St Johnstone aim to recover from a heavy defeat when they visit Kilmarnock in the Premiership this Saturday. The match at Rugby Park kicks off at 3pm on 31 October, with the Perth side looking to build on a win and a draw from their last three league outings. Their recent form shows they have taken four points from the last nine available, following a 1-0 win at Aberdeen and a 1-1 home draw with Dundee United before the 4-0 loss to Rangers. The team's overall record this season is three wins and three draws from ten games, leaving them eighth in the Premiership with 12 points and a goal difference of minus four, having scored 11 and conceded 15.

St Johnstone's most recent result was a 4-0 loss away to Rangers last Saturday, 24 October. Kevin Kelsy scored twice for the hosts, with Ryan Naderi and Tochi Chukwuani also on target in a game that leaves St Johnstone eighth in the table. They have taken 12 points from their opening ten games. The team's goal difference highlights an area for improvement as they seek a positive result to move up the standings. Their recent run of four matches includes one win, two draws and a loss, specifically a loss to Rangers, a draw with Dundee United, a win at Aberdeen, and a draw with Falkirk.

The last head-to-head meeting was a dramatic 4-3 victory for St Johnstone at home on the opening day of the season, 2 August. That result gives the Perth camp confidence ahead of the trip to Ayrshire.

The starting line-up from the Rangers defeat is likely to provide a template for the weekend. That side lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with T. Steward in goal behind a back three of L. Smith, D. Finlayson and C. Diabate. The midfield and attack featured T. Steven, R. McAlear, J. Cotterill, E. Alıç, J. Gullan, J. Campbell and striker J. Fowler, who scored in the 1-1 draw with Dundee United on 17 October.

Kilmarnock, who drew 1-1 with Falkirk last weekend, are expected to field a similar side to the one that started that game in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Their team included C. Ferrie, J. Brandon, C. McCarthy, G. Stanger, M. Schjønning-Larsen, A. Tshibola, T. Lowery, E. Ring, T. John-Jules, G. Kiltie and J. Hugill.

The team's pattern of conceding goals in clusters during matches has been a specific focus in training this week. The side's next opportunity to improve comes quickly, as they host Motherwell on Wednesday 28 October.