St Johnstone welcome Celtic to a fixture where recent preparation could scarcely look more different. The hosts carry a Formatic weighted form score of 5.11 out of 10 across their last five outings, a steady platform built on 3 wins, 1 draw and just 1 defeat. Celtic arrive rated at 3.11 out of 10, a poor return shaped by 1 win, 3 draws and 1 loss, and a form gap of 2 points in the home side's favour provides an unusual backdrop to a meeting that has historically tilted one way.

St Johnstone have been clinical in attack during their recent run, scoring 10 goals across those five matches and finding the net in 4 of them. Clean sheets in 2 of 5 underline defensive solidity, with only 4 conceded over the stretch. The sequence includes a 3-0 home win over Morton in the League Cup, a 2-0 away victory at Linlithgow Rose in the same competition, and a 4-2 friendly success at Cove Rangers. A 1-1 draw at home to East Fife on 25 July and a narrow 0-1 reverse away to Inverness CT are the only blemishes, and the overall profile suggests a side hitting their stride at the right time.

Celtic's preparations have been less assured. They have scored in all 5 of their recent fixtures, putting 8 goals on the board, but have conceded 9 and kept 0 clean sheets. A 1-4 defeat away to Sporting CP on 14 July sits alongside three consecutive draws: 1-1 at Shelbourne, 1-1 at home to Middlesbrough, and 2-2 at home to AC Milan on 25 July. Four of those five were pre-season friendlies, carrying less competitive weight, but the trend of conceding in every outing remains a tangible concern. The sole win came back on 23 May, a 3-1 home victory over Dunfermline in the FA Cup, and offers little immediate reassurance.

The head to head record across the last 10 meetings shows Celtic with 8 wins to St Johnstone's 1, plus 1 draw, and an average of 3.7 goals per game. Over 2.5 goals landed in 8 of those 10, while both teams scored in 5. Of the five itemised fixtures, Celtic took four by emphatic margins: 5-0 at home on 20 April 2025, 6-0 at home on 28 September 2024, 4-0 at home on 29 December 2024, and 3-1 at home on 16 March 2024. St Johnstone's solitary victory came on 6 April 2025, a 1-0 home result that interrupted a sequence of heavy defeats. That pattern points to high-scoring affairs and Celtic dominance, yet it also confirms that home advantage and timing can matter.

The current form divergence is the story. St Johnstone have won 3 of their last 5, Celtic just 1. The hosts have conceded 4, the visitors 9. Celtic have not kept a clean sheet in their recent run, and St Johnstone have managed 2. Pre-season results carry lighter weight, but the underlying numbers favour the side in better rhythm. With the Formatic model yet to score this fixture closer to kick-off, the raw data suggests a tighter contest than the historical head to head implies, and the possibility of goals at both ends given both sides have scored in 5 of the last 10 meetings and Celtic's defensive fragility persists. St Johnstone's steadier preparation and home advantage make them a live proposition in a fixture where the table gap may not yet reflect competitive readiness.