Livingston

George O'Neill, BBC Sport Scotland

Kilmarnock huffed and puffed during the first half, as Danny Armstrong and Greg Stewart toiled in wide areas. They had just two shots before the break and were limited to three touches in the opposition box.

However, the superb recruitment done by the club in recent windows means they now have options to turn to when things aren't going to plan, and their bench proved the difference here.

Kennedy's incisive dribbling and Van Veen's clever link-up play got the hosts up the park far better, and chances started to come as a result. Good teams tend to find a way to win when they are below their best, and that is what Kilmarnock did here.

If McInnes and his staff can get Van Veen firing as he did for Motherwell last season, Kilmarnock could go from strength to strength.

Livingston on the other hand look like a side bereft of confidence, one destined for the Championship.

Martindale must have been encouraged and frustrated in equal measure by the way they performed in the first half. They were much improved and caused Kilmarnock plenty of problems, but ultimately it counts for little if you don't take your chances.

The only hope for Livingston in their fight for survival is that Ross County are in a similar state of disarray above them, but even then, they can only catch the Dingwall side if they start winning games.

Kilmarnock: Dennis, Mayo, Wright, Findlay, Davies, Armstrong, Watson, Donnelly, Stewart, Watkins, Vassell.

Substitutes: O'Hara, McKenzie, Kennedy, Balagizi, Murray, Cameron, Polworth, Mackay-Steven, Van Veen.

Livingston: George, Brandon, Donnellan, Nottingham, Obileye, MacKay, Pittman, Carson, Holt, Bradley, Yengi.

Substitutes: McGovern, Anderson, St Kelly, Sangare, Shinnie, Se Kelly, Ledingham, Culbert, Lawal.

Attackers Danny Armstrong, Marley Watkins and Matty Kennedy are doubts for Kilmarnock after picking up knocks at the weekend, while Corrie Ndaba serves the second of a two-game ban. Centre-back Robbie Deas is recovering from a fractured cheekbone while midfielders Brad Lyons and Kyle Magennis remain absent.

Cristian Montano and goalkeeper Jack Hamilton remain sidelined for Livingston, with Michael Devlin and Kurtis Guthrie fitness doubts.

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• Kilmarnock have won seven of their last nine top-flight home games against Livingston (L2), including both of their last two.

• Since winning five straight league meetings with Kilmarnock from December 2020 to February 2023, Livingston have failed to win each of their last three versus Killie (D1 L2).

• Kilmarnock have lost just one of their last 10 home league games (W5 D4), a 0-1 defeat to Hearts in December. Indeed, Killie have scored exactly twice in each of their last four at home in the Scottish Premiership.

• Livingston are winless in 10 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league matches (D5 L5) since a 2-1 win over Aberdeen in November 2022. Away from home, the Lions have lost their last four midweek league outings.

• New Kilmarnock forward Kevin van Veen has scored seven goals in six Scottish Premiership appearances against Livingston, his joint-most against a single club in the competition (also 7 v Ross County).

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David Carson says he was fully accepting of Livingston's current predicament when he signed in January from Inverness Caley Thistle.

Livi are rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership, and defeat against Rangers on Saturday left them without a win in 16 games, but Carson insists they believe they can avoid relegation.

“I know the situation we are in and there is still a lot of football to play," the midfielder said.

“I am coming in with the aim, like everyone else at this club, to keep us in the Premiership. That’s what I have come to do.

“As a player you always want to play at the highest level you can and there was an opportunity for me to do that.

“First and foremost it was that, I wanted to test myself and when I spoke to the manager it was a positive chat.

“I know the situation that we are in but we can affect that and hopefully we can start to pick up points.

“There is absolutely a lot of confidence. There are a lot of games that we can go and attack and try to pick up points.

“Saturday was difficult but we have to let that pass, it is done. We were well in the game before the first game.

“We have to move on to Wednesday night which is a big game for us.

“We can’t concentrate too much on what other people are doing, we have to go in there with a game plan and see if that gets us some points.

“We are confident. There is a good group of lads, I have seen that in training already. There is some real quality in there so why not start a good run on Wednesday?”

Stuart Barrie, Livingston fan

Is there any point delving too much into any game against either of the Old Firm? When you are up against a far superior team with resources far beyond yours then you go into these games with faint hope rather than expectation.

It’s not defeatist to expect to get beat at Ibrox, it’s just the way it inevitably goes. We had a very, very low block which meant attacking opportunities were limited. A fair bit of fun has been poked at Livi for not having a real go but what are they supposed to do when up against a Rangers front line that included a £35m striker?

I’m more hopeful (but not expectant) for something from the Kilmarnock game. It’s a tough fixture as they have a very good record on their own bit of plastic.

However, I thought there wasn’t too much between the teams when we played them at Almondvale, so there is a chance we can take something back to West Lothian. They have recruited a couple of good strikers so our fragile defence will need to cut out the basic mistakes. Our defenders haven’t turned into bad players overnight. There’s a crisis of confidence clearly going on but somehow all the players need to turn up against Killie.

If offered a point from the dullest game ever with stats that make your eyes water, I’d grab that offer with both bands now. We need the points that badly.

Livingston go to Rugby Park on Wednesday with the goal of ending their 16 game winless run.

It was a tough task last time out as a rigid defence eventually succumbed to a 3-0 defeat at Rangers.

Who would you like to see in the starting line-up? Pick your team here.

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Marvin Bartley thinks his former team Livingston can still beat the drop in the Scottish Premiership, but says it will have to be through the play-offs.

Speaking on BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the current Queen of the South boss praised the top flight's split system, which he thinks could give David Martindale's team a much-needed late surge.

Asked if Livingston can avoid relegation, Bartley said: "Yeah, they can definitely. There's more than enough points to play for.

"Looking at it now, they're probably chasing Ross County for that play-off spot. I can't see them finishing any higher than that, but things can quickly change.

"I love the split, coming up to Scotland and people saying to me, 'Oh, they have a split up there,' I didn't even understand it, but now it makes things so interesting because if you're within four points, five points to the team just above you, things can change really, really quickly.

"One thing for Livingston, that gap's getting bigger. I know Ross County have two games in hand and they're difficult games, but you know, Livingston need to find a win from somewhere.

"They need to just get over the line in the game and the confidence will come back, but I still do believe they can do it, but it will be via the play-offs."

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David Martindale is aware of the danger of Kilmarnock's “money-makers”, but wants his Livingston side to still pose an attacking threat against Derek McInnes' high-flyers.

Fourth-placed Killie brought in Greg Stewart and Kevin van Veen during the January transfer window, adding to their forward threat.

“Derek has done an incredible job and I always knew he would,” Martindale said.

“The Old Firm have lost there and we have lost there this season so I am not under any illusions as to how hard this game is going to be to try and pick something up.

“Look at Derek’s signings in the January window, he has been very shrewd. He has added at the top end of the park, that is your money makers up there.

“They are the game changers, they can make the difference in the game and it is probably an area of the park where we have really struggled this year which is part of the reason we find ourselves where we are [six points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership table].

“We will tweak it going into this game. They are up there for a reason, we are down there for a reason but we will pose more of an attacking threat than setting up against Rangers, or against Celtic, away from home.

“We will try to go there with a balance of being defensively solid and being able to pose an attacking threat but it is a difficult balance.”

We asked for your thoughts after Livingston's 3-0 defeat at Ibrox against Rangers.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Matt: For Livingston, getting anything versus the top two are always just bonus points. It's the rest of the season that has put us where we are - heading straight for relegation. The club have chosen to stick by Martindale and will now pay the price for it. To think a couple months ago we rejected an approach from St Johnstone for him. You have to laugh...

What did you make of Livingston's showing at Ibrox, and how concerned are you with their current standing?

Let us know here.

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Livingston manager David Martindale told BBC Scotland: "I think there's a decision for VAR and Connor Goldson catches David Carson high. He's not meant to catch our player, but we were really surprised their goal stood.

"The game swings at that point, there's huge momentum from the crowd. Celtic dropping points at Aberdeen, I think that had a huge impact on the stat of the game. We had to weather that storm and I think we did that very well. We kept our shape.

"I don't go to Crawford Allan, I don't ask the questions. I can't change the outcome. Maybe it's where we are this season, more and more this season goes on, the more and more I'm convinced that Var isn't helping the game.

"At 0-0, there's still a great opportunity to get something from the game. The vast majority of the first half, you were fairly happy with the performance.

"We can only affect one game at time just now. We're all in this together and we'll be doing everything we can to keep Livingston in the Premiership."

Sean McGill, BBC Sport Scotland

For 40 minutes, Livingston were rigid and showed the "fire in their belly" that David Martindale insisted he and his staff still hold despite their turgid run of form.

But that fire didn't burn bright at the opposite end of the park, registering a xG of absolute zero.

It's the second time since the end of December that Livingston have failed to register a single shot of target, albeit both against the Old Firm.

Not many would have expected them to get anything from Ibrox, but with the clock winding down and their position at the bottom of the table looking more certain by the week, every game counts if they are to beat the drop.

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There's four switches for David Martindale's Livingston, who twice came from behind to draw with Ross County on Wednesday.

Michael McGovern, Michael Nottingham, Steven Bradley and Kurtis Guthrie make way for Shamal George, Shaun Donnellan, Mo Sangare and debutant David Carson.

• Follow our live coverage

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While Barry Robson was shown the door at Pittodrie, staying put in the dugout is Livingston counterpart David Martindale.

A morale-boosting performance and a point against Ross County on Tuesday at last gives the side sitting bottom of the table something to build on as they plot a course to safety.

Livingston are six points adrift of County and Derek Adams' side have played two games fewer.

And up next for Livingston? Title-chasing Rangers at Ibrox.

Not the place where you want to go as you look to end a 15-game run without a league win.

Especially so since Livi have conceded 15 goals in four straight defeats by Rangers without scoring, have not beaten the Ibrox side in 20 meetings since September 2018 and have never won in Govan after 23 visits.

But records, as ever, are there to be broken.

Read the rest of this weekend's Premiership picks here.

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Jason Holt insists Livingston must believe they can fight off relegation, despite their current predicament.

David Martindale's side have not won in 15 league games and sit six points adrift of Ross County, having played two games more.

Livi are away to Rangers on Saturday, and Holt wants to make it as tough as possible for the Ibrox side.

“Obviously, we’ve been conceding a lot of goals which is not good for us," the midfielder said.

“So we know we’re going to come up against a lot of chances on Saturday but we need to make sure we are resolute in our defending, defend the box really well if we want to come away from the game with anything.

“They’re in a really good place at the moment. So it’s going to be really difficult, we are aware of that.

“From the last three years since I’ve been here, it’s been three pretty positive seasons on the whole.

“Obviously we find ourselves in a really difficult situation at the moment, not winning a game for a long time. So it is difficult and we understand that as well.

“But if we stop believing then what chance have you got?

“So obviously we believe that we can get out this situation although we are realistic as to where we are. We know it’s going to be extremely difficult."

We asked what you would like to see happen in West Lothian before tonight's deadline, as well as how you're feeling about the business so far.

Here's what some of you had to say...

Fraser: Carson is an encouraging signing and Donnellan has looked decent. However, the area of the pitch requiring the biggest improvement is still in defence Two centre-backs would be ideal, but I doubt it will happen! The goals we have conceded have been dreadful so we need help at the back.

Anon: Amazing! Just brought in a player that the manager thinks will enhance our midfield defensively. Need players who have confidence to go and win a game, in EVERY position.

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Livingston have announced the permanent signing of midfielder David Carson from Inverness CT, on a deal until the summer of 2025.

The 28-year-old has been a regular for the Scottish Championship side this season, making 23 appearances in all competitions.

“I am delighted to secure David’s signature and bring him into the club," manager David Martindale said.

“He can play in a number of positions but for me is best in a defensive midfield role.

“He has bags of endeavour and desire to work hard for the team and I’m sure this will see him quickly become a fans favourite.”

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• Rangers have never lost at home to Livingston in 24 previous meetings in all competitions (W21 D3). This is the most they have ever faced a side at home in domestic and European competition without losing.

• In all competitions, Livingston have lost 18 of their last 20 games against Rangers (D2) since a 1-0 win in September 2018 under Gary Holt.

• Rangers are unbeaten at Ibrox under Philippe Clement across all competitions, winning eight of their nine home matches under the Belgian, scoring 20 goals and conceding just five.

• Livingston have failed to win any of their last 15 Scottish Premiership matches, losing 12 of those (D3) and failing to score at all in nine of those matches.

• Cyriel Dessers has scored in both of his last two league matches for Rangers, and is looking to score in three Scottish Premiership appearances in a row for the first time.