No concern over Saints fixtures

ST JOHNSTONE manager Tommy Wright is confident his side can confound expectations and deliver a blow to their rivals for a Europa League place during trips to Aberdeen and Celtic.

Saints have been handed the hardest possible start to their Ladbrokes Premiership post-split fixtures with consecutive away games against both William Hill Scottish Cup finalists.

Hearts and Partick Thistle will both be eyeing the possibility of cutting Saints’ lead over them when they meet a t Ty n e c a s t l e tomorrow, while Saints are at Pittodrie.

Wright, whose side are four points clear of nearest challengers Hear ts in fourth, reflected on the schedule, saying: “The way the fixtures have come out, having to play the two top teams in the country away from home in the first two games, makes it difficult.

“I’m sure Hearts and Par tick are probably looking at it and thinking that we’ll get no points out of that, but we don’t look at it like that.

“We are confident we can go to both grounds and pick up points.”

Wright knows that their Europa League hopes will be handed a major boost if they can get a result at Pittodrie, while also dealing Hearts a psychological blow.

“I have been in dressing-rooms where you come in after the game and you have won and the team closest to you have won, and it does have a wee bit of impact,” he said.

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright.