St Johnstone vs Celtic Prediction: Celtic expected to take control from first half

On Sunday, Celtic, the current leaders of the Scottish Premiership, will face St Johnstone, a team positioned at the opposite end of the league. St Johnstone, currently residing in the relegation zone, are just one point away from the bottom of the table, intensifying the significance of this match.

St Johnstone has faced a challenging campaign, managing only two wins in their first 13 matches so far. This places them in the 11th position, and with just a one-point advantage over Livingston, they have minimal margin for error heading into the upcoming weekend.

Under the management of Craig Levein, the team initially experienced a positive impact with a draw and a victory. However, their undefeated streak came to an abrupt end last weekend when they were unable to find the back of the net against Hearts, resulting in a 1-0 defeat. The team's ongoing struggles in scoring goals have been a persistent issue, with only eight goals scored throughout the season, marking the weakest attacking record in the division.

Despite facing a solid defensive structure, the Hoops remain committed to their offensive style of play, maintaining their position as the highest-scoring team. This combination is poised to pose challenges for St Johnstone.

While Celtic is unbeaten in the league, they enter the upcoming weekend on the heels of a midweek defeat in the UEFA Champions League, a 2-0 loss to Lazio. Brendan Rodgers now faces the task of instigating an immediate response, considering his team's unfamiliarity with losing this season. Although Celtic has established a comfortable eight-point lead at the top of the table over Rangers, the focus this weekend is on preserving or expanding that gap, especially given that Rangers have played one less game.

St Johnstone has shown improvement in their recent performances this season, but facing Celtic in this fixture poses a formidable challenge for them. Celtic is determined to bounce back to winning ways swiftly, and their overall quality is expected to be a decisive factor in this matchup.