Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

St. Johnstone v Falkirk

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

Forecast

St. JohnstoneFalkirk
Expected goals1.341.19
Win40%32%
Expected Points1.471.25
Clean sheet30%26%

St. Johnstone 40%Draw 28%Falkirk 32%

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

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

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

St. Johnstone

  1. D1–117 OctDundee United (H)xG 1.29–1.02
  2. W1–011 OctAberdeen (A)xG 1.10–1.23
  3. D1–119 SepFalkirk (H)xG 0.94–1.29
  4. L0–19 SepCeltic (H)xG 0.69–1.80
  5. W2–16 SepHibernian (H)xG 2.32–1.61
  6. D1–12 SepDundee FC (A)xG 1.08–2.07

Falkirk

  1. W2–117 OctHibernian (A)xG 0.74–1.35
  2. L1–210 OctDundee FC (H)xG 1.97–1.41
  3. D1–119 SepSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.29–0.94
  4. W2–115 SepHearts (H)xG 2.14–1.79
  5. D1–15 SepDundee United (A)xG 1.27–2.66
  6. L1–22 SepRangers (H)xG 1.00–1.57

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

Season to date

St. JohnstoneFalkirk
Position5th9th
Played99
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠3–⁠32–⁠3–⁠4
Points12 (1.33 per game)9 (1.00 per game)
Expected Points per game1.210.98
Goals11–⁠119–⁠12
xG per game1.32–⁠1.521.12–⁠1.78
Home: points, xG per game1.60, 1.45–⁠1.330.75, 1.42–⁠1.58
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.16–⁠1.771.20, 0.88–⁠1.93
ManagerSimo Valakari (40)John McGlynn (47)

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

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackSt. Johnstone1.08, 12thFalkirk1.18, 7thDefence (lower is better)St. Johnstone1.52, 10thFalkirk1.44, 8th

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone attack: 1.08Falkirk attack: 1.181.181.08FalkirkSt. JohnstoneDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone defence: 1.52Falkirk defence: 1.441.521.44

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−26%average−9%+29%
Counter-attacks−50%−11%−84%−28%
Set pieces−18%+1%−53%+32%
Penalties+71%−43%−43%−100%
Headers−17%+29%−61%−44%
Left side−14%+7%−48%+11%
Centre−18%−10%−34%+15%
Right side−58%+5%average+43%

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−14%+43%Centre−18%+15%Right side−58%+11%Open play−26%+29%Counter-attacks−50%−28%Set pieces−18%+32%Headers−17%−44%

Falkirk attacking

Falkirk createdSt. Johnstone concededLeft side−48%+5%Centre−34%−10%Right sideaverage+7%Open play−9%averageCounter-attacks−84%−11%Set pieces−53%+1%Headers−61%+29%

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

1.32xG1.12
1.52xG against1.78
46%Possession46%
10.0Shots11.4
14.0Shots against16.0
3.6Shots on target3.3
2.2Big chances1.4
18.2Touches in the opposition box23.2
432Passes396
79%Pass accuracy76%
3.3Corners4.3
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. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

St. Johnstone

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level441.631.53
Ahead250.841.58
Behind211.251.44

Falkirk

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level391.431.47
Ahead281.091.92
Behind240.652.12

xG by period

St. Johnstone

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.150.141–1
16–300.250.183–1
31–450.260.291–2
46–600.330.282–4
61–750.130.201–1
76–900.200.433–2

Falkirk

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.170.153–3
16–300.080.410–2
31–450.260.363–1
46–600.110.211–1
61–750.210.312–0
76–900.290.340–5

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 9Smith 6Todd 3Mitchell 6Finlayson 3Diabate 8Foulds 1Alić 7Foulds 2McAlear 8Stanton 1Holt 9Stanton 5Campbell 2Steven 1Cotterill 3Paton 2Gullan 2Steven 4Paton 3Gullan 2Fowler 8Gullan 14-2-3-1 in 5 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (5), 4-4-2 (2), 3-4-2-1 (1), 4-3-3 (1)

Falkirk

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTBain 9Strain 9Neilson 7Meļņiks 2Henderson 9McCann 7Tanser 2Barbrook 8McMillan 1Spencer 7Krauhaus 1Sibbald 1Ross 6Fodrey 1Doherty 1Krauhaus 7Yeats 2Eames 5Ross 2Fodrey 1Murrell 6Parkinson 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
Fowler8603610.570.05
Paton5452100.420.05
Alić7630110.070.18
Stanton7627010.090.05

Falkirk

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Murrell6470400.600.03
Strain9810040.070.16
Barbrook8675000.110.09
Ross8647110.090.10

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