Head to heads between the four relegation-threatened teams in the Premiership are shaping the basement battle.
And St Johnstone have to rise to the challenge of back-to-back away ones which could well prove to be season-defining.
“They’re crucial,” admitted Saints goalkeeper, Remi Matthews.
“Ross County have got themselves off the bottom by beating Dundee United.
“We got a good result against United ourselves that helped us massively the week before.
“And we know how big a game the Kilmarnock one will be.”
Back on plastic
There’s no resentment that the Perth side have been handed three trips to Rugby Park by the SPFL – only determination that their third will be a victorious one.
“We were either going to get Livi or Kilmarnock away,” said Matthews.
“It ended up being Kilmarnock.
“But we’re in the driving seat. We’ve got to go there and try to win the game.
“We’ll settle down after the disappointment of losing to Motherwell, reflect on it and go again.”
Matthews acknowledged that the decision to give Kevin van Veen a second go from the penalty spot was the correct one – but called for consistency.
“I’ve watched the incident and, unfortunately, it was the right decision to award a retake,” said the on-loan Crystal Palace man.
“I’m slightly off my line and by the letter of the law can be penalised for it.
“But it’s still very frustrating from a personal point of view.
“Obviously, I’d have much preferred for the save to have stood. It was a major turning point in the game.
“And I don’t think I’m the first – and definitely won’t be the last – to naturally step forward to make a penalty save.
“It’s hard enough to save a penalty as it is, but for VAR to have intervened was very frustrating.
“All I ask is that after that decision, there’s consistency across the board moving forward.”
Got into ‘good areas’
Matthews knows that Saints were below their best on Saturday.
“A draw would have been a fair result,” he said.
“We didn’t test their keeper enough considering the good areas we got into.
“Like last week, the first goal was crucial.
“Unfortunately for us, Motherwell got it this time.
“On another day, my penalty save helps us win or get a draw.”
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