St Mirren are back in Paisley on Saturday for the first time in more than a month, and Craig McLeish’s side could hardly need a home crowd more.

The Saints welcome Dundee to the Marbill Coaches Stadium in the William Hill Premiership (kick-off 3pm) on the back of five straight league defeats. That run has seen them slip to eighth in the table on 10 points from nine games, after a bright start to the season that brought two wins and a draw from the opening three matches.

Last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Aberdeen showed both sides of the problem. Saints fell behind inside two minutes, dominated much of the first half and drew level through Eseosa Sule’s first league goal for the club just before the break. But a penalty, awarded after a VAR check, put the hosts back in front early in the second half and a third goal followed midway through it.

Dundee arrive in good shape. Steven Pressley’s side sit fourth on 14 points and are unbeaten in three, most recently holding Rangers to a 2-2 draw at Dens Park. Pressley has said striker Joe Westley is likely to miss out as he works his way back from an ankle injury. On the St Mirren side, striker Nikolas Agrafiotis is facing an extended spell out with a calf problem.

History offers a little encouragement for the home fans. St Mirren have lost only once in their last seven meetings with Dundee in Paisley, and Killian Phillips scored the only goal when the sides met here in September last year. Dundee, though, won both games at Dens last season.

Steven McLean is the referee, with Greg Aitken on VAR.

Saturday is also the first Foundation Day for the St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation, so there will be plenty happening around the ground before kick-off. Season tickets are valid, and other fans can buy match tickets through the club. Saints are back at home again on Wednesday evening, when Hibernian are the visitors.

If you’re heading along, keep an eye on the forecast: a yellow wind warning for Storm Boelo covers Renfrewshire from 6pm on Saturday, so allow a little extra time for the journey home.

Photo: St Mirren’s stadium on Greenhill Road, Paisley © Daniel from Glasgow, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.