Can Livingston build some positive momentum from their dramatic Scottish Cup victory over Partick Thistle last weekend?
They host top-six hopefuls St Mirren at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Saturday in search of their first league win since October.
Who would you like to see in the starting line-up? Pick your team here.
"We’re in a difficult moment in terms of numbers," bemoaned Livingston manager David Martindale after losing three more players to injury.
Shaun Donnellan and Scott Pittman were forced off in Saturday’s Scottish Cup win away to Partick Thistle, while Steven Bradley pulled out in the warm-up with an Achilles issue.
James Penrice, Cristian Montano, Kurtis Guthrie, Mick Devlin and Jack Hamilton were already missing for the Premiership's bottom club.
"The numbers are really depleted," said Martindale. "It’s about getting these boys back on the park as quick as possible while also looking after the boys that are available week on week.
"Pittman has been playing through an injury because he knows how important every game is to the club over the past six weeks or so.
"He said he wanted to play against Partick and help the team but he went off with an Achilles/calf injury. The boys are rushing themselves back to try and help the group, but it’s not ideal."
Meanwhile, Martindale wants to build on the dramatic fightback at Firhill as the West Lothian side battle for top flight survival.
"I don’t think we’ve been a million miles away from getting results, but the boys dug themselves out of a hole on Saturday and hopefully that gives them a bit of self-belief," he said.
"There are 13 (league) games left. I understand that, the boys understand that. There’s a lot of perspective in the building. We need to start picking up points."
Image source, SNSMidfielder Scott Pittman has been added to the injury list at Livingston
We won a game!
It doesn’t matter it was against a team in the league below or that it took 120 minutes. A win is a win.
I loved the scenes with the players and fans celebrating together too. It’s not been that harmonious this season so those scenes at Firhill were so good to see. I did fear the worst when we went behind but we showed the fighting spirit and grit that Livi is built on.
It’s almost a cliché but we need to build on this cup win to get some momentum going. Performances have been better in recent league games despite the lack of results so I’m hoping, praying even, that we can use this win to turn the corner.
Celtic in the next round is a good tie - it’s a decent pay out and we are a long shot to get through, so we can take the cash and concentrate on the league.
It's St Mirren next. It feels like we say this for every game just now, but this is the biggest game for us in a long time. We have to win.
Listen to the latest episode of BBC Scotland's Scottish Football Podcast here.
Amy Canavan is joined by Rory Loy and John Walker – analyst and host of the Scots Abroad podcast – to discuss all the big talking points in Scottish football.
They give their thoughts on Don Cowie at Ross County, interim managers in general and the Michael Mellon head injury incident.
And, with the Euros looming into view, we take a look at the Scotland squad and assess some of the players hoping to force their way in, including Plymouth Argyle's Ryan Hardie.
Celtic will host Livingston in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
The tie will take place on the weekend of 9 March.
Image source, SNSAndrew Shinnie hailed the "character" within the Livingston squad after they came from 2-0 down to beat Partick Thistle and reach the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
Tete Yengi's header right at the end of extra-time completed the turnaround, and offered welcome respite from their dismal league form.
"It looked like we were in a bit of trouble at one stage, but unbelievable character from the boys, great travelling support, and great scenes at the end," Shinnie said.
"Probably deserved it as the game went on, and we're into the hat. Even when we were 2-0 down, you still had that inkling if we could get a goal back we're in this.
"They tired a wee bit and thankfully we got the goal to get back in it. In extra-time you're just hoping it doesn't go to penalties. To get the goal from Tete and go through is a brilliant feeling.
"It's been a tough spell for a while now, so when you get a win like that you've got to enjoy it. Hopefully that can kickstart it and we can back it up [against St Mirren]."
Kenny Miller on whether Tete Yengi's late Scottish Cup winner could spark Livi into gear in the league
We asked for your thoughts after Livingston booked their place in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic 3-2 win against Partick Thistle.
Here's what you had to say:
Neil: That was so good. Chuffed for big Joel Nouble today - he has had a tough period and was back to his best today. It looked like we had three Jason Holts playing today, he was everywhere, absolutely magnificent. Great escape is on now!
Del: Great to see Joel bang in two. But I hate to say, we've always knew his abilities, what he can do on a football pitch, it's his application that's been in doubt. He has to continue this now or he will never play at a more lucrative level.
Image source, SNSTete Yengi scored Livingston's winner in the 120th minute against Partick Thistle, sending them to the Scottish Cup quarter-finals
After scoring the winner against Thistle:
"It’s crazy. What a crazy feeling. We worked so hard all game , to come back from losing we’re just so happy to get the result."
On feeling when the goal went in:
"Relief. We worked so hard the full 90 minutes to get back into the game and then in extra time we kept pushing and pushing and then in the last minute we finally got it, so yeah just a big relief."
On Livi's fight:
"We trust ourselves, we’re a good side. We kept fighting. The hard work you have to put in first, the quality comes after that. That relief, that feeling once we got back was just amazing.
"I wasn’t thinking about it going to penalties, I knew we’d get one more chance."
On the quarter finals and win being potential catalyst:
"Coming off a result like this, the way we played, just shows that we’re here to fight. Whoever we get we're going to go out there and fight.
"I hope this is a kick start, we haven’t won in a while. I’m hoping we can just build on this from now, take the positive energy, the fight, the desire and take it into the league."
Watch highlights of the fifth round Scottish Cup tie between Partick Thistle and Livingston
Image source, SNSLivingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "I thought it was a good game of football, more for the neutral than myself. It's common knowledge that we're in a sticky situation, and to go 2-0 down and come back in the manner they did, the players deserve huge credit.
"When we went 2-0 down, I thought I'd be lucky to have a job on Sunday. It was just about sticking to the game plan, and when the subs went on it really helped us. We caused them problems in the wide areas, we controlled a lot."
"In the first half we were unlucky not to have a penalty, and Tete was unlucky to have his goal pulled back. At 2-0 down, it was a huge mountain.
"We looked like the fitter team out there, despite having a game on Wednesday night. When it went to extra-time, we looked like the team that would get the winner.
"Me and my staff have said we will stay in this building, fighting for the badge until matchday 38."
Image source, .One of the most memorable Livingston results in recent times. Has your heart rate returned to normal?
Did you ever think you'd win that from 2-0 down? And how good was Joel Nouble today?
Partick Thistle: Sneddon, McMillan, Muirhead, Neilson, Milne, McInroy, Bannigan, Stanway, Fitzpatrick, Graham, Lawless.
Substitutes: Stewart, Mitchell, Williams, Ngwenya, Alston, Lyon, MacKenzie, Diack, Adeloye.
Livingston: McGovern, Donnellan, Obileye, Nottingham, Brandon, Holt, Pittman, St Kelly, MacKay, Nouble, Yengi.
Substitutes: George, Anderson, Bradley, Sangare, Shinnie, Se Kelly, Ledingham, Culbert, Lawal.
Partick Thistle will fancy their chances against Livingston, but that's possibly more to do with the terrible form of the visitors.
Thistle destroyed Ross County in the previous round, making up for some of the pain of last term's dramatic play-off defeat.
Livingston's only victory since early October came on the same afternoon as they edged out Raith Rovers in West Lothian and David Martindale's strugglers may feel even more deflated after losing out to a late goal at Rugby Park on Wednesday.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSLivingston may be on the cusp of fixing their fortunes after some improved displays, says Scott McDermott of the Sunday Mail.
David Martindale's side travel Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup last 16, which could prove a welcome reprieve from their 17-game winless run in the Premiership.
"We all know Livingston have been struggling in the league and I think the league will really be Davie Martindale's priority at the minute," McDermott told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"I think Kris Doolan will see it as a real opportunity for Partick Thistle to go and progress.
"The only thing I would say is I've watched the highlights of Livingston's last couple of games and you do get the sense that they're just beginning to improve slightly.
"I think their performance at Killie in the last game at Rugby Park, I think they were the better team in the first half.
"I've just got a feeling that Livi are beginning to turn that around a wee bit, especially with Ross County's demise in the league as well, bringing them in closer at the bottom of the table."
Image source, SNS Livingston boss David Martindale insists he did not mean to disrespect Derek Adams with comments made after the former Ross County manager's departure.
Speaking to BBC Scotland after his side's late defeat at Kilmarnock on Wednesday, Martindale said he was "gutted" to hear that Adams had resigned from his post after just 12 matches.
With the West Lothian side bottom of the Premiership, six points adrift of the Highland outfit in 11th, the manager said negativity at County boosted his team's chances of survival.
“I made comments after the Kilmarnock game that probably in hindsight were a wee bit disrespectful to Derek but I want to put that into context,” Martindale said in his media conference on Friday.
“I think it’s common knowledge Derek was unhappy being at Ross County, I think his previous press conferences tell you that. Scottish football’s a goldfish bowl and it’s common knowledge the players were unhappy.
“So you had an unhappy manager and unhappy players and of course it is better for Livingston for that unhappy environment to remain.
“Ross County having unhappy players in the changing room and an unhappy manager who is perceived to not want to be at Ross County, I would rather that situation remained. I’m not going to sit here and tell lies.
“So I was gutted that they made that change, or Derek made that change, because ultimately the more negativity at Ross County the better it’s going to be for ourselves. But I need to focus on Livingston rather than Ross County.
“That’s just to give my comments after the game a wee bit of context. I wasn’t just being disrespectful in terms of Derek.”
Image source, SNSLivingston midfielder David Carson admits the narrow Kilmarnock defeat was a "sore one to take", but insists there is still belief in the dressing room they can turn things around.
David Martindale's side sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership, six points adrift of Ross County - who have two games in hand.
"It's a sore one to take," Carson said, speaking to Livingston club media, external. "I thought we were in the game and created the better opportunities and didn't take them
"We've got to try to dust ourselves off but the boys in [the dressing room] are really down and rightly so because I thought we deserved more from the game.
"On another day it could have been a different result.
"I've loved it. We're in a difficult position but there's a lot of belief in that dressing room and around the club.
"We all know we all need to pull in the right direction and dig in. We need to move on now and really start picking up points."
