St. Johnstone have lost four of their last six Scottish Premiership games against Kilmarnock (W2), including both of their last two. The Saints last lost three in a row to Killie in the competition in August 2018 – the third of which was on MD1.

Kilmarnock have drawn each of the last three occasions they have faced a newly promoted side on MD1 of a top-flight season: 0-0 v Dundee in 2012-13, 1-1 v Dundee in 2014-15, and 2-2 v Livingston in 2025-26.

Since and including 2015-16, just one of 14 newly promoted sides has lost on MD1 of a Scottish Premiership campaign (W5 D8), with Livingston going down 1-3 at Celtic in 2018-19. The last promoted side to lose at home on MD1 in the competition were Hamilton Academical in 2014-15 (0-2 v Inverness Caledonian Thistle).

St. Johnstone are winless on MD1 in each of their last seven Scottish Premiership seasons (D2 L5) since beating Kilmarnock 2-1 in 2017-18.

Kilmarnock have only won their opening game in two of their last 15 top-flight seasons (D5 L8), beating St. Johnstone 2-0 in 2018-19 and Rangers 1-0 in 2023-24.