ST Johnstone vs Celtic
Celtic nudge past St Johnstone
M. Baur's second-half strike secures a slender win for the visitors.
Celtic edged a tight Premiership contest at St Johnstone thanks to M. Baur's 52nd-minute goal. The visitors managed to hold on to their narrow lead in a match that offered little else on the scoresheet. Fipster's prediction of an away win was on the money, albeit with a slightly different scoreline.
Outcome probability
The new Scottish Premiership season kicks off with an intriguing clash as ST Johnstone face Celtic. Both teams are eager to set the tone for the campaign, with Celtic looking to assert their dominance and ST Johnstone aiming to make a strong impression after their promotion.
Key facts
- 1.ST Johnstone are newly promoted and starting their Premiership campaign.
- 2.Celtic finished top of the Premiership last season with 82 points and a +32 goal difference.
- 3.Celtic have strengthened their squad with the signing of K. Høgh.
- 4.ST Johnstone have added D. Finlayson on a free transfer ahead of the season.
- 5.The predicted halftime score is 1-0 in favour of ST Johnstone.
- 6.The fulltime predicted score is 2-1 to Celtic, indicating a second-half comeback.
- 7.A total of four cards are expected in the match, suggesting a competitive encounter.
- 8.Celtic have a significant points-per-game advantage over ST Johnstone from last season.
The context
This fixture marks the first competitive outing of the season for both sides. ST Johnstone enter as the newly promoted team, stepping up to face a Celtic side that finished top of the Premiership last season with a commanding points tally. Summer transfer activity has seen Celtic bolster their squad with the arrival of K. Høgh, while parting ways with a few players, including D. Maeda and L. Palma. ST Johnstone have added D. Finlayson on a free transfer, aiming to strengthen their ranks for the challenges ahead.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — ST Johnstone
Away — Celtic
Analysis
The prediction suggests a tightly contested match with ST Johnstone taking an early lead at halftime. However, Celtic's quality and experience are expected to shine through in the second half, overturning the deficit to win 2-1. The data indicates a low overall confidence in the outcome, reflecting the competitive nature of the fixture, but the likelihood of an away win edges ahead. Both teams will be keen to start the season positively, with Celtic's attacking options and ST Johnstone's home advantage setting the stage for an engaging encounter.
Prediction
Expect Celtic to recover from a halftime setback and clinch a 2-1 victory. The match could see some disciplinary moments, with a predicted total of four cards, adding to the intensity. Celtic's ability to respond under pressure will be key, while ST Johnstone will look to hold on and frustrate their visitors as long as possible.
The verdict
As the season opener, this match promises excitement and drama. While ST Johnstone may surprise early on, Celtic's pedigree and summer reinforcements suggest they will ultimately prevail. Fans can look forward to a competitive game that sets the tone for the weeks ahead.
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Baur
Assist: Hassan
Campbell
Yellow Card
Fowler
Holt
Sørensen
McAlear
Yellow Card
Hassan
Tounekti
Campbell
Steven
Scales
Yellow Card
Høgh
Unknown
Scales
Baur
Yellow Card
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Celtic | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | +11 | 18 |
| 2 |  Heart Of Midlothian | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | +6 | 13 |
| 5 |  ST Mirren | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 10 |
| 6 |  ST Johnstone | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 8 |
| 7 |  Aberdeen | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 8 |
Match Statistics
ST Johnstone
3-4-2-1Starting XI
- 1T. StewardG
- 2E. AlıçM
- 3C. DiabateD
- 7T. StevenM
- 8J. HoltM
- 9J. FowlerF
- 19D. FinlaysonD
- 26M. ToddD
- 32J. CampbellM
- 42R. McAlearM
Substitutes
- 4M. BoyesD
- 11S. StantonM
- 14M. FouldsD
- 18K. FotheringhamF
- 20R. SinclairG
- 22D. SchmidtF
- 25M. TaitM
- 33L. SmithD
- 99R. PatonF
Celtic
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 5L. ScalesD
- 6A. TrustyD
- 9K. HøghF
- 17S. TounektiM
- 18O. SørensenM
- 22M. BaurM
- 23H. HassanM
- 26S. JohnstoneG
- 42C. McGregorM
- 47D. MurrayD
- 51Colby DonovanD
Substitutes
- 1V. SinisaloG
- 3J. LotombaD
- 8B. NygrenF
- 11C. DuránF
- 21A. Oxlade-ChamberlainM
- 29Shumaira MheukaF
- 35J. van den BergM
- 49J. ForrestM
- 63K. TierneyD
ST Johnstone
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T. Steward | G | 90 | 7.8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| E. Alıç | M | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 1/1 |
| C. Diabate | D | 90 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| R. Paton | F | 27 | 6.6 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| R. McAlear | M | 90 | 6.5 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1/2 |
| D. Schmidt | F | 16 | 6.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| D. Finlayson | D | 90 | 6.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| K. Fotheringham | F | 16 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2/2 |
| S. Stanton | M | 27 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| M. Tait | M | 3 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| J. Holt | M | 63 | 6.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 0/1 |
| T. Steven | M | 74 | 6.0 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1/1 |
| J. Fowler | F | 63 | 5.9 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — |
| J. Campbell | M | 74 | 5.9 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| M. Todd | D | 90 | 5.8 | — | — | — | — | — | 2/2 |
| L. Smith | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| R. Sinclair | G | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| M. Boyes | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| M. Foulds | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Celtic
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. Baur | M | 90 | 8.2 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| H. Hassan | M | 73 | 7.7 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2/5 |
| S. Johnstone | G | 90 | 7.4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Colby Donovan | D | 90 | 7.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1/2 |
| B. Nygren | F | 23 | 7.2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | — |
| J. Forrest | M | 17 | 7.1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1/1 |
| D. Murray | D | 90 | 7.1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Trusty | D | 90 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shumaira Mheuka | F | 4 | 6.8 | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — |
| C. McGregor | M | 90 | 6.8 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 0/2 |
| K. Tierney | D | 3 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| L. Scales | D | 87 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| C. Durán | F | 17 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1/1 |
| S. Tounekti | M | 73 | 6.6 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2/4 |
| K. Høgh | F | 86 | 6.4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1/1 |
| O. Sørensen | M | 67 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 0/2 |
| J. van den Berg | M | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| V. Sinisalo | G | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| J. Lotomba | D | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| A. Oxlade-Chamberlain | M | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Prediction Q&A
- Who did Fipster predict to win ST Johnstone vs Celtic?
- Fipster's AI model predicted Celtic to win against ST Johnstone.
- What score did Fipster predict for ST Johnstone vs Celtic?
- Fipster predicted a final score of ST Johnstone 1–2 Celtic.
- What were the win probabilities for ST Johnstone vs Celtic?
- Fipster's model gave ST Johnstone a 31% chance of winning, Celtic a 37% chance, and a 32% chance of a draw.
- How confident was Fipster in this prediction?
- Fipster's model assigned this prediction 37% confidence — a low-confidence call.