Ayr United (home)
- John Rankin has had a much shorter time at the Ayr bench, coming in at the end of March 2026 to try and steady the ship.
- He has done an excellent job so far, but Ayr come into this game in poor form with one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five.
- Ayr have won just one of their last three at home and have failed to beat the Saints in their last meeting at Somerset Park.
St. Johnstone (away)
- St. Johnstone have won four and tied one of their last five Championship matches.
- St. Johnstone have won ten, tied five, and lost just two of their 17 Championship away matches this season.
- St. Johnstone’s red-hot run of four straight wins was punctuated by a 2-0 shutout of Raith Rovers that kept the Saints top of the table last time out, but Ayr United will provide them with a much tougher test on Friday.
- Firstly, the visitors have won both of their last two away games without conceding a goal.
Head-to-Head
- Ayr have won just one of their last three at home and have failed to beat the Saints in their last meeting at Somerset Park.
- The last five head-to-head meetings have resulted in two wins each and one draw, although St. Johnstone’s superior quality and motivation to secure promotion should see them through.
Key Players
- Ayr United’s Jamie Murphy, who has seven goals in 23 Championship appearances this term, is a key figure in their attack and has scored two of their last four.
- Saints will again turn to Joshua McPake, who has 16 goals in 33 league matches this campaign, as their leading man up front.
Betting Insights
- Saints will be the preferred bet to take the win here at 1.72 for a number of reasons that all point to their status as rightful favorites for this match.
- Over 2.5 goals at 1.85 looks a very fair price considering these two sides have scored 17 and 29 goals in their 17 home and 17 away Championship outings, respectively, and both teams to score at 1.77 looks a solid investment given both sides have been regularly getting on the scoresheet.
- They dominated Airdrieonians 4-0 at home last month and beat Raith Rovers in a 2-0 shutout on the road.
Prediction
The last five head-to-head meetings have resulted in two wins each and one draw, although St. Johnstone’s superior quality and motivation to secure promotion should see them through.
