St Johnstone’s unbeaten run may be gone but they haven’t been shifted from fifth in the Premiership.
Saturday’s defeat to Celtic will be an easy game to move on from.
A three-goal defeat at Parkhead, when the champions hit close to top form, is par for the course.
The last half-hour went well, key Perth players got important game-time and it didn’t look as if any injuries were sustained.
Courier Sport picks out three talking points as the focus shifts to more winnable games to come.
9⃣ Celtic restored their nine-point lead with a dominant display against St Johnstone.
What did you make of the game? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sJJBUp6w6T
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 24, 2022
Centre-back dilemma
Four into three doesn’t go will be a theme for Callum Davidson on Wednesday night against Hearts and as long as Alex Mitchell, Liam Gordon, Ryan McGowan and Andy Considine remain fit and suspension free.
They’ve all got post-World Cup break minutes under their belts now.
You could understand why Mitchell was the man left out on Saturday given his last competitive match was at the start of November, when he was sent off.
But he played well for his half-hour at Celtic Park and can consider himself fully up to speed again.
It will be intriguing to see which central defensive trip Davidson goes with in midweek and it wouldn’t be a shock to see McGowan start where he left off against the Hoops – back in midfield.
Zander v Remi
Football’s knack of throwing up headline-grabbing sub-plots never stops.
Zander Clark making his first Hearts league start against his old club certainly falls into that category.
Seeing Remi Matthews in last season’s all-white Saints goalkeeper kit brought back memories of Clark’s heroics in those colours at Tannadice.
Matthews wasn’t actually as busy on Saturday as his predecessor had been in the 1-0 win over Dundee United.
He played very well, however. As he has done in every match for Saints this season.
With Craig Gordon the clear number one at Tynecastle, nobody was expecting to see the old Saints goalie up against the new one this season.
But there’s no getting away from the fact that it adds an extra layer of interest to Wednesday’s game.
I’d be confident that both men will produce top level performances – it’s their norm.
And I’d be even more confident that Clark will get the reception from the Saints supporters that a double-winning legend deserves.
Ending the year in third
Had it not been for last season’s brush with relegation, most Saints fans would already be concerning themselves more with the results of teams they expect to be top six, and even European qualification, rivals rather than those who are likely to be in the basement area.
With 2021/22 scars not yet completely healed, though, you sense that caution will take a bit of shifting this time around.
A victory on Wednesday night might just do the job.
🔵 "I wanted to have a little bit of a go, I wanted to try and press them higher…"
St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson says he takes some responsibility for their defeat at Celtic as he looks to some big games ahead for them. pic.twitter.com/39aOIaFBWE
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) December 24, 2022
With Aberdeen in a mini-crisis and Kilmarnock, artificial surface and all, up next, it would be no great shock if Jim Goodwin’s side fail to win in Ayrshire.
Meaning, if Saints can beat Hearts and St Mirren don’t beat Livingston by more goals, they’ll go third in the table.
Given the way in which 2022 began (losing to Hearts and staying bottom of the league) it would be an incredible way to finish the calendar year.
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