While Mcinnes insists that he did not like the break when he “looked at with envy” because other pages were involved in the Scottish Cup measures, it has given some of his injured players – Matty Kennedy, Innees Cameron and Robby McCrorie – to come Back to training, which is “a real boost”.

The manager said that Kilmarnock “was not good” despite their “big” 1-0 victory against Dundee United last time, even though he felt “effort, organization and motivation in the team was high”.

Mcinnes said St. Johnstone has “engaged in a style” under manager Simo Valakari and he likes to see teams “know what they are”. He believes that the Perth side has recruited well, has good attacking players and as well as not delivered many goals in recent weeks, still poses a threat.

The manager believes “there are enough winnings in us to get into the six best”, but be reluctant to say the word “needs” when it comes to searching for three points this weekend “, because it always feels a little desperate”.

Mcinnes is convinced that his side “will be stronger between now and the end of the season” when players return from injury that would “make it feel that we had a good window”, despite a fairly transfer month in January. And he explained that they have “tried for months to get a solution” to a Bobby Wales contract because Kilmarnock would love to work with him in the longer term.