Scottish Premiership PREVIEW 2 Aug 2026: St Johnstone host Kilmarnock as Hibernian meet Motherwell

St Johnstone open at home to Kilmarnock. St Johnstone's League Cup group stage brought a 2-0 win at Linlithgow Rose and a 3-0 win at home to Greenock Morton, then a 1-0 defeat at Inverness Caledonian Thistle and a 1-1 draw at home with East Fife. Kilmarnock were hard to beat and hard to enjoy across their own group matches: 0-0 at home with Raith Rovers, 1-0 at Elgin City, 1-0 at home to Hamilton Academical, then 0-0 at Peterhead.

Hibernian host Motherwell later on Sunday, with both clubs having played European qualifiers on the Thursday beforehand, raising the possibility of tired legs by kick-off. Hibs had lost the first leg 2-0 away to KF Malisheva before winning the return 4-1 at home to go through, setting up a third qualifying round meeting with KF Shkendija. Motherwell came through their own tie with HB Torshavn, winning 2-0 at home on 23 July and 3-0 away on 30 July.