't enough people who took responsibility.

Hearts didn't have to beat as we beat ourselves.

"We lose possession of the ball for the first goal. When we're in control, in good possession of it, we lose it too easily and then from there, we didn't respond to that.

"We made stupid decisions, poor decisions.

"So, poor decision-making all around and not enough people stood up to be counted and take responsibility, and that's not acceptable.

"The performance is not acceptable and it's on me, arguably one of the worst performances or the worst performance since I've been here, and it's not acceptable.

"It's been the way the last eight or nine games.

"Make no mistake that people think we should be a top-six side.

"No, we shouldn't, we haven't earned the right for that. We need to go back to basics. We're not defending well enough. We're not putting our heads and feet in where it matters to win tackles. We're not playing the ball forward when we should play it forward and taking responsibility."

Hearts recorded their first Scottish Premiership win of the season in new head coach Neil Critchley's first game in charge against beleaguered St Mirren.

Lawrence Shankland's smart edge-of-the-area flick freed Kenneth Vargas to give the hosts their first domestic lead of the season with a powerful strike.

Moments into the second half the hosts strung together a sequence of passes that shifted play back and forth across the pitch before Daniel Oyegoke curled a sensational effort into the top corner from 20 yards.

Stephen Robinson's side were condemned to their third top-flight loss in a row after 17-year-old James Wilson's late tap-in and Blair Spittal's curling effort secured a much-needed win for Hearts.

Were you at Tynecastle or following the action from elsewhere? Have your say here., external

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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A Stephen Robinson St Mirren side would usually be thought of as defensively sound and able to create a few clear-cut chances every game.

They've now lost seven of their last 10 games in all competitions and are routinely punished when falling behind early.

They have failed to win any of their last seven matches when conceding first in the Premiership, and have now conceded 3 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half, more than any other top-flight side this season.

In addition, they have conceded 9 first-half goals in 9 games, no team has conceded more in the Premiership this season.

While these stats point towards a loss in concentration defensively, their attacking players aren't bailing them out at the other end of the pitch.

They've now failed to score in three of their nine league games and perhaps most alarmingly, didn't register a shot on target at Tynecastle.

Stephen Robinson makes three changes to his starting line-up with Richard Taylor out after hernia surgery, while Caolan Boyd-Munce and Roland Idowu drop to the bench.

Fresh from signing a new deal in Paisley, Greg Kiltie starts for St Mirren this afternoon, with Oisin Smyth and Scott Tanser also in from the off.

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Heart of Midlothian: Gordon, Oyegoke, Kent, Rowles, Penrice, Baningime, Boateng, Spittal, Dhanda, Shankland, Vargas.

Substitutes: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, McKay, Devlin, Forrest, Wilson, Boyce, Forrester.

St Mirren: Balcombe, Fraser, Gogic, Dunne, Tanser, O’Hara, Kiltie, Smyth, Phillips, Olusanya, Van Veen.

Substitutes: Urminsky, Bwomono, Brown, Boyd-Munce, Adeniran, Idowu, Mooney, Scott, Mandron.

Follow live coverage here.

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Hearts remain without Gerald Taylor, Yutaro Oda and Calem Nieuwenhof while Lawrence Shankland, Stephen Kingsley and Daniel Oyegoke are all trying to shake off minor injuries. Jorge Grant is suspended.

Scott Tanser returns from suspension for St Mirren but Charles Dunne and Greg Kiltie are doubts and Richard Taylor is out after hernia surgery. Alex Iacovitti (tendon) is out long term while Conor McMenamin (knee) is working his way back.

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Greg Kiltie has signed a contract extension with St Mirren, keeping him at the Paisley club until 2027.

The forward joined the Buddies in 2021 and has made 114 appearances, scoring 11 goals.

Speaking to club media, Kiltie said: "I'm delighted to get the deal done.

"I had been thinking about it since the beginning of last year with this being my last year of the current contract.

"I've loved my time so far and when I came to the club there was a lot of ambition about getting into the top six and in the last two years we've finished sixth then fifth so there has been that progression.

"Hopefully being back fit now I can contribute as much as I did last year."

Manager Stephen Robinson added: "We're delighted to get Greg signed for another two years.

"We've missed his quality and football intelligence since he's been injured. He's a big part of what we have achieved over the last two years.

"It's very important for continuity to get players like Greg signed. He can play in numerous positions and will only continue to get better."