Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

St. Johnstone v Dundee United

Saturday 30 January 2027, 15:00 · McDiarmid Park · Round 25

Forecast

St. JohnstoneDundee United
Expected goals1.331.26
Win38%34%
Expected Points1.411.31
Clean sheet28%26%

St. Johnstone 38%Draw 28%Dundee United 34%

Most likely score 1–1, 13%. Both sides score 53%.

Dundee United goalsSt. Johnstone goals0123456+0123456+8%9%6%2%9%8%3%1%7%8%5%2%3%4%2%1%1%1%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

Dundee United

  1. D1–117 OctSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.02–1.29
  2. W1–010 OctHibernian (H)xG 1.68–0.77
  3. W3–019 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 1.60–0.99
  4. D1–15 SepFalkirk (H)xG 2.66–1.27
  5. L0–32 SepMotherwell (A)xG 0.16–2.39
  6. W4–029 AugKilmarnock (A)xG 3.42–1.13

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

Season to date

St. JohnstoneDundee United
Position5th6th
Played99
Won, drawn, lost3–⁠3–⁠33–⁠3–⁠3
Points12 (1.33 per game)12 (1.33 per game)
Expected Points per game1.211.45
Goals11–⁠1111–⁠12
xG per game1.32–⁠1.521.55–⁠1.44
Home: points, xG per game1.60, 1.45–⁠1.331.25, 1.79–⁠1.23
Away: points, xG per game1.00, 1.16–⁠1.771.40, 1.36–⁠1.60
ManagerSimo Valakari (40)Jim Goodwin (97)

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, 12thDundee United1.24, 6thDefence (lower is better)St. Johnstone1.52, 10thDundee United1.43, 6th

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone attack: 1.08Dundee United attack: 1.241.241.08Dundee UnitedSt. JohnstoneDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.0AugSepOctSt. Johnstone defence: 1.52Dundee United defence: 1.431.521.43

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. JohnstoneDundee United
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play−26%average−30%+6%
Counter-attacks−50%−11%+56%−64%
Set pieces−18%+1%+53%−13%
Penalties+71%−43%−43%−43%
Headers−17%+29%−5%−36%
Left side−14%+7%−26%+9%
Centre−18%−10%−2%−4%
Right side−58%+5%+34%−28%

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 createdDundee United concededLeft side−14%−28%Centre−18%−4%Right side−58%+9%Open play−26%+6%Counter-attacks−50%−64%Set pieces−18%−13%Headers−17%−36%

Dundee United attacking

Dundee United createdSt. Johnstone concededLeft side−26%+5%Centre−2%−10%Right side+34%+7%Open play−30%averageCounter-attacks+56%−11%Set pieces+53%+1%Headers−5%+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. JohnstoneDundee United

1.32xG1.55
1.52xG against1.44
46%Possession51%
10.0Shots15.9
14.0Shots against14.9
3.6Shots on target5.6
2.2Big chances2.2
18.2Touches in the opposition box30.0
432Passes421
79%Pass accuracy79%
3.3Corners6.3
49%Field tilt46%
39.7Final-third entries39.0
10.9Box entries14.0
18.3Passes per defensive action12.2

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

Dundee United

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level251.891.30
Ahead261.741.14
Behind391.201.72

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

Dundee United

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.240.343–3
16–300.140.210–2
31–450.440.215–1
46–600.190.300–3
61–750.240.210–3
76–900.310.163–0

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)

Dundee United

GKRBCBCBLBCMCMCMRWSTLWWalton 9Rawlins 8Yoro 1Esselink 9Forbes 9Ferry 5Ciubotaru 4Camará 4Sevelj 3Yoro 2Tait 7Agyei 4Cameron 4Iqbal 3Randall 4Merghem 4Bennie 1Metsoko 4Sapsford 3Rose 2Bennie 6Randall 2Sapsford 14-3-3 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
17 October 2026St. Johnstone1–1Dundee UnitedxG 1.29–1.02
12 April 2025Dundee United1–0St. JohnstonexG 1.17–0.95
26 December 2024St. Johnstone1–2Dundee UnitedxG 0.58–1.27
24 August 2024Dundee United2–0St. JohnstonexG 0.41–1.58
6 May 2023St. Johnstone1–0Dundee UnitedxG 1.12–1.26
18 February 2023Dundee United1–2St. JohnstonexG 1.17–0.95

14 league meetings since 2020/21: St. Johnstone won 4, Dundee United won 5, and 5 were drawn. Goals 11–13 and xG 0.93–1.09 per game.

Key players

St. Johnstone

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Fowler8603610.570.05
Paton5452100.420.05
Alić7630110.070.18
Stanton7627010.090.05

Dundee United

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Randall6596230.310.33
Bennie7503110.440.09
Tait7673000.080.15
Forbes9810100.110.04

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