St Johnstone visit Celtic Park for the first time since January 2002 when they lost 2-1. Celtic have won their previous six matches against the Saints but the Perth side picked up the odd point at Celtic Park. In May 2000 St Johnstone drew 0-0 with a Celtic team managed by Kenny Dalglish. In September 1998 St Johnstone gained their last league victory at Parkhead. Canadian Nick Dasovic scored the only goal of the match. In fact, it was his only league goal in 120 starts for the club.
There is some experience coursing through the Saints side. Their goalkeeper, Alan Main is just four matches short of 200games for the club. The itinerant striker Kenny Deuchar has scored 104 goals in 174 games for all his previous clubs and Collin Samuel scored in a 2-2 draw on his last visit to Celtic Park with Dundee United (Boxing Day 2006). Also Portuguese midfielder Filipe Morais played in the SPL with Hibs and Inverness CT last season.
Saints' manager Derek McInnes, a Scottish Cup winner with Rangers against Celtic in 1999, has an excellent record since taking over from Owen Coyle in November 2007. In 75 matches in charge, he has won 33 and drawn 28.
Rangers travel on Sunday for the televised clash against Hearts at Tynecastle. The Jambos have yet to score a goal in competitive games this season after losing their opening day league match to Dundee United (2-0) on Monday and then losing 4-0 to Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia on Thursday night. It's possible that their Europa League qualifier will have taken a great deal out of them but as always they will be fired up to play Rangers. Rangers' record at Tynecastle is not the greatest in recent seasons. Last year only one match was played there (three between the teams were played at Ibrox) and Hearts won 2-1. Rangers' last victory at Tynecastle was a 4-0 (Darcheville 2, Novo 2) drubbing at the tail end of the 2007/08 season but earlier in the season Hearts had won 4-2. Oddly enough, Tynecastle is one ground that Kris Boyd has not scored at as a Rangers player. He has scored 5 goals (includes 2 pens.) in 11 matches against Hearts but all at Ibrox.
Last six matches at Tynecastle for Rangers: P6 W2 D1 L3
No comments:
Post a Comment