When it comes to St Mirren vs Celtic stats, there’s only one winner as you would expect.
The Hoops face the Buddies in their first meeting in the top league since St Mirren were relegated back in 2015. The trip to Paisley also has a few interesting sub-plots to it.
Oran Kearney is the new manager at the Simple Digital Arena (aka New St Mirren Park), and it’s his first game in charge on Friday night.
Celtic will offer him the biggest challenge he’ll have all year, and the stats strongly back that up.
Sure, St Mirren hammered Celtic 4-0 at the same venue back in 2010. They also knocked the Hoops out of the League Cup at Hampden back in 2013. That’s where the positives end for Kearney’s new side.
Other than those defeats, the Hoops are unbeaten in 19 of their last 21 meetings against the Buddies. Added to that, 18 of those have been victories. St Mirren’s 4-0 hammering of Tony Mowbray’s men was one of only two wins against the Hoops at home since 1990 – that’s 11 meetings in Paisley.
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The Grand Scheme
In the grand scheme, it looks much worse for Kearney and his men. Including fixtures at Parkhead, St Mirren have won just four matches in their last 48 clashes with the Hoops.
More pertinently perhaps, Celtic hammered St Mirren 4-1 at Celtic Park just two seasons ago. That was in a Scottish Cup clash where the Buddies showed up well and even took the lead. In the end, Brendan Rodgers’ men were just too strong.
So far this season, Celtic have scored in 11 of their 13 competitive matches since returning over the summer. Meanwhile, the Buddies have conceded in all five of their Premiership encounters. That surely isn’t about to stop against a confident Celtic side.
Down the other side, Celtic are starting to look solid once more with Dedryck Boyata back in the side. That’s coincided with three consecutive clean sheets. Meanwhile, St Mirren’s goal at Tynecastle two weeks ago was their only goal in their last four matches.
How the new manager affects the Buddies this weekend remains to be seen. Regardless, Celtic look overwhelming favourites to take a another three points back to Parkhead.