Celtic stunned as St Johnstone force champions to postpone Parkhead party (2025)

The Hoops now need a favour from Aberdeen next weekend if they want to seal the title before the split

It was one of the shocks of the Premiership season in Perth as Daniels Balodis' header gave St Johnstone a stunning win over the champions elect.

Celtic came into this one knowing that a victory would tee them up for a title party next weekend at home to Kilmarnock but Saints clearly hadn't read that script.

The basement side went at it from the off and were deserved early leaders when the impressive Graham Carey picked out Daniels Balodis with an inswinging free-kick down the right. The Latvian defender rose highest and bulleted a header past Viljami Sinisalo to open the scoring.

Sinisalo had to be on his toes to deny Stephen Duke-McKenna, but at the other end it was Andy Fisher doing the most of the work. He was forced into five first-half saves as Celtic turned the screw.

Brendan Rodgers was visibly unhappy at the break and he rung in the half-time changes, hooking the ineffective Nicolas Kuhn (more on that shortly) along with Jeff Schlupp for Yang and Greg Taylor.

They started the second half with intent and Fisher's right-hand post denied Reo Hatate's thunderous strike after a quick corner caught Saints napping.

Fisher was pulling off one of the best individual performances you're likely to see this season and he denied James Forrest from point-blank range as Saints clung on.

The keeper was in no mood to be beaten and, in the end, he wasn't. St Johnstone stunned the Scottish football world, and here are our three talking points.

The Kuhn-undrum rumbles on

What has happened to Nicolas Kuhn?

There was a point in time where he looked the firm favourite to be named player of the season, but after blasting nine Premiership goals before the winter break, he's scored just once in the league since.

Daizen Maeda has raced away from him as Celtic's primary danger man, and whether it's burnout, or just a natural drop-off in form, the sight of him being replaced at half-time perhaps signals that Rodgers has seen enough of the German for now.

This wasn't a day where there were many pass-marks in a Celtic shirt so singling out Kuhn may seem unfair. Jota down the left wasn't a whole lot better and even the usually imperious Maeda was hooked for Adam Idah into the second half.

But there was a noted improvement down the right when the energetic and enthusiastic Yang was introduced and that gives Rodgers something to consider as he looks to get the title over the line in the coming weeks.

Contrasting fortunes

It might have been a battle between a side virtually assured to go down and the champions elect. But the 52 points between the teams at the start of play wasn't reflected in the football.

Saints were up for this and there were warning signs even before Carey's set-piece cross was crashed into the back of the net by Daniels Balodis.

The Saintees were exuding the confidence of a team with the shackles off to an extent, Fisher's nonchalant Cruyff turn under pressure from Daizen Maeda just about summing up what was largely a swaggering performance.

They know that, barring a minor miracle, they're heading down to the Championship. Even a win over the champions leaves them five points adrift of Dundee, and it's difficult to see them overthrowing that in the remaining six games.

But there's an energy and verve about this Saints team that might just bode well for the years ahead, even if they've left themselves too much to do in the relegation fight. That may be why they seem intent on standing by Simo Valakari whatever happens.

It was the first time Celtic had lost to the team bottom of the table since they went down at home to Dunfermline Athletic - 20 years ago!

Champagne goes back on ice

Celtic came into this knowing that a victory would give them the platform to gift-wrap the title against Kilmarnock next weekend, and be crowned champions officially before the split.

It sounded a relatively straightforward task for the undisputed best team in the country. But football isn't that simple.

They can still win the title next weekend, but rather than holding it firmly within their own hands, they'll need to do their bit on Saturday and wait for favour from Aberdeen, who host Rangers at Pittodrie 24 hours later.

The mini-slump Celtic have found themselves in, dropping points in three of their last six league games, won't matter a bit when they go up to lift the trophy on May 17.

But after their latest stumble, they'll want to reassert their dominance and get it tied up as quickly as possible.