Murray and McInnes leave St Johnstone spinning in comfortable Kilmarnock win
The manager knew what to expect from Simo Valakari and his team carried out the plan to perfection
On paper a St Johnstone side buoyed by a run of four consecutive wins and looking to move to within four points was a daunting task for Kilmarnock.
As it happened though goals from Liam Polworth, Fraser Murray and Bobby Wales secured a comfortable 3-1 victory in which the hosts rarely looked troubled.
A Saints side filled with new signings and looking to play expansive passing football were given a crash course in the Scottish Premiership as they were simply out-run, outmuscled and overwhelmed.
That’s not to say that Killie beat them with a route one approach, on the contrary the ball was on the deck far more than in the previous win over Dundee United, but there was, at times, a men against boys feel to the match.
Here’s how things unfolded at Rugby Park.
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The visitors started in a 3-4-3 shape with Drey Wright and Sam Curtis in the wing-back positions and striker Makenzie Kirk supported by Jonathan Svedberg and Victor Griffith.
McInnes sent his men out in a 4-3-3, with Corrie Ndaba taking up a midfield role.
It was something of a lopsided shape though with Murray hugging the touchline on the left and right-back Brad Lyons tasked with providing the width on the right in open play, with Joe Wright offering an aerial out ball on goal kicks.
Speaking ahead of the match, McInnes had made clear he had a good idea of how St Johnstone would look to approach the game.