McCann and his assistant Billy Dodds were praised last season for turning around a sinking Kilmarnock ship and keeping them afloat.
If this showing is anything to go by, they’re facing a similarly difficult task.
Scoring was never an issue last season. They were the top scorers in the bottom half. It was at the back they were shaky – only Livingston conceded more – and that haunted them again in Perth.
Yes, they did well to come from behind to lead. But St Johnstone only created 1.76 xG and still managed to score four goals. They were not particularly clinical either, having 15 efforts on goal.
The reality is the goals were soft, in particular the second that Cheick Diabate scored from a corner.
All this combines to a fantastic game for the neutral. “It was breathtaking, to be honest,” said Preston on Sportsound.
“If we can better this in the next 37 weeks, we’re going to have some season. It was brilliant.
“Kilmarnock were never in it in the first half, and lucky to be level at the break. Then they go ahead, incredibly. All credit to Simo Valakari, he chucks on as many forwards as he’s got on the bench.
“They just ground it out and it was a brilliant result. 4-3 flatters Kilmarnock to be honest, they didn’t play well at all.”
Sometimes managers can save face after such results, dancing around the truth to make it sound closer than it really was. McCann was in no such mood.
“I didn’t find it entertaining whatsoever,” he said after the game, straight-faced. “We got exactly what we deserved from the game – nothing.
“We let ourselves down, the club down, the fans down.”