MX23RW : Tuesday, August 10 17:06:02| >> :600:172754:172754:

Graham Alexander impressed by 'typical' St Johnstone performance in Europe

Graham Alexander impressed by 'typical' St Johnstone performance in Europe
© Reuters
Motherwell pay a visit to McDiarmid Park in the cinch Premiership on Sunday.

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander described St Johnstone's Istanbul heroics as a "typical performance" from the Perth side.

The double cup winners continued their extraordinary 2021 by holding Galatasaray to a 1-1 draw in their first leg of their Europa League clash on Thursday.

Alexander's Motherwell team were on the end of a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Fir Park when they last faced the Perth side.

So he knows they are in for a tough test when they travel to McDiarmid Park on Sunday to take on a Saints side managed by his former Scotland and Preston team-mate and close friend, Callum Davidson.

On Thursday's European tie, Alexander said: "I watched the majority of it and I think St Johnstone put in a typical St Johnstone performance.

"They are extremely hard to break down, they carried their threats at important times. It was a fantastic result for them.

"St Johnstone have proved over the last 12 months what a good team they are so we will be expecting a tough game, as we always do. We are in the Premiership, there are no easy games. But we expect to give them a tough game as well."

Alexander is happy for his players to aspire to similar European nights but he is just keen that they get their cinch Premiership campaign up and running after a narrow opening defeat against Hibernian.

"That sort of platform that St Johnstone were playing on is amazing," he said.

"Galatasaray are a massive club in European football, great history, and you are going toe to toe away from home.

"It's the whole build-up to those games, the different experiences you get from those type of games, the players that played in that will be enriched by that experience.

"But you have to earn that experience by doing a lot of good things over the course of a year to qualify.

"We have seen Scottish clubs compete really well in the early stages of Europe, certainly this week, and it's encouraging for Scottish football.

"We want to be part of that scene but you have to earn it over a course of a season. It's early days for that but the club has a history, it started in Europe this time last season.

"So it's certainly something that's achievable but it's not on our radar right now. It's winning on Sunday that's our focus."

ID:458476:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect3620:

Click here for more stories about Graham Alexander

Click here for more stories about Motherwell

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Graham Alexander, now in charge of Motherwell, pictured in September 2020
Read Next:
Graham Alexander keen to help local community as Motherwell launch ticket scheme
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

rhs 2.0
Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
United StatesUnited States394133113
ChinaChina38321888
JapanJapan27141758
Great BritainGreat Britain22212265
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee20282371
Todays Game Header Right
Champions League
Europa League
Europa Conference League
EFL Cup
Scottish Challenge Cup
Copa Sudamericana
Brasileiro
Copa Diego Maradona
Uruguayan Primera Division
Liga MX
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Hibernian22006246
2Aberdeen22004136
3Hearts22004226
4Celtic21017253
5RangersRangers21013123
6Dundee UnitedDundee Utd210112-13
7St Johnstone20201102
8Motherwell201134-11
9St Mirren201134-11
10Ross County201103-31
11Dundee201128-61
12Livingston200215-40

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!