Scottish Premiership: Hibs-Dundee United, Lawrence Shankland & Tony Docherty in focus

Fifteen appearances into his season, last season’s Premiership top scorer, Lawrence Shankland, has just the one goal to show for his efforts so far this campaign.

The 29-year-old Scotland striker is in the last season of his current Heart of Midlothian contract and will inevitably be the subject of speculation come January.

In the meantime, can he rediscover his form of old? St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park on Saturday is his next chance to do so.

Shankland has happy memories of this fixture, having scored in six of his last seven appearances against St Johnstone, including each of the last three.

He has never scored in four in a row against the same team in the league and, facing a side Hearts have beaten six times in a row, including three in Perth, appears an ideal chance to do so.

Another goal would not only be welcome for a side seeking their first Premiership away win in 10 trips from Tynecastle but would be timely for the forward given Scotland fixtures against Croatia and Poland are on the horizon.

It is perhaps the most testing time of Shankland’s Hearts career, but with 60 goals for the club already under his belt, he has proved time and time again he can deliver.