SAINTS READY FOR SUNDAY ENCOUNTER AT CELTIC

It’s Sunday action for Saints this weekend with a trip to the east end of Glasgow to meet a Celtic side involved in Europa League action on Thursday evening.

With the search for the first goal and the first win of the season ongoing, it’s about as tough an assignment as Saints could have had but with a week of training under the belt since last Saturday’s defeat at home to Dunfermline there is optimism in the Perth camp that the trip to Parkhead need not be a fruitless one.

Before heading to training in Stirling this morning, manager Derek McInnes told the Saints Official Website: “We have absolutely no need to fear the game. We headed there last season and showed the discipline, organisation and intelligence needed to compete with them and came within a couple of minutes of taking something from the game.

“We have to do the same on Sunday. We showed plenty of determination against Dunfermline last week and that has to be repeated.”

Saints go into the game with changes in the line-up inevitable: Kevin Moon fractured a bone in his hand against the Pars last Saturday and despite investigating the possibility of playing on with a cast protecting the injury, medical advice has suggested this would be unwise.

The manager continued: “It’s a shame for Mooner as he has been playing well but it looks like he will miss the next three games. However, I would expect him to be available for the St Mirren game after the international break and the same applies to Chris Millar.”

This week’s preparations included a ‘bounce game’ against Queen of the South in which Jamie Adams and Francisco Sandaza scored the goals in a 2-1 win which saw players such as Alan Maybury, Sean Higgins, Steven Anderson and Cillian Sheridan all feature.

Callum Davidson trained on Wednesday and if he comes through a session today he should feature against Celtic.

Tickets are required for Sunday’s game (3pm kick off) and are available from the McDiarmid Park Ticket Office until 5pm today. For anyone who makes a late decision to head to the game, tickets will be available from the reception at the stadium between 11.15am and 12.15pm on Sunday.

SUNDAY’S GAME:

KICK OFF 3pm

ADMISSION Tickets are required to gain entry to Celtic Park and these are available until 5pm on Friday from the McDiarmid Park Ticket Office and from the main reception at the stadium between 11.15am and 12.15pm on Sunday.

REFEREE Brian Winter

CAN'T GET TO THE GAME? Live commentary of the game is available in the UK on the BBC Radio Scotland website.

The St Johnstone Official Website will be updated throughout the game.

Highlights will be shown on BBC Sportscene on Sunday evening in Scotland

THIS WEEKEND'S SPL GAMES:

Saturday Aberdeen v Inverness CT Dundee Utd v Dunfermline Hibernian v St Mirren

Sunday Motherwell v Rangers Celtic v St Johnstone Kilmarnock v Hearts

PHOTO: Francisco Sandaza could feature against Celtic on Sunday