Jamie McCart has welcomed the tough challenge of facing an in-form Celtic as he and his St Johnstone team-mates aim to prove their 3-0 defeat by Livingston was a blip.

Saints gifted the visitors their second and third goals, the middle one coming after a pass from goalkeeper Zander Clark bounced off McCart’s heel.

It was such an uncharacteristic display from Callum Davidson’s double cup winners that McCart feels confidence will not be dented at all ahead of Saturday’s trip to Celtic Park.

“The gaffer said that straight after, the full time he has been here he has never had a performance like that and it was completely out of the blue,” the centre-back said.

“That was probably the worst thing about it, that we had never done anything even close to a performance like that, especially goals we conceded were really poor.

“There was disappointment after it but coming into this game we believe we can get a result.

“It’s a tough game to follow up but it could be a really good one at the same time, if we put in a really good performance and hopefully get a result, it will show that last week was a real blip and we have put it behind us.”

McCart feels the challenge could even help Saints bounce back.

“When you go to Celtic Park, no matter what time, it is always going to be extremely difficult regardless of your previous results, so you are always going to be extra focused going there,” the former Celtic player said.

“We are under no illusions how difficult it’s gong to be be so we are definitely going to have to up t from last week.”

McCart was part of a defensive triumvirate that picked itself last season but Jason Kerr has moved on to Wigan and Liam Gordon has been out since August with injury.

McCart himself dropped out recently through suspension but Saints have continued to defend well, other than last weekend, and have only conceded one goal on the road this season.

“It’s been a wee bit stop-start for everyone, we have not had much continuity in the team from the start of the season,” the former Inverness player said.

“But that happens in football, you have got to adjust to it. The boys that have come in have performed really well. We have good players here.

“Consistency is always great especially in defence but you can’t really control those things in football sometimes, injuries and suspensions happen. So you have just got to deal with it.”