Mackay: Pressure is off Saints
St Johnstone captain Dave Mackay is happy being the underdogs against Celtic after the Perth side failed to live up to their reputation in the William Hill Scottish Cup.
The holders went down 2-0 against Scottish Championship side Queen of the South last weekend and bid to bounce back against a team that have won seven games without conceding a goal in 2015.
Mackay said: "Unfortunately the cup's gone now and there is nothing we can do about it. We let ourselves down last week and you only get one shot at it in a cup competition.
"We just have to get over it as quickly as possible and hopefully bounce back with an extremely tough game against Celtic, who are flying at the minute. But it's also a good game in many ways. There will be a good crowd and it's an easy game to get up for.
"Obviously Celtic will be heavy favourites and we'll be massive underdogs with the way they are playing.
"We go into it with a lot less pressure than we did last week, which we never handled very well. So hopefully that will work to our advantage this week."
Saints have not played Celtic since the opening week of the season when Mackay was on the end of an injustice as his team fell to a 3-0 defeat.
Celtic were leading 1-0 when Derk Boerrigter won a penalty that saw Mackay sent off, and a successful appeal from himself and a two-match ban for the Dutchman did little to appease the Saints defender.
But he has put that incident out of his mind and is just focusing on league success to atone for the cup disappointment.
"To beat a team like Celtic there is no doubt you have to play well but you also need a little bit of luck," he said.
"Last game we played we lost 3-0 and it wasn't a fair reflection on the game. We were probably the better team going into the second half. We conceded a poor goal and I've been sent off and given a penalty away. The red card was rescinded but hopefully we have better luck on Saturday.
"That game is gone, you just want to perform in every game and try to do your best. It doesn't matter what has gone on in the past.
"There is no revenge or anything like that, it's just a case of us trying to put right our performance from last week.
"It hurts for a good few days and it's disappointing for the cup holders to go out at an early stage against lower-league opposition.
"But we didn't perform and the cup has gone so we just have to concentrate on trying to make the top six in the league.
"For a club like ourselves and the budget the manager has to work under and the fan base, it's hard to keep competing at the top.
"For us to hopefully achieve it four seasons in a row would be an incredible achievement."
Saints midfielder David Wotherspoon is suspended for the game but Saints boss Tommy Wright otherwise has a full squad to choose from.
Lee Croft is back from suspension and fellow midfielder Chris Millar returns from a groin injury, while striker Steven MacLean is back after missing the cup defeat because of the risks to his knees on the artificial surface.
Meanwhile, Stuart Armstrong has been a Celtic player for less than two weeks but is already within touching distance of a dream appearance at the San Siro.
The 22-year-old midfielder made a scoring debut against Partick in the 3-0 Scottish Premiership win at Firhill on Wednesday night, as did Gary Mackay-Steven who arrived with him at Parkhead from Dundee United on transfer deadline day.
The Hoops will look to cement their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership against St Johnstone before their Europa League campaign resumes.
Inter Milan will visit Celtic Park in the first-leg of their last-32 clash next Thursday night, with a trip to Italy the following week, a prospect which enthuses Armstrong.
"I can't wait," said the former Scotland Under-21 player.
"European competitions are something everyone dreams of playing in, so to have a chance to be a part of that next week is fantastic and to go over to stadiums like the San Siro...it's where everyone wants to play.
"The only stadium that maybe comes close was Dynamo Moscow, playing for Dundee United, but it was a 5-0 thrashing for us so it's not good memories there.
"Every player wants to play in big stadiums, it is something everyone looks forward to and to be part of it is great."
Leigh Griffiths and James Forrest return to the Celtic squad on Saturday. Midfielder Kris Commons remains out with a hamstring complaint.
Source: PA
