Managing Nicky Clark’s game-time over the last couple of months has been done with the intention of the St Johnstone striker becoming a permanent fixture in the Perth starting line-up for the Premiership run-in.
Boss Craig Levein chose to keep the club’s top scorer on the bench at Celtic Park last weekend.
But the cotton wool will come off for the clash with Dundee next Saturday.
“I think Nicky is back to the levels we need him to be,” said Levein.
“We have been really careful with his load during matches because the last chunk of games we have coming up are going to be the most important of the lot.
“I want him to be available for every one of those, playing again and again and again.
“I think he’s nearly there.
“I left him out on Saturday because it was a thankless task.”
The man who was given that lone striker “thankless task” at Parkhead was January recruit, Adama Sidibeh.
No blame was attached to the 25-year-old for the ball rarely finding its way into the opposition box that day.
“To be fair to Adama, it was a big ask for him playing against Cameron Carter-Vickers considering the level he’s come from,” said Levein.
“But I was happy with him. He gives you everything he’s got.
“He’s scoring regularly in training. We can see it in him.
“I’ve said before, he will score goals because he’s been so unlucky so far and I reckon he’s hit the target with 75% of his shots.
“He’s had keepers making saves and people making blocks. He needs to be patient and he’ll get goals.”
No bounce game for Saints this time
Levein organised a closed-doors match the last time Saints had a free weekend.
But the McDiarmid Park boss, who has a few more injury concerns this time around, won’t be doing the same next week.
“I’m not going to take a bounce game this week because we’re at the stage of the season where training sessions become shorter,” he said.
“It’s about being sharp and alert now.
“So we’ll train this week, work on some stuff and give the players a bit of rest and then get ready to go again next week.”
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