Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
St Mirren welcome fellow Scottish Premiership strugglers Dundee to Paisley on Saturday for what could be a defining game in both team’s seasons. Oran Kearney’s Buddies missed a great chance to climb above Dundee in the league table in midweek, when they were beaten 1-0 away at St Johnstone. The game was marked by St Mirren’s Simeon Jackson missing a penalty in humiliating fashion, when he attempted a ‘Panenka’ penalty, which ended up rolling into the diving goalkeeper. Kearney has questioned why the player would be attempting such a daft move at this stage of the season.
Jim McIntyre’s Dundee, who sit a place and a point above bottom side St Mirren in the table, have lost their last four league games. Those games have been against Hibernian, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian and Celtic, though.
St Mirren vs Dundee Prediction: Buddies 1-0 Dee
Our prediction for this game is that the Paisley Saints will dig out a grafting performance and beat Dundee 1-0. It is unlikely to be a game where much attractive football is played. Both sides are in the mire, and it looks as though a relegation play-off is the best either side can hope for, with Hamilton Academical now six points clear of Dundee. If St Mirren want to avoid finishing bottom, they need to win this game. We suspect that they will, mainly driven on by the frustration of the midweek defeat at St Johnstone.
Our recommended tip: St Mirren, 1X2
Our featured tip for this game comes from Coral, who are offering odds of 27/20 on the 1X2 market on St Mirren winning the match. With Dundee at 11/5 on the 1X2 market, the bookies make the Buddies slight favourites for this clash, and we agree with them. These are two struggling teams, and goals are likely to be at a premium at the Simple Digital Arena this weekend. When it comes to a close game between two struggling sides, a simple 1X2 bet on the outcome looks the most sensible option to us.
Previous matches
These two sides have met on two previous occasions this season, with both of those games being in the Scottish Premiership. The first clash was at the Simple Digital Arena in Paisley on August 4. The Saints came out on top that day, winning 2-1, thanks to a brace of goals from Danny Mullen. Elton Ngwatala scored for Dee.
The second game was at Dundee’s Dens Park on November 10. This time, matters ended all square, with the sides drawing 1-1. Simeon Jackson opened the scoring for St Mirren with a penalty, before Kenny Miller equalised for Dee, with both goals coming in the first half.
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Players to watch: Simeon Jackson & Kenny Miller
If St Mirren striker Simeon Jackson is not dropped by his manager for his idiotically arrogant penalty attempt against St Johnstone, he could be the man to watch. The Canadian forward has managed to score five goals in 23 league games in 2018/19, which is not a bad record in a side which has struggled as badly as the Saints. If the Buddies are awarded a penalty it will be interesting to see if he steps up to take it.
Dundee’s veteran striker Kenny Miller has shown this season that he can still pose plenty of threat to Scottish Premiership defences, even at the age of 39. The former Scotland star has scored seven goals in 25 league games for Dee, since signing for them in August after losing his job as Livingston player-manager. Miller still knows how to find the net, and his penalty box nous could make the difference in a tight game.
