St Johnstone have injury issues ahead of season opener

St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has several unnamed injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership opener at home to Hibernian and anticipates being without as many as nine players in total.

This number includes long-term injury victims David Wotherspoon (knee), Chris Kane (knee), Callum Booth (Achilles) and Tony Gallacher (leg), although Davidson expects the quartet to “drip-feed” their way back into contention in the early months of the season.

New goalkeeper Remi Matthews and centre-back Alex Mitchell could make their debuts after joining on loan during the week.

Hibs attacker Aiden McGeady is set to be sidelined for at least six weeks with a recurrence of the medial ligament injury that plagued him at Sunderland last term.

Lewis Stevenson (knock) and Chris Cadden (thigh) are also expected to miss the trip to Perth along with long-term injury victims Kevin Nisbet and Kyle Magennis, who are still recovering from their respective knee issues.

Jake Doyle-Hayes returns to contention after a heel problem, while Demetri Mitchell and Paul Hanlon are both injury-free following lengthy lay-offs but still short of match fitness and may not feature this weekend. Croatian left-back Marijan Cabraja and French attacker Elie Youan are both in contention to make their debuts after receiving their work permits.

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