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St Johnstone boss Craig Levein reveals reason it’s not an automatic ‘same again’ team selection for Livingston game

The McDiarmid Park manager has no doubts about the task they face in securing a second victory, though.

St Johnstone manager Craig Levein.
St Johnstone manager Craig Levein feels his side were again denied clear decisions by VAR. Image: SNS.

If this was a two-game week rather than a three-game one, St Johnstone boss Craig Levein would have been given his easiest team selection since taking over at McDiarmid Park.

But, even though all the individual performances in the impressive victory over Aberdeen on Wednesday night justify a no changes approach to the next match against Livingston, the Saints manager has injury prevention to factor into his thinking.

“Nicky (Clark) has been a really difficult one,” said Levein.

“The fear of breaking down was extremely high after training a couple of times and it being sore and coming back again.

St Johnstone striker Nicky Clark.
St Johnstone striker Nicky Clark. Image: SNS.

“He’s played there on Wednesday and that’s something I have to consider.

“I don’t have everything 100% clear in my head.

“If it had been Saturday-Saturday then you’d just say ‘same again’.

“He’s passed all these little tests we had in training, which we have some control over.

“The sessions can be whatever length I want them to be. But he’s doing more in the games than he’s going to do in training.”

St Johnstone's David Keltjens.
St Johnstone’s David Keltjens has suffered niggles since arriving in January. Image: SNS.

Levein added: “David (Keltjens) has been out a long time as well.

“He’s had niggles.

“We’ve tried to manage him to a degree.

“That’s another thing in my head.”

No regression

There may be selection dilemmas for Levein but there is no room for doubt when it comes to the demands he has placed on his players for a match that gives them an opportunity to open up a 14-point gap on their opponents.

“We did some of the video stuff and it was evident that a lot of the stuff that happened in the Aberdeen game was a direct result of our aggression, willingness to run harder and fight against Aberdeen,” he reflected.

“We can talk about formations and individual players but the thing that got us the result was the collective.

“We cannot regress now and go back to a situation where I am shouting like a maniac.

“These days, none a season of that would be good!

St Johnstone manager Craig Levein wants another big performance on Saturday.
St Johnstone manager Craig Levein wants another big performance on Saturday. Image: SNS.

“Up until the St Mirren, there was no evidence of us not working hard enough.

“They’ve answered that question and, for me, the next stage is putting that to bed against Livingston.

“Davie’s teams are always ultra-competitive. Logically, we’re going to face the same again.”

Saints are still waiting for the results of Adama Sidibeh’s last scan so he won’t be in Levein’s squad.

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