Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Scottish Premiership match.
Both clubs have already been eliminated from European competitions, failing to reach the group stage. Competing on multiple fronts weakened them at the start of the season, and now they will look to end their losing streaks in this head-to-head clash.
St. Mirren
St. Mirren have not won in their last six matches. However, it’s not entirely fair to say they’ve been playing poorly; in their last away game against Dundee United (2:2), they required 14 (6) shots and only 1.34 xG to score two goals. Looking at their home games this season, the situation is relatively positive: St. Mirren have lost only once in four matches, with their sole defeat coming from powerful Celtic. At home, they won their first-round match against mid-table Hibernian (3:0), and now they are set to face the league’s underdogs.
Kilmarnock
The fourth-placed team from last season is starting to emerge from their crisis. Their last two matches ended in draws. First, Kilmarnock played (1:1) at home against Copenhagen but were still eliminated in the final qualifying round of the Conference League. On the first of September, they secured their first point in the league with a draw against Hibernian (1:1).
Addressing whether Kilmarnock can match St. Mirren’s efficiency, we would say no. Kilmarnock needed 14 shots to score one goal against Hibernian, managing only 3 on target and using up 2.85 xG. This game was played at their home ground, Rugby Park, and now they face an away fixture. Although they secured an away victory over Tromsø IL (1:0) in the Conference League, their domestic league form has been dismal: no goals scored and six conceded in two matches.
St. Mirren vs Kilmarnock Prediction
Kilmarnock have scored just one goal in six away matches across all tournaments. St. Mirren, on the other hand, average two goals per home game this season in all official matches. Considering the effectiveness of both teams, we don’t see how Kilmarnock can win.
