Livingston

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  1. Celtic 4-2 Livingston: Your viewspublished at 17:39 10 March 2024

    Were you at Celtic Park or watch on TV as the Scottish Cup holders progressed to the semi-finals despite a battling display from Livingston?

    We want to read your thoughts. Give us your views here.

    Your Views imageImage source, BBC Sport
  2. Celtic 4-2 Livingston: Analysispublished at 17:33 10 March 2024

    The pressure was back on Brendan Rodgers and his Celtic side after they fell short when given the opportunity to go back to the top of the Scottish Premiership last weekend.

    Defeat by Heart of Midlothian was compounded by the loss of captain Callum McGregor and centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers through injury and their leadership was clearly missing.

    Rodgers' side enjoyed their traditional lions' share of possession, but they looked vulnerable at the back before their superior resources off the bench proved the difference and kept them in the hunt to lift the cup for a 42nd time amid much relief around Parkhead.

    David Martindale had bemoaned his need to field a "makeshift" midfield such were Livingston's absences, but the Livingston manager has made his name from making the most of the players at his disposal - and so it was again.

    They will be disappointed to exit the cup considering they came close to going ahead at 2-2, but the league remains their priority.

    Martindale has found a bit of a gem in Tete Yengi and the former Ipswich Town striker could yet be the difference between staying up and going down as the West Lothian side look to show similar battling qualities and clinical finishing in the Premiership run-in.

    Celtic's Daizen Maeda celebratesImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Daizen Maeda completed his hat-trick to put Celtic 3-2 ahead

  3. Celtic 4-2 Livingston: Who impressed?published at 17:28 10 March 2024

    Livingston's Tete Yengi scoresImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Tete Yengi has been a great find for Livingston and the former Ipswich Town striker not only finished superbly to draw his side level at 2-2 but gave Scottish Cup holders Celtic a fright with his clever hold-up play. Unlucky to be on the wrong side of a defeat, he and his team-mates move on to saving themselves from relegation.

  4. Celtic 4-2 Livingston: What the manager saidpublished at 17:07 10 March 2024

    David Martindale Image source, SNS

    Livingston manager David Martindale told BBC Scotland: "It was a good game, but it was disappointing at the same time because I thought we had a wee opportunity.

    "We get sucker-punched into the third goal. Fourth goal, I'm not really too fussed about. We just threw caution to the wind.

    "It's probably one of the few occasions we've come here and we've genuinely been in the game. I think we genuinely had the opportunity to win the game today and posed a threat.

    "We have them too much territory after the second goal. We were value for money and the players stuck to the shape."

    On whether the performances gives him hope for Premiership survival, he adds: "I've never not had that hope personally. We've got some big players coming back over the next two weeks. I've always thought we can stay in the league.

    "I'm not going to sit here and lie, it's been a painful season. The players have got to take a wee bit of self belief because that shows what these players are capable of doing."

  5. Celtic v Livingston: Team newspublished at 13:54 10 March 2024

    Celtic winger Nicolas KühnImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Nicolas Kühn starts for Celtic against Livingston

    Cameron Carter-Vickers, who had returned from injury to play Celtic's latest three games, is a notable absentee, with Stephen Welsh coming into the centre of defence.

    The only other change is Nicolas Kühn starting on the wing in place of the suspended Yang Hyun-jun.

    Fellow winger Luis Palma had been an injury doubt and does not even make the bench.

    As expected, Livingston are without captain Michael Devlin after the defender was forced off last weekend against St Johnstone.

    He is one of three absentees, with midfielders David Carson and Jason Holt also not even making the bench, as manager David Martindale makes five changes in all.

    Veteran on-loan Heart of Midlothian goalkeeper Michael McGovern is preferred to Shamal George, who is joined on the bench by Andrew Shinnie despite the midfielder's goal in Perth last weekend.

    Joel Nouble returns to attack, with Jamie Brandon in defence, while Steven Bradley and Stephen Kelly are in midfield.

  6. Celtic v Livingston: Line-ups from Celtic Parkpublished at 13:51 10 March 2024

    Celtic: Hart, Johnston, Welsh, Scales, Taylor, Iwata, O'Riley, Bernardo, Maeda, Kuhn, Idah.

    Substitutes: Bain, Lagerbielke, Furuhashi, Holm, Oh, Vata, Kelly, Forrest, Ralston.

    Livingston: McGovern, Montano, Obileye, Kelly, MacKay, Brandon, Bradley, Nouble, Nottingham, Kelly, Yengi.

    Substitutes: George, Donnellan, Anderson, Sangare, Shinnie, Guthrie, Culbert.

  7. Celtic v Livingston: Team newspublished at 18:34 9 March 2024

    Celtic have lost Yang Hyun-jun to suspension following his failed appeal against his red card against Hearts. The holders remain without midfielders Callum McGregor (Achilles/calf) and Reo Hatate (calf) along with defender Maik Nawrocki (hamstring). Liel Abada has left the club and Alexandro Bernabei has moved on loan.

    Livingston captain Michael Devlin is likely to drop out after being forced off last weekend but Cristian Montano and Shaun Donnellan are hoping to feature following fitness issues. James Penrice (hip), Scott Pittman (Achilles) and goalkeeper Jack Hamilton (groin) remain out.

    Livingston v Celtic Image source, SNS
  8. 'You need full concentration from first to last' - Kelly published at 12:19 9 March 2024

    Stephen KellyImage source, SNS

    Stephen Kelly insists Livingston believe they can put their league struggles to one side and cause an upset away to Celtic in the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

    Kelly knows what it takes to win at Parkhead, having done so twice during his loan stint with Ross County, and he says Livi have to stay in the game as long as possible.

    “Every game you go in with a game plan on how you want to win, how you want to stop the other team, how you want to attack yourselves," Kelly said.

    “Obviously when you go to Celtic Park or Ibrox, the longer you keep it 0-0, the more you grow into the game.

    “I think it is just a case of that, don’t lose the first goal, but also try and build ourselves into the game and cause a threat going the other way.

    “It’s all about the collective. As long as the collective gets the performance. You just need full concentration from the first minute to the last.”

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  9. Celtic v Livingston: Pick of the statspublished at 19:11 8 March 2024

    Last 10 meetings graphicImage source, SNS
    • Celtic have won both meetings against Livingston this season, with an aggregate scoreline of 5-0.

    • Kyogo Furuhashi has scored in both of Celtic's Scottish Cup wins this season, against Buckie Thistle and St Mirren.

    • The last time the sides met in the Scottish Cup was in February 2007, when a Derek Riordan double helped Celtic come from behind to win 4-1.

  10. 'My club, my team' - Diary of a football CEO with Livingston's Dave Blackpublished at 18:17 8 March 2024

    Media caption,

    'My club, my team' - Diary of a football CEO with Livingston's Dave Black

  11. Choose your Livi XI for Parkhead trippublished at 15:41 7 March 2024

    Can David Martindale's men cause a huge Scottish Cup upset by knocking out the holders when they travel to Parkhead on Sunday?

    Who should be in the starting lineup? Put yourself in Martindale's shoes and choose your XI here.

    Livingston squad selector
  12. 'We go to Celtic Park with expectations and hope - not with fear'published at 14:33 7 March 2024

    David MartindaleImage source, SNS

    David Martindale insists Livingston will not go to Celtic Park for their Scottish Cup quarter-final with any fear, but "expectations and hope".

    However, the Livi manager believes Celtic are still formidable opponents - despite last week's defeat to Hearts after Yang Hyun-Jun's red card.

    "I don’t think you can read that much into the game [against Hearts]," Martindale said. "We played Celtic here last year when they had 10 men and they still beat us 3-0.

    "They are a good team and Brendan [Rodgers] is a top manager. Two points off the top with two Old Firm games to go.

    "I’m not really buying into that narrative if I’m honest. They have a top manager, they are a top club and it’s going to be a difficult game of football.

    "You have to match them, you have to be aggressive, you have to get your distances correct and that’s the difficult part as they will force you into a low block at times.

    "We go with expectations and hope. We don't go there with fear."

  13. Martindale on Scottish Cup, not fearing Celtic & tie profits going to legal costspublished at 13:06 7 March 2024

    David MartindaleImage source, SNS

    David Martindale has faced the media ahead of Livingston's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Celtic.

    Here were his main points.

    • Team will head to Celtic Park on Sunday with "hope and expectation" but not fear, and still believes the club can reach semi-finals at Hampden despite poor league form

    • Celtic are a "formidable" side regardless of the number of players they have on the pitch - referring to Hyun-Jun Yang's red card in the side's loss to Hearts.

    • Takes confidence having picked up points at Celtic Park in recent years when Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon and Ange Postecoglou have been in charge.

    • Believes game management will be important if Livingston are to stay in the game, and says his side will have to match Celtic and be "aggressive".

    • Financially the club will benefit with a six-figure sum for the tie at Celtic Park, but says this will not go into the team's player budget and "imagines so" that it will instead will go towards covering court costs.

    • Team news - Mikey Devlin's scan came back and is "not the worst" but "this game is too early for him". Cristian Montano will train with the team today, and Shaun Donnellan has also returned to training. Scott Pittman and James Penrice still missing, with the hope Livi will get them back after the international break.

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  14. Unbeaten run to the split gives Livi a chance - Lovellpublished at 14:07 5 March 2024

    Stuart LovellImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Stuart Lovell captained Livingston to their only major trophy to date

    Former Livingston captain Stuart Lovell says David Martindale's side need to stay unbeaten until the Premiership split if they want to stave off relegation.

    The West Lothian side are six points adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premiership, having played a game more than Ross County above them.

    Lovell - who famously won the League Cup with the Lions in 2004 - sees signs of a possible recovery, with recent performances improving, but says results simply have to follow performances.

    "They don’t have a lot of time to turn things around," Lovell said. "But in the last five games [of the season] they’re going to be playing against the weaker teams, that’s a fact.

    "So they’ve got more chance of getting points against the weaker teams than they would against the top six. It’s not done until it’s done, but the gap now is far too big.

    "I would say they need to go unbeaten between now and the split to have any chance of staying up."

    Lovell also believes Livi have been boosted by the arrival of Tete Yengi in January, and says the players are clearly still fighting for manager Martindale.

    “The signing of Yengi in January has definitely given them a lift, given them more of an attacking threat," Lovell said.

    "They’ve had a number of games recently where they’ve managed to get their noses in front. The problem is they can’t seem to register a clean sheet.

    "I don’t think anyone could accuse Livingston of having downed tools. I’ve seen them a number of times this year and not once have I thought ‘they’ve chucked it’. They still seem to be playing for each other and responding to the manager."

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  15. 'Martindale's belief Livi can survive is a credit to him'published at 11:00 5 March 2024

    Stuart Barrie
    Fan writer

    Livi fan's voice

    We had three must-win games in a week. We even took an early lead in two of those, but ultimately came away from a massive week with just one point.

    We’re not completely cut adrift; it just feels underwhelming. The disappointment of losing the lead against Motherwell hung over the St Johnstone game, and sadly, their equaliser felt inevitable.

    After a decent first half we dropped deep and hung on like Rocky Balboa when I felt we could, and should, have gone for a knock-out blow.

    After Ross County's late win in February, manager David Martindale said his game management choices were poor and admitted he was going for the win when a point was okay. With that in mind, he probably went too far the other way this time and let the Saints back into it, but hindsight is a wonderful thing in football.

    Martindale’s fortitude after these defeats is a credit to him. Some may mock saying he’s deluded, but his drive and belief that the team can still get out of this is a credit to him.

    There are 10 games and 30 points still left to play for. If we can stay in it until the split, we may just pull off a comeback that Rocky himself would be proud of.

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  16. Mentality questioned - Your viewspublished at 17:13 4 March 2024

    Your Views

    We asked for your views after Livingston's 1-1 draw with St Johnstone. Here's a flavour of what you had to say.

    Malcolm: I still reckon they have the squad to stay up but the mentality? No. And that's down to the manager.

    Anon: Another nail in the coffin.

  17. 'Livi lucky not to concede penalty' - McFaddenpublished at 07:55 4 March 2024

    Media caption,

    Penalty should have been given against Mikey Devlin for handball, says James McFadden

  18. Highlights: St Johnstone 1-1 Livingstonpublished at 18:16 3 March 2024

    Media caption,

    Watch the best of the action as St Johnstone and Livingston share the points in Perth. (Available to UK users only)

  19. Is the door still open?published at 14:56 3 March 2024

    Sean McGill
    BBC Sport Scotland

    Despite ending the week with a more sparse return than they would have desired, curiously, Livingston might be able to take more heart from this run than their previous barren spell.

    Though still some way off the miracle machine of the Livingston of old, there's been flashes of fight and desire. Amid all the adversity, the door remains ajar.

    Martindale's plan is to still be in with a chance when the split rolls around in four games' time. Considering the run they have in that period, it will be no easy task.

    Read Sean's piece in full here.

    Livingston pre-split fixturesImage source, SNS
  20. St Johnstone 1-1 Livingston: Key statspublished at 11:00 3 March 2024

    St Johsntone v LivingstonImage source, SNS
    • Graham Carey has assisted six goals this season (one in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player in the Scottish Premiership.

    • Livingston have scored in their last four games in the Scottish Premiership, their joint longest scoring streak this season.

    • Nicky Clark has scored six goals this season (one in this game), more than any other St Johnstone player in the Scottish Premiership.

    • Livingston have scored in each of their last four games in the Scottish Premiership, scoring five goals in that run.