St Johnstone face a significant challenge to end their long winless run at Ibrox when they visit Rangers on Saturday 24 October. The Perth side have not won away to the Glasgow club in 12 attempts across all competitions, a streak stretching back to a 3-1 victory in December 2017.
They have lost just once in their last six league matches, a run that includes two wins and three draws. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 draw at home to Dundee United, where Josh Fowler opened the scoring in the 21st minute, assisted by Enes Alic. The team's recent form over the last four matches shows one win, two draws, and one loss, following results against Aberdeen, Falkirk, and Celtic. This leaves them 12 points behind league leaders Celtic in the title race.
Rangers have won the last nine meetings between the sides, scoring 18 goals and conceding only one. The most recent St Johnstone victory in this fixture was a 2-1 league win in November 2022. The Gers' dominance at Ibrox is a major hurdle, but they were held to a 2-2 draw by Dundee last weekend, ending a six-game winning streak in the league. Rangers' next match after this is a Europa League trip to Prague.
Djeidi Gassama has been a central figure for St Johnstone this season. The winger ranks second in the squad for both shots taken and chances created, behind only Claudio Braga and Benjamin Nygren respectively. His attacking output will be vital if the visitors are to find a breakthrough. The team's overall record shows 11 goals scored and 11 conceded this campaign, leaving them with a zero goal difference. Key midfielder Cammy MacPherson remains a long-term absentee with a knee injury.
St Johnstone will look to build on their recent resilience on the road, where they are unbeaten in their last two away trips with a win and a draw. Manager Steven MacLean stated his side must be 'brave on the ball' and 'take our chances when they come' to have any hope of a result. The match at Ibrox kicks off on 24 October against a Rangers side currently sitting 2nd in the table.
Further reading: bbc.com
