Quick feet from Tom Rogic on the edge of the penalty area but the Celtic midfielder drags his shot well wide of the mark.

Now Liam Scales pings in a dangerous ball from the left flank but, again, the home side go unpunished.

Kyogo latches on to a long ball from James McCarthy and the Celtic striker hooks a first-time cross into the penalty area, but Liel Abada can't get on the end of it.

And away we go at a chilly McDiarmid Park.

Pat Bonner
Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou tells BBC Sportsound: "We've had a challenging couple of days but it's been a challenging year so far. The players selected are the ones fit.

"Kyogo was really keen to play today knowing there's a break coming up. He's ready to go.

"When an opportunity comes along, the best things players can do is be ready for it. I'm sure the lads who get a chance today will do well.

"St Johnstone will up up for the fight, like ourselves it's an important game. We had a cracking game against them in the cup, really tight, and I expect the same."

Image source, sns

The pitch at McDiarmid Park is looking a bit threadbare. A few weeks' rest may do it some good.

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson tells BBC Sportsound: "We had a meeting and highlighted a few issues we had. We looked at certain things that we can do better as a group. Hopefully, we can put that plan in place today.

"For a team like St Johnstone to lose four, five, six starters, it's difficult.

"It's a tough period. Toughest I've been through. Stick to my beliefs, what I believe in and I definitely know it's going to turn.

"Kyogo has been phenomenal for Celtic this season, especially in the box. It's really important we keep them out of our box as much as possible. No matter who we were going to play, it was going to be a strong Celtic team."

Image source, SNS

Celtic have won each of their last nine league matches on Boxing Day, a run stretching back to 2007, including St Johnstone's last home league match on this day in 2013, when a Virgil van Dijk goal separated the sides.

500 represents a decent turn out for many clubs in League 1 and League 2 and then, of course, there are lots of other smaller teams up and down the country.

Are you a Premiership fan thinking about popping along to cheer on another local side today?

The lower divisions in the SPFL are ploughing on through this period of capped capacities.

And there's an early start in League 2 as well, with leaders Kelty Hearts visiting third-placed Annan Athletic. The Fifers are the only unbeaten league side across the four leagues.

Annan have won four games on the trot, so this looks like a tough test for Kevin Thomson's side.

Image source, BBC Sport

These two have met twice already this season, with Celtic winning 2-0 at home in the Premiership and 1-0, also in Glasgow, on their way to lifting the League Cup.

The injured Georgios Giakoumakis scored his only Celtic goal in that October league success.

Image source, SNS

Nigerian winger Viv Solomon-Otabor makes his second St Johnstone start after arriving on a short-term deal last month.

Attacking midfielder Ali Crawford is also promoted from the bench, swapping places with Michael O'Halloran, while Murray Davidson drops out from the midweek loss to Ross County.

Striker Chris Kane is among the subs after a spell in self-isolation as a close contact with a Covid case.

Image source, SNS

Celtic have won on their last 10 visits to McDiarmid Park since a 2-1 defeat in May 2016.

Bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone have lost seven games in a row, are eight without a win and are minus a home win in six outings, losing their latest three.

Celtic remain unbeaten in eight outings, but their run of seven straight victories was ended by the midweek goalless draw away to St Mirren.

Greek goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas comes in from the wilderness for a depleted Celtic side missing a host of regulars, but Kyogo returns up front.

Barkas' only appearance this season was Ange Postecoglou's first match in charge - the 1-1 Champions League draw with Midtjylland in July - and he replaces Scott Bain following the goalless draw at St Mirren.

Captain Callum McGregor is also missing, as is right-back Anthony Ralston and winger Mikey Johnston while young striker Owen Moffat makes the bench.

James McCarthy comes in for just his fourth league start and Carl Starfelt and Josip Juranovic return to the defence.

With first-choice keeper Joe Hart another absentee, Celtic B goalie Ryan Mullen is on an inexperienced Celtic bench.

Image source, SNS

St Johnstone: Parish, Brown, Dendoncker, Gordon, McCart, Booth, Bryson, Crawford, Butterfield, May, Solomon-Otabor.

Substitutes: Sinclair, Devine, Muller, Craig, Middleton, Kane, O'Halloran.

Celtic: Barkas, Welsh, Starfelt, Carter-Vickers, Juranovic, Bitton, McCarthy, Scales, Rogic, Abada, Kyogo.

Substitutes: Mullen, Soro, Bolingoli, Dawson, Montgomery, Dawson, Moffat, Doak.

Lots of clubs are struggling with Covid issues, but there are just three games off.

Two in the Scottish Championship; Inverness CT v Partick Thistle and Morton v Queen of the South.

And one in League 1; Queen's Park v Dumbarton.

Dundee go to Pittodrie with a squad of 14 players, which includes 3 goalkeepers.

The Dens Park club submitted a plea to have the game called off, which was turned down.

Boxing Day is usually one of the highlights of the season, with bumper crowds out to see their teams but, alas, for the second year running, stadiums in the top flight will be largely empty, with crowds capped at a mere 500 for the next three weeks.

The Scottish Premiership will go into a winter break slightly earlier than planned after today, so what have we got in store before the hiatus?

St Johnstone and Celtic get the action started with a lunchtime kick-off in Perth, with all of the others following at 15:00 GMT.

Image source, BBC Sport