Livingston

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Already four points adrift of visitors Dundee at the foot of the table, Saturday's is a game Livingston can little afford to lose if they are to retain hopes of avoiding at the very least a play-off to avoid relegation.

David Martindale seems to be in with the bricks at Almondvale, so there is less speculation about his future than there is about visiting head coach Steven Pressley or Stuart Kettlewell, whose Kilmarnock side are also in freefall and level on points with Dundee.

However, Livingston's manager is increasingly looking a forlorn and frustrated, even resigned, figure as he prepares to enter his sixth year as manager.

No wonder after 14 games without a win and three defeats in a row, culminating in Saturday's 3-0 defeat in Motherwell.

Yet only Celtic and Hibernian, two other top-five sides, have also beaten Livingston by more than a single goal during that run.

Dundee have won their latest four meetings, including their two visits to West Lothian two seasons ago - and by 3-2 in the reverse fixture at Dens Park in September.

However, Pressley's side are themselves on a dismal run of one victory in seven, losing the other six, and have lost six in a row on the road - their worst run since 2005 - and failed to score in the latest four.

That should give Martindale some hope that his side, who have had the worst top-flight start since Falkirk in 2009-10, can record only their second league win of the season and narrow that gap at the bottom.

Read all this weekend's Premiership picks.

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Former Scotland international Joelle Murray fears for Livingston's Premiership survival if they lose at home to Dundee on Saturday.

David Martindale's side are bottom of the top flight with eight points from 15 games and are four adrift of Dundee and Kilmarnock above them.

Livi have won just one match this season, a 3-1 victory over Falkirk back in August, and are currently on a run of three straight defeats.

"It's a massive game not only for Livingston but for Dundee as well," Murray told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Two teams 11th and 12th in the league and not doing too well to put it bluntly. I think Livingston will be looking to this game to try and get the three points and close that gap.

"If not, if it's a Dundee win, the gap gets bigger and as early as it is in the season, I don't see a way back for them if they get beaten.

"A big game for both teams but for Livingston in particular because the form books aren't great reading."

• Livingston have lost their past four Scottish Premiership meetings with Dundee, their longest ever top-flight losing run against them.

• Dundee won their two away games at Livingston the last season in which they met in the Premiership in 2023-24, but have never won three successive top-flight visits to the Lions before.

• Livingston have won just one of their opening 15 league games this season (D5 L9), the fewest by any side at this stage of a Scottish top-flight campaign since Falkirk in 2009-10 (also 1).

• Dundee have lost their past six away league games, their longest run in the top flight since losing seven in a row in January 2005. They have lost their last three on the road without scoring, last losing four on the bounce without a goal in the top flight in December 2004.

• Only league leaders Hearts have registered more high turnovers (128) in the Premiership this season than Livingston (116). Meanwhile, no side has faced more shots following high turnovers against them than Dundee (23, level with Falkirk).

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Cammy Kerr has suffered another setback as the defender looks to make his Livingston debut following a groin injury.

The 30-year-old has not played a competitive game since arriving from Queen's Park in July and will miss out again this weekend against his former club, Dundee.

Livingston manager David Martindale reported: "Cammy Kerr's had a wee niggle. He's away down to see the surgeon in London, but I don't think it's a massive problem.

"I think it'll set him back two to three weeks. He just feels there's a bit of a pull in that area, but the consultant's keen to reassure him - he thinks it's just scar tissue in that area."

Martindale is, though, delighted to have two experienced players available for the bottom-of-the-table meeting after former Dundee midfielder Mo Sylla and defender Ryan McGowan both got game time against Motherwell at the weekend after returning from injury.

"Getting Gowser some game time was a big thing and getting Mo Sylla back amongst the group - he's definitely a big player for us and he'll play a big part of the group going forward," Martindale said.

McGowan has not started a game for three months and spent three weeks in hospital after suffering a leg infection.

"The captain of the club, you've got to remember, Gowser," Martindale added. "We've had a lot of success with him and his experience."

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

Defeat against high-flying Motherwell has a familiar ring to it. We never seem to get a result against them.

We went to Fir Park one on the back of some good performances recently but this wasn't one of them. We were poor and deservedly beaten.

No point dwelling on this one. It's the games ahead that will likely define our season. Before end of the year, we have both Dundee teams at our place, along with Celtic and away to St Mirren. We must get at least seven points from that run to kickstart the season.

We've played okay in most games and been unlucky not to collect more points. The feeling is massively different today compared to the gloom of the relegation season.

There is more belief but that eternal hope may well be extinguished if we can't get any points before the new year.

The game against Dundee this Saturday is huge. We were desperately unlucky at Dens so we should have confidence facing them.

I hope there is a good turnout of fans and they get behind the team and manager. We all need a bit of festive cheer.

It is four months since Livingston won a game and BBC Sportscene host Steven Thompson and pundit Richard Foster say manager David Martindale's face during Saturday's 3-0 defeat away to Motherwell sums up his "exasperation".

The West Lothian side's lack of confidence after such a poor run was evident, they suggest.

Former Aberdeen and Rangers full-back Foster adds that "they got caught in between" in their attempts to press their hosts high up the park, with midfielder Samson Lawal caught out on another occasion before the loss of the penalty that led to Well's second goal.

Watch highlights of Motherwell's 3-0 win against Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.

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Livingston manager David Martindale: "I don't think there was much in the game in the first half. It's a good [first] goal but we shouldn't turn our back on it.

"We shot ourselves in the foot, we were playing too narrow. They hit us with a couple of counters.

"Second half I didn't think there was a lot in it and we give away a penalty. I've not had a chance to look at it back, I'm not interested in that to be honest. Then the game becomes difficult.

"I'll sit and tell you now, Motherwell will be top four. That's not an excuse for us, but they're a very, very good team, really well drilled. I'll be surprised if they don't make top four."

Much-changed Motherwell moved to within six points of the Scottish Premiership summit after extending their unbeaten streak to eight games with a routine three-goal win over bottom-club Livingston.

Have your say on the game here.

Read our match report here.

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Motherwell have no fresh injury doubts while Elliot Watt is set to return after being rested at Falkirk.

They are still missing Filip Stuparevic (knee), Aston Oxborough (hand), Sam Nicholson (knee), Zach Robinson (Achilles), Jordan McGhee and Eseosa Sule (both thigh).

Livingston could bring back Connor McLennan and Cammy Kerr while Mo Sylla missed out last time after being injured in an aerial challenge.

Aidan Denholm and Shane Blaney (both hamstring) and Adam Montgomery (calf) remain on the sidelines.

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Livingston boss David Martindale believes the Scottish Premiership is "harder" than it was in previous years.

Livingston are bottom of the table with eight points having only recorded one victory, against fellow newly-promoted side Falkirk in August.

Martindale has been pleased with the past two matches, despite losing both, and believes his side are "on the right track" as they prepare for Saturday's game at Motherwell.

He added: "Everything we're doing as a club, everything we're doing as a group, we're not a million miles away.

"I think we've been really unlucky but again I need to take responsibility for that. I don't want to be sitting here on matchday 38 saying we've been really really unlucky because you can't be really really unlucky for that amount of games.

"I think our performances merit more points than we've got.

"Everything's trending the right way other than the points and I do feel if we keep persevering, keep doing what we're doing I do think it will turn at some point.

"Other than the points there's a lot of positive but again I'm not stupid, I understand that the points is the primary objective here.

"I think the last two games have potentially been some of our best performances and we've come away with no points.

"I hope the fans can see how we're trying to play, what the players are trying to do on the park.

"We've definitely improved from last season. I think there's been a continual process from July last season to where we are now but the difference being the jump between the Championship and the Premiership is bigger than it probably was the [previous] years we were in the Premiership.

"I think the Premiership is a lot harder now but I don't think we're a million miles away."

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• Motherwell have won their past four league meetings with Livingston and could win five in a row against them in the top flight for the first time.

• Livingston are winless in 16 top-flight away games at Motherwell (D3 L13) since a 5-1 victory in October 2002. They have lost on each of their past six league visits to Fir Park.

• Motherwell have only lost one of their past 12 home league games (W6 D5), keeping a clean sheet in three in a row since going down 2-1 to Falkirk in October. The Steelmen last kept a clean sheet in four consecutive home league games in September 1998.

• Livingston are winless in 12 league games (D4 L8) since a 3-1 victory over Falkirk in August. The Lions have lost their past two, but haven't lost three successive Premiership matches since January 2024 – a run which included a 3-1 away loss to Motherwell.

• Tawanda Maswanhise has scored 36% of Motherwell's Scottish Premiership goals this season (8/22), the highest ratio of any player for any club in the competition this term.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

"We need to change the narrative," said Livingston manager David Martindale after the home defeat by Aberdeen.

He's right. Our recurring theme of being nearly men needs to change. We bossed this game, created some good chances and nearly scored. We nearly won.

But we ended with another defeat despite deserving minimum a point.

There is no obvious answer here to change our fortunes. The team are playing well, we are so, so close in every game but can't get over the line for a much-needed win.

Every player did their jobs well against an unimpressive Aberdeen, but it's that dreaded individual blunder that is our undoing.

I like how the manager didn't dig anyone out for the errors. Mistakes will always happen in a game of football - we seem to be punished for every one of ours just now.

There isn't any point of us fans bleating about it. I think the players are as gutted as we are, the manager certainly sounds it after games.

Surely if we keep at it, keep working to the levels we currently are, we will turn a corner and get some wins.

This needs to happen very quickly in the run of games we have ahead. We are playing teams around us so some points will shift us up the table and hopefully change the narrative too.

Watch highlights from Aberdeen's Scottish Premiership win over Livingston on Sunday.

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Nicky Devlin's late header gave disjointed Aberdeen victory over Scottish Premiership bottom side Livingston as their unbeaten run extended to six matches.

Why can Livingston not turn performances into points?

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Livingston manager David Martindale: "It's a difficult one to take. It was the same last week [against Rangers] but I papered over the cracks with the decision which went against us.

"But we've got to do better in the game, we should take something. We had a lot of control, good entries into the final third.

"But we shoot ourselves in the foot with a bad decision in a wide area which leads to the goal. And we're not picking up in the box when we should be picking up.

"It's a hard one because 95% of the players can hold their heads high. But I'm not going to name individual names because I have to take responsibility as well. It's my job to find a way to win games of football.

"I can't keep standing here saying the same old things. We should've, we could've, we never.

"The goal is to get off the bottom of the table by 2026. I knew this year would be difficult. Did I think it would be as difficult as it has played out? No, I'll be honest there."

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Livingston manager David Martindale feels Sunday's opponents Aberdeen are in a "false position" in the top flight.

Jimmy Thelin's side are eighth in the table, six points above Livingston at the bottom before Sunday's trip to the Home of the Set Fare Arena.

Despite a tricky start for the Dons, who failed to score in their first seven league matches, they've picked up four wins in their last six.

"I've never felt Aberdeen have been as bad as their league position suggests," Martindale said.

"I think they're a good team, I've watched them, I've played against them. And even the first half up at Pittodrie [a 0-0 draw in September], I thought they were very, very good against us so I think they're in a wee bit of a false position.

"I rate them as a group. Hopefully we can use the fact they had a game on Thursday to our advantage on Sunday, but it's not going to be an easy game.

"If you were to sit here and ask, 'do you think Aberdeen will finish in the top six come the end of the season?', I'd probably say 'yes'."

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Livingston welcome back Joshua Brenet following his World Cup exploits with Curacao, while Connor McLennan is back in contention and Cammy Kerr (ankle) is closing in on a return.

Mo Sylla is set to join Aidan Denholm and Shane Blaney (both hamstring) and Adam Montgomery (calf) on the sidelines.

Aberdeen remain without Kristers Tobers (knee).

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• Livingston are unbeaten in four home league games against Aberdeen (W2 D2) since a 2-1 reverse in August 2021. Both of their past two at home to the Dons, though, have finished 0-0.

• Aberdeen are unbeaten in six league meetings with Livingston (W3 D3) since a 2-1 defeat in November 2022.

• Should Livingston lose, they will be the first side to earn eight or fewer points from their first 14 games of a Scottish Premiership season since Hamilton in 2020-21 (eight). Six of the past eight sides to have eight or fewer points from their first 14 matches went on to be relegated.

• Aberdeen have won four of their past six league games (D1 L1), more than their previous 17 beforehand (W3 D4 L10).

• Aberdeen are winless in 10 away league games against newly-promoted opponents (D3 L7) since a 3-1 win over Ross County in November 2019. The Dons have lost their past four away league games to promoted clubs in a row.

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The error that led to Livingston being denied a crucial penalty in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Rangers has been confirmed by the Scottish FA's key match incident panel.

Livingston manager David Martindale had already revealed that VAR referee John Beaton had phoned him to apologise for not advising match official Ross Hardie to review the footage.

Now the independent KMI panel has unanimously agreed that the on-field decision was incorrect, that VAR should have intervened to recommend a review, and that a penalty kick should have been awarded for handball.

Livingston striker Teti Yengi's shot struck the arm of Rangers centre-half Emmanuel Fernandez on its way to goal when the score was 1-1 at Ibrox.

However, the KMI panel unanimously agreed that referee Hardie had been incorrect to disallow Mohamed Diomande's late winner for Rangers for offside in the same game - and that VAR was correct in intervene, with the goal standing.