Andy Burke
BBC Scotland at McDiarmid Park

Craig Levein said on his appointment as manager that objective number one was to get St Johnstone off the foot of the Premiership table and he has the chance to do that at the first time of asking if his side can overcome Motherwell this evening.

Motherwell are looking to end a wretched run of form that has seen them take just one point from the last 21 available. Whilst sloppy defending was their undoing in the hammering by Aberdeen at Fir Park last midweek, a lack of creativity was their big issue in defeat to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday.

And for all their recent struggles, Motherwell know a win tonight will hoist them back into the top six. So both sides with plenty of motivation to pick up a victory here this evening.

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell tells BBC Sportsound: "We're certainly not going to shurk a challenge. It's important since Saturday that our minds began to wander to St Johnstone. Hopefully we can take a step in the right direction.

"Dan Phillips comes in and we know what he can do in the midfield. What comes with the new manager, the guys want to show what they can do and earn trust.

"I imagine you'll see a very motivated St Johnstone team, and my job is to make sure it's a very motivated Motherwell team."

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Ahead of his first game in charge, new St Johnstone manager Craig Levein tells BBC Sportsound: "It's been a bit of whirlwind. I think it's been four years since I've been in technical area and I'm looking forward to it.

"I hoped [a manager's job] would come but you can never guarantee it. I spent time helping out at Brechin which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a pleasant surprise when Geoff Brown called.

"It's all about the confidence of the players. It's our job to boost their confidence and the best way of doing that is winning football games.

"If I had all the players from last week available to me, I probably would have gone with the same team. It just made sense to me, so I've just made the one change with Dara Costelloe suspended, and he picked up a wee knock too."

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All roads have led to Perth for Craig Levein, on his up-and-down journey in football management.

Starting with Cowdenbeath in 1997, he ended up at Hearts - guiding them into Europe in successive seasons. There was a quick spell at Leicester City before success at Dundee United, which led him to the big one - the Scotland job.

In a 24-game reign, he failed to qualify for a single major tournament. And, of course, there was the 'no strikers' thing against the Czechs.

It would be another five years before he took another job. Tynecastle came calling again, before a tricky run at the start of the 19-20 season led to him leaving his post.

His last game as manager? A 1-0 loss to St Johnstone on 30 October, at McDiarmid Park.

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Craig Levein was at St Johnstone's win over Kilmarnock last week, and clearly liked what he saw. He only makes one enforced change as he names his first Saints side - Dara Costelloe is suspended, with Daniel Phillips replacing him.

Stuart Kettlewell changes two from the side that lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock on Saturday. Stephen O'Donnell comes in for Paul McGinn - who suffered a fractured cheekbone in that loss - while Theo Bair is replaced by Callum Slattery.

Brodie Spencer and Calum Butcher both start, despite suffering broken noses in that trip to Ayrshire. Tough as old boots, that pair.

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St Johnstone: Mitov, McGowan, Gordon, Considine, Robinson, Phillips, Sprangler, Smith, Carey, Kane, Clark.

Substitutes: Richards, Brown, Gallacher, May, MacPherson, Kucheriavyi, Jephcott, Olufunwa, Booth.

Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, Butcher, Caser, Blaney, Spencer, Spittal, Paton, Slattery, Biereth, Wilkinson.

Substitutes: Oxborough, Shaw, Gent, Mugabi, Bair, Zdravkovski, Wells, L Ross, M Ross.

Welcome one, welcome all, to McDiarmid Park - and Craig Levein's first game as St Johnstone manager.

In case you've missed it, the former Hearts and Scotland boss has taken the reins in Perth following the departure of Steven MacLean for his first role in the hot seat since 2019.

The job on his hands is simple - avoid relegation. And he could ease those worries this evening, with a two-goal win enough to take the Saints off bottom spot in the Scottish Premiership.

Motherwell, meanwhile, are enduring their worst run under Stuart Kettlewell. They've lost six of their last seven and are sliding down table quickly.

Right, now you're up to date. Let's dive in.

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