St Johnstone boss Craig Levein loves being an underdog and is hoping to prove the rest of Scottish football wrong with a positive result at Celtic Park on Saturday.
The Perth side are currently locked in a battle to stay clear of the relegation playoff spot with Aberdeen and Ross County close behind.
Levein reckons the rivals around them in the table will be banking on St Johnstone to leave Glasgow with nothing but he has belief that his team can avoid defeat.
Craig Levein on St Johnstone visit to Celtic Park
The St Johnstone boss said in a media conference on Friday [St Johnstone]: “It is going to be a tough match for sure. Every match is tough at the moment and other teams are finding it the same.
“There is obviously interest in the title race, but our concerns are St Johnstone, and we are aiming to pick up some points in Glasgow. Most of our rivals will probably be thinking St Johnstone will struggle to get anything from the game. I would like very much to prove them wrong.
“We understand it is quite a task but we played well against them here. I am hopeful we can put on a good performance that can then lead to us having a chance of winning the game.
“Other than maybe one or two matches since I have come in as manager of St Johnstone I have been really happy with the efforts that the players have put in. I am sure we will get the same effort from the boys in this match as well.
“If we can maintain our discipline and are up for the fight with passion and aggression then I think we have a decent chance of getting something.”
No doubt Levein will be aiming to create something of a siege mentality within his squad for the trip to Glasgow. The message will be that everyone’s written them off but that a shock is achievable.
Nothing can be taken for granted from a Celtic perspective. Levein wasn’t the manager at the time but let’s not forget that St Johnstone frustrated the Bhoys in a 0-0 result back in August.
Celtic dominated possession that day, created an xG total of 2.02 with 19 shots but couldn’t find their way past man-of-the-match goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov. Another afternoon like that would be a disaster at this stage of the title race.
We need to see the Bhoys get stuck into the battle from the first to the last minute here. St Johnstone will only gain belief if the score is deadlocked and we know how pressurised an environment Celtic Park can be.
An early goal would quickly dent Levein’s confidence in a result and allow the team to play more freely. Hopefully that’s what we get to prevent a tense afternoon in Paradise.
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