Craig Levein tells St Johnstone to focus on beating Motherwell in final game

Defeat would mean a play-off battle to stay in the Premiership.

Craig Levein tells St Johnstone to focus on beating Motherwell in final game SNS Group

Craig Levein has told his St Johnstone side to embrace the simplicity of their task against Motherwell on Sunday.

The Saints scored a dramatic last-gasp goal against relegation rivals Ross County at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night but it kept them two points behind the 10th-placed Staggies with one fixture remaining.

Levein’s side travel to Fir Park on Sunday while Ross County host Aberdeen as both sides look to avoid the play-off final against Raith Rovers.

The McDiarmid Park boss said: “Now there is two scenarios on the table and there is no point in shying away from that whatsoever.

“The main aim for us is to go and win at Motherwell.

“If that doesn’t happen then we have ourselves in a situation where we have the play-offs to get out of trouble and those are the two things that can happen.

“And when I talk to the players I talk about facts so that is the fact.

“Motherwell have had a good season. Stuart (Kettlewell) has done a good job and it will be tough but at the same time we know what we are facing and I don’t know how many times I have said it this season, I can trust this group of players to go out and do everything they can to win the game.”

Levein is pleased with the contribution of Adama Sidibeh, the Gambia-born striker who moved to Perth from English Northern Premier League side Warrington Rylands on the final day of the winter window.

Sidibeh has scored in each of the last two games to take his tally to four so far.

Levein said: “He has trained well, he puts himself in good positions in matches to get goals.

“The other part of it, it was a wonderful cross by Graham (Carey) the other night and he has done that on numerous occasions this season. So we need people to create as well as score.

“But I have been really pleased with Adama and his contribution since he arrived and he is still settling.

“It is a fairly big leap from the level he was playing at, so to do what he is doing now is pretty impressive.”

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