St Johnstone vs Celtic Prediction: Back Celts to sink struggling Saints on Saturday
Celtic return to Premiership action with a trip to Perth on Saturday following a lucky escape in the Scottish League Cup last weekend.
Armchair fans can follow the action live on Premier Sports 1 from 17:45 after reading the preview and St Johnstone vs Celtic predictions of Betfred’s Frank Monkhouse...
*You can check out all of our Football Odds over at betfred.com
St Johnstone host Scottish Premiership champions and current league leaders Celtic in the main attraction of a five-match programme on Saturday evening. The Saints entered the weekend stuck at the wrong end of the table following a dismal start to the season. They are winless in four and now aim to snap that run against an opponent with a 100% record in the Premiership, League Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
Celtic sit on top of the table after five Premiership games played thanks to five wins, 14 goals scored, and none conceded.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have been punch-perfect so far and brushed past Rangers in an impressive Old Firm win at Parkhead earlier this month. The Hoops now seek victory in Perth and are favourites to land all three points on the Betfred website and mobile app.
St Johnstone are toiling down in tenth place, with their stats for the season so far showing one win, one draw, and four defeats with eight goals scored and 11 conceded. Celtic top the table following a blistering start, and that’s reflected in the pre-match betting odds available at Betfred, with the visitors priced as the hot favourites. Anything can happen in this league, but it would be a huge shock if the home team landed all three points.
The Saints followed three defeats on the bounce with a hard-fought 3-3 draw with Ross County in Dingwall last weekend, and they came incredibly close to winning that game before conceding an equaliser deep into stoppage time. The home win is available at a chunky 14/1 with Betfred, or you can follow the betting and support the visitors at 2/11. If you can’t split them, the draw is 6/1.
Over 2.5 goals @ 2/5
The first of two predictions in Perth is on Saturday evening’s game to produce three or more goals. The odds suggest this bet may be best suited to your weekend accumulators, but there is enough in the price to back it as a strong single. The stats suggest it’s a good approach, and we’re happy to follow the numbers.
Backing over 2.5 goals would’ve resulted in a profit in each of the last two games involving St Johnstone and Celtic. The Hoops won 3-1 at this venue in early December of last year before repeating the scoreline at Parkhead in March. St Johnstone’s previous outing produced a total of six goals, while Celtic were also involved in a goal-fest, eventually beating a spirited Falkirk 5-2 in the League Cup.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Both score and Celtic win @ 8/5
Sticking with our prediction for goals in Perth on Saturday, we aim for greater odds by backing both teams to score in a Celtic win. That approach would’ve boosted your balance in five of the last six meetings of these teams, a run that stretches back to October 2022. Following last weekend’s results, a repeat performance is certainly possible.
If this game goes the way most expect, Celtic should return to Glasgow with another three points, strengthening their position at the top of the table. But McDiarmid Park is never an easy place to visit, and with pressure building on the home team so early in the campaign, the locals are expected to roll up their sleeves and make things difficult.
The visitors have yet to concede in the league, but they did leak three goals in their last two starts in other competitions. Let’s hope the home team gives us something to cheer.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Frank Monkhouse covers Scottish Football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his work along with that of the rest of our Football Betting Tips desk on our main Football page...
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