Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

St. Johnstone v Falkirk

Saturday 9 January 2027, 15:00 · McDiarmid Park · Round 23

Forecast

St. JohnstoneFalkirk
Expected goals1.331.21
Win39%33%
Expected Points1.451.28
Clean sheet30%26%

St. Johnstone 39%Draw 28%Falkirk 33%

Most likely score 1–1, 13%. Both sides score 52%.

Falkirk goalsSt. Johnstone goals0123456+0123456+9%9%6%2%8%3%7%8%5%2%3%4%2%1%1%10%13%

From the forecast as it stood on 11 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page.

Form

St. Johnstone

  1. W1–011 OctAberdeen (A)xG 1.10–1.23
  2. D1–119 SepFalkirk (H)xG 0.94–1.29
  3. L0–19 SepCeltic (H)xG 0.69–1.80
  4. W2–16 SepHibernian (H)xG 2.32–1.61
  5. D1–12 SepDundee FC (A)xG 1.08–2.07
  6. L1–229 AugHearts (A)xG 1.28–2.20

Falkirk

  1. L1–210 OctDundee FC (H)xG 1.97–1.41
  2. D1–119 SepSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.29–0.94
  3. W2–115 SepHearts (H)xG 2.14–1.79
  4. D1–15 SepDundee United (A)xG 1.27–2.66
  5. L1–22 SepRangers (H)xG 1.00–1.57
  6. L1–229 AugCeltic (A)xG 0.57–3.45

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

St. JohnstoneFalkirk
Position5th11th
Played88
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠2–⁠31–⁠3–⁠4
Points11 (1.38 per game)6 (0.75 per game)
Expected Points per game1.170.99
Goals10–⁠107–⁠11
xG per game1.33–⁠1.591.17–⁠1.83
Home: points, xG per game1.75, 1.49–⁠1.410.75, 1.42–⁠1.58
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.16–⁠1.770.75, 0.92–⁠2.08
ManagerSimo Valakari (39)John McGlynn (46)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.0League average 1.34AttackSt. Johnstone1.07, 12thFalkirk1.18, 7thDefence (lower is better)St. Johnstone1.56, 11thFalkirk1.44, 8th

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone attack: 1.07Falkirk attack: 1.181.181.07FalkirkSt. JohnstoneDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone defence: 1.56Falkirk defence: 1.441.561.44

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

St. JohnstoneFalkirk
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play−21%+11%−2%+36%
Counter-attacks−55%−18%−86%−20%
Set pieces−29%+3%−50%+40%
Penalties+80%−40%−40%−100%
Headers−18%+40%−64%−37%
Left side−6%+13%−49%+14%
Centre−20%−7%−24%+24%
Right side−63%+16%+1%+51%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

St. Johnstone attacking

St. Johnstone createdFalkirk concededLeft side−6%+51%Centre−20%+24%Right side−63%+14%Open play−21%+36%Counter-attacks−55%−20%Set pieces−29%+40%Headers−18%−37%

Falkirk attacking

Falkirk createdSt. Johnstone concededLeft side−49%+16%Centre−24%−7%Right side+1%+13%Open play−2%+11%Counter-attacks−86%−18%Set pieces−50%+3%Headers−64%+40%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

St. JohnstoneFalkirk

1.33xG1.17
1.59xG against1.83
48%Possession48%
9.9Shots11.6
14.0Shots against15.9
3.4Shots on target3.1
2.4Big chances1.5
18.4Touches in the opposition box24.1
441Passes415
80%Pass accuracy77%
3.2Corners4.5
49%Field tilt49%
39.7Final-third entries38.5
10.9Box entries9.8
18.3Passes per defensive action12.6

Per league match this season before kick-off.

Game state this season

St. Johnstone

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level461.591.52
Ahead210.831.90
Behind231.251.44

Falkirk

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level421.451.49
Ahead221.252.13
Behind260.652.12

xG by period

St. Johnstone

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.170.121–1
16–300.200.202–1
31–450.290.321–2
46–600.330.312–4
61–750.130.211–1
76–900.200.423–1

Falkirk

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.180.152–3
16–300.090.430–2
31–450.260.362–0
46–600.130.211–1
61–750.230.342–0
76–900.280.330–5

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

St. Johnstone

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTSteward 8Smith 5Todd 3Mitchell 6Finlayson 2Diabate 7Foulds 1Alić 6Foulds 2McAlear 7Stanton 1Holt 8Stanton 4Campbell 2Smith 1Paton 2Cotterill 2Gullan 2Paton 3Steven 3Gullan 2Fowler 7Gullan 14-2-3-1 in 4 of 8 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (4), 4-4-2 (2), 3-4-2-1 (1), 4-3-3 (1)

Falkirk

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTBain 8Strain 8Neilson 6Meļņiks 2Henderson 8McCann 7Tanser 1Barbrook 7McMillan 1Spencer 6Krauhaus 1Sibbald 1Ross 5Fodrey 1Doherty 1Krauhaus 6Yeats 2Eames 4Ross 2Fodrey 1Murrell 5Parkinson 2MacIver 14-2-3-1 in every start

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
19 September 2026St. Johnstone1–1FalkirkxG 0.94–1.29

1 league meeting since 2020/21: St. Johnstone won 0, Falkirk won 0, and 1 was a draw. Goals 1–1 and xG 0.94–1.29 per game.

Key players

St. Johnstone

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Fowler7557510.560.05
Alić6540100.030.16
Stanton6545010.090.05
Diabate7593100.070.02

Falkirk

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Strain8720030.070.17
Barbrook7591000.110.10
Ross7570100.110.10
Spencer6528000.070.10

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.