St Johnstone vs Hearts
19 February 1500hrs
Football – Scotland – Premiership
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Boylesports
Odds: 6/10 odds taken 2000 GMT, Thursday 17 February
St Johnstone remain bottom of the Scottish Premiership and know they have to target each and every game for points, starting with their home match against Hearts on Saturday.
Table of Contents
St Johnstone Preview – Can Saints lift themselves off bottom spot with a home win?
St Johnstone’s draw in midweek was perhaps not the result they would have been hoping for, especially having taken the lead against Aberdeen, but it was another points earned in their battle to avoid the drop. The draw took them to within a point of Dundee who sit directly above them in what looks like increasingly being a straight battle between the two Tayside clubs to see who is relegated and who finishes in the playoff spot.
Callum Davidson was again frustrated with the referee in the 1-1 draw at Pittodrie as St Johnstone were on the end of a very soft and debatable penalty decision. That cancelled out Callum Hendry’s opener. Amazingly, Hendry – who spent the first part of the season on loan with Kilmarnock – is now Saints’ top scorer in the league with three goals. He’s played only five matches.
Davidon’s men have now only lost only one of their last five in the league. While that may not sound all that impressive – especially as it’s only one win in that time – it is a big improvement on what came before. St Johnstone had lost 10 straight games in all competitions.
Another noticeable improvement in recent weeks is their defensive record. St Johnstone have never been free-scoring but they were normally sound at the back. That hasn’t been the case for much of the season but they have kept two clean sheets in their last five.
Hearts Preview – Will third place Hearts take another step towards securing European football for next season?
Hearts are very much on course for a third place finish and qualification to European football for next season. That is the best that the teams outside of Celtic and Rangers can hope for in Scotland and a particular achievement for a team who won promotion from the Championship last season. However, there are still some frustrations around the Tynecastle club.
Robbie Neilson’s men are just hitting a bit of a rocky patch in their season. Hearts have won just one of their last six game in all competitions but remain in the Scottish Cup following a dramatic penalty shootout win over Livingston last weekend.
Don’t miss out on other Betting Tips & Predictions 
Click here for more Betting Tips
Hearts have a 10 point cushion over fourth place Dundee United heading into this weekend’s games. With 12 games remaining it is a significant gap but they will be taken nothing for granted travelling to face the bottom club, especially as they came undone at home to Dundee 10 days ago.
Neilson’s men have not been great on the road, either. It is now only two wins in their last 10 away games in the league – they’ve lost four in that run of games.
St Johnstone vs Hearts Betting Advice
The bottom club probably normally be targeting points against the team in third place but their situation is such that they will be looking for something here, especially at home. Their cause is helped by the fact that Hearts rarely win on their travels and they win even less often on their trips to Perth. The visitors have not won a league game here in nearly 12 years.
It was 1-1 when the teams clashed here earlier in the season.
Key Facts – St Johnstone vs Hearts Betting Tip
- There are signs of improvement in Perth with St Johnstone losing just one of their last five
- Hearts have won only two of their last 10 away matches in the Scottish Premiership
- You have to go all the way back to 2010 for the last time Hearts won here in the league
I don’t expect this to be a vintage match by any means. St Johnstone are back to basics now by making life hard for their opponents and Hearts have scored just two goals in their last six away games. Saints are the lowest scorers in the division so take under 2.5 goals in this one.
Best Betting Odds for St Johnstone vs Hearts
