Murray Davidson expects to see Leigh Griffiths in Celtic line up
Murray Davidson suspects Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths will pose the biggest threat to St Johnstone's impressive unbeaten run.
The prolific Hoops poacher missed the Europa League sign-off with Fenerbahce on Thursday through injury, but Davidson fully expects him to get the all-clear for Sunday's lunchtime kick-off in Perth.
The Saints midfielder said: "By their standards I'm sure Celtic will be disappointed by their campaign in Europe but every time you play them you have to be 100 per cent at it or you won't get a result.
"I expect Leigh to be back. He is the league's top scorer. I know him from our days at Livingston.
"He would have been extremely disappointed to miss out against Fenerbahce but I'd be very surprised if he wasn't back for this game.
"The ability has always been there with Leigh. He is probably the most natural finisher I have played with.
"In training he loves kicking a ball into the net. He goes off with a bag of balls and hammers them into the net.
"His all-round game has improved a lot. But he is one of many players we need to keep an eye on."
But while Davidson knows hopes of extending a seven-game unbeaten run will face a serious test, he insists Saints are not short of confidence.
"Like every game, we are just focusing on ourselves. That is always the case as far as I'm concerned," he said.
"We go into every game knowing that if we play well we are capable of getting a result, no matter who we are playing.
"If we keep doing what we have been doing why shouldn't we?
"Of course we know it will be difficult. Celtic have such a big squad with many good players. But we have lost just once in 11 games and that is a good run of form by any standards.
"It is a winnable game for us. We have beaten Celtic here before.
"But we know every single player has to play to his maximum. If we are even slightly off it we won't get a result.
"Celtic have that little bit more quality than other teams in the final third so we have to be on our mettle at the back."
St Johnstone's Darnell Fisher is unable to feature against parent club but Steven Anderson is likely to return to central defence after recovering from an ankle injury and that will allow manager Tommy Wright to move Joe Shaughnessy across to right-back.
Graham Cummins, who penned a two-year contract extension in midweek, is still ruled out by a hamstring strain while midfielder Simon Lappin is still recovering from groin surgery.
Stefan Johansen surveyed Celtic's doomed Europa League campaign and concluded that the Parkhead side were simply not good enough.
A creditable 1-1 draw against Fenerbahce in Istanbul left the Hoops with just three points from six Group A fixtures, with their exit from the competition confirmed before they flew to Turkey.
Johansen, doubtful for the trip to St Johnstone after suffering an "unnecessary" kick from Diego after the break which saw the Brazilian midfielder shown a red card, was in no mood to sugar-coat the campaign - although he remains confident that Celtic can improve in Europe following more experience.
He told Press Association Sport: "We need to be honest and just say to everybody that we haven't been good enough this year.
"We have struggled. We were close to getting into the Champions League but we didn't make that.
"We had a tough Europa League group of course, we need to say that. But even if it is the Europa League and the fans expect Champions League, we wanted to go out there and give them what they earn, good European nights.
"I think we have the quality but this year we haven't shown up when the big games were there for us.
"I know the fans expect more and us players expect much more also. But this year we didn't manage it and we need to learn from it."
Johansen will be assessed while striker Carlton Cole, ineligible for the Europa League, returns to the squad.
Source: PAR
