Rangers vs St Johnstone Predictions

Rangers v St Johnstone predictions for this Scottish Premiership clash. Rangers will host St Johnstone at Ibrox Stadium in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, aiming to recover from a 4-1 loss to Lyon in their previous match. Read on for our free match preview and betting tips.

Scottish Premiership | Oct 6, 2024 at 8pm UK at Ibrox Stadium

Rangers vs St Johnstone Predictions

Can Rangers Dominate St Johnstone or Will New Management Spark a Surprise?

• Rangers defensive dominance: Rangers have kept six clean sheets in their last eight matches, showing remarkable consistency at the back in the Scottish Premiership.
• St Johnstone’s struggles in front of goal: The Saints have failed to score in four of their last six games and have managed just 2.9 shots on target per game this season.
• Rangers’ home advantage: The Gers have conceded just one goal in their three home league matches this season, making Ibrox a fortress for Clement’s men.

Our Tips

The atmosphere will be electric at Ibrox Stadium on Sunday evening as Rangers host St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership. While Rangers are looking to bounce back from a bruising 4-1 defeat against Lyon in the Europa League, St Johnstone find themselves in the early stages of a new era under manager Simo Valakari. The Saints, who sit 10th in the standings, will be desperate for a change in fortunes after a dire run of form.

Their season thus far has been marred by five losses in their seven outings, and their most recent 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Celtic saw Craig Levein sacked. With Rangers sitting third in the table, this fixture could be a defining one, with plenty of questions swirling around both sides. Can Rangers tighten things up at the back and get back to winning ways, or could Valakari’s fresh ideas galvanise the visitors to produce an upset?

Best Bet: Rangers to Win to Nil

Given the recent form of both teams, this tip seems as solid as they come: Rangers are set to win without conceding a goal. It’s not just that they’re the clear favourites; it’s the dire straits that St Johnstone find themselves in, which makes this prediction almost inevitable. The Saints have been woeful in attack, failing to score in four of their last six games. Combine that with Rangers’ impressive defensive stats – conceding only four goals in six league games – and you’ve got a recipe for a clean sheet win for the home side.

St Johnstone have struggled to even get shots on target in recent weeks, with a meagre 2.9 shots on goal per game, which doesn’t bode well for their hopes of troubling Rangers’ backline. On top of that, Rangers have managed four clean sheets from six Premiership matches, and have conceded only 0.7 goals per game this season. The defensive solidity at Ibrox has been a defining feature of their campaign, with the only major slip-ups coming against European competition.

Rangers’ manager, Philippe Clement, will be looking to shore up the defence after their humbling defeat against Lyon, and with players like Tavernier and Souttar in the back four, it’s hard to see St Johnstone breaking through. The Saints have averaged just 1.1 goals per game this season, and with a new manager at the helm, it’s unlikely they’ll suddenly click into gear against such a disciplined defence. Valakari, despite his enthusiasm, will need more than just a new face in the dugout to turn around a side that has scored just eight goals in seven games while shipping a worrying 17.

As our BettingTips4You.com expert Herrin Kendrick aptly puts it: “Rangers are at their best when they’re playing at home, especially defensively. Against a St Johnstone side struggling to find the net, I’d be surprised if the Gers don’t cruise to a clean sheet victory here.”

Correct Score Prediction: Rangers 3-0 St Johnstone

While a 4-1 defeat to Lyon may have dented Rangers’ confidence, they’ve shown resilience in the Premiership, especially at home. This leads us to predict a comfortable 3-0 victory for the hosts. Given that Rangers have averaged 1.7 goals per game this season, three goals seems a plausible outcome, particularly against a St Johnstone side that has conceded an alarming 2.4 goals per match.

St Johnstone’s defensive frailties are glaring – they’ve shipped 17 goals in just seven games, and under the temporary charge of Andy Kirk, they were thumped 6-0 by Celtic. A new manager may bring some fresh tactical ideas, but it’s unlikely Valakari will have had enough time to work miracles on a defence that has been this leaky. Rangers, meanwhile, have no such worries up front. With players like Dessers returning and Lawrence among the goals, they possess plenty of firepower. The fact that St Johnstone are also prone to committing fouls (12.6 per game) could lead to some dangerous free kicks, an area Rangers will be eager to exploit.

A 3-0 victory reflects both the hosts’ attacking superiority and the visitors’ defensive frailties, while also staying true to the clean-sheet prediction. It’s a scoreline that seems almost generous to St Johnstone, considering their abysmal record of late. Expect the Ibrox crowd to be in full voice, as Rangers return to winning ways with a professional performance.

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