Livingston

Brian McLauchlin, BBC Sport Scotland

Livingston manager David Martindale has been speaking to the media before his side's trip to face Celtic on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Martindale is "baffled" by players at the club who seem happy to take wages without featuring in the team, saying they "need to move on".

• His budget is the "lowest it's ever been in the Premiership", making it difficult to bring in the four top-flight level players he wants in January.

• Keeping Livingston in the division would be his "best sporting achievement" taking into account top-six finishes and cup finals.

• Driving investment is tough due to the "off-field structure", size of fanbase and litigation.

• He expects Celtic will "have a point to prove" after their defeat to Hearts last week, a result that makes Livi's challenge "more difficult".

• Mikey Devlin's suspension is the only team news of note, but Martindale admits he may have rested the defender anyway with "massive" games to come.

Image source, SNS

• Celtic have never lost at home to Livingston in 19 meetings in all competitions (W16 D3); only against Dumbarton (26) and Stirling Albion (21) have the Hoops played more home games across major competitions without ever losing.

• Livingston have won none and lost 16 of their last 18 away league games against reigning top-flight champions, only avoiding defeat via 0-0 draws with Celtic in April 2019 and January 2021.

• Celtic’s 52-match unbeaten run at home in the Scottish Premiership came to an end last time out against Hearts (2-0), while they haven’t lost consecutive home league matches since May 2004.

• Livingston have lost each of their last five away matches when up against the reigning Scottish champions, losing to Celtic three times and Rangers twice during this run.

• Celtic’s Matt O’Riley the joint top scorer in the Premiership this season with nine goals (in 17 appearances), which is two more than he managed in his previous two campaigns combined (seven goals in 54 appearances).

Image source, SNS

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland at Pittodrie

Livingston captain Mikey Devlin insists it's not yet time to hit the panic button despite his side losing their ninth consecutive league game.

David Martindale's team did score for their first goal since October on Wednesday night, but two goals from Bojan Miovski consigned them to defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Devlin said: "It is not a time to panic, there is an awareness we are not doing well enough ultimately but it is not time to panic.

"I think the last three performances, our process in the build up to the game and how we have played and how we have approached the game, there has not been a lot wrong and we are not quite getting the outcome that we want just now, but we need continuity in levels of performances and with that I believe the outcome will come.

"You have to constantly believe. When you are on a run of results like this confidence takes a hit, and the self belief within the team as a group.

"Ultimately, we believe that there is more than enough in that changing room and through the right performances, and the performance levels being where they need to be, we believe we can get the results."

• Livingston have failed to win in their last nine games in the Scottish Premiership, their last longer winless streak was from 20 March 2021 to 11 September 2021, a run of 11 games.

• Livingston lost after scoring the opening goal in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 4 March 2023 against Hibernian (seven games without defeat).

• Kurtis Guthrie attempted four shots in this game, the joint-highest total for a Livingston player in the Scottish Premiership this season.

• Post-Game Insight Aberdeen 2 - 1 Livingston

  James Penrice has assisted two goals this season (one in this game), more than any other Livingston player in the Scottish Premiership.

Image source, SNS

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Were you at Pittodrie on Wednesday or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

Livingston manager David Martindale: "The top end of the park was the difference, if I'm being brutally honest.

"We've got to get better for the two goals, we give Bojan Miovski too much room in the box. But I've got to caveat that with he's one of the best strikers in the league. I think he's class.

"We created some good chances, we got behind them on a number of occasions. Wee Brucey has the best chance of the game. He's clean through and doesn't hit the target.

"Really that's the story of the game."

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland at Pittodrie

There was a lot to like about Livingston's performance.

They were organised and dogged, qualities that will get you so far.

But it is capitalising on the big moments that wins you games, and Bruce Anderson’s failure to convert when he was in on goal is a case in point.

That sums up life at the bottom of the table, but it is something that is going to have to change if David Martindale’s side are to get themselves out of trouble.

Sean Kelly has not recovered from a knock in the goalless draw with Kilmarnock, so Jamie Brandon comes into the Livingston XI for tonight's match away to Aberdeen.

Brandon will slot in as a wing-back, with Joel Nouble pushing up front.

• Follow the action

Image source, BBC Sport

Jane Lewis discusses all the big news in Scottish football with former Rangers, Carlisle, Falkirk and Dundee striker Rory Loy and Ryan Cryle, joint sports editor of the Press and Journal and Evening Express.

As well as previewing Rangers v St Johnstone and Aberdeen v Livi, they take a look at the Old Firm ticketing row, celebrate the legend that is Kenny Dalglish and, as Derek Adams stands by his controversial critique of the game in this country, they assess a range of ideas for improving Scottish football.

Listen to the full episode here.

• Aberdeen have won both of their last two home league games against Livingston, and have never won three in a row at home to them in the top-flight before.

• Livingston have taken 10 points from their last six league games against Aberdeen (W3 D1 L2), as many as their previous 18 against them beforehand (W2 D4 L12).

• After beating Hearts 2-1, Aberdeen are looking to win back-to-back league games for just a second time this season, after doing so in September. At home, the Dons last won successive home league fixtures in April last season (run of five).

• Livingston have only won one of their last 16 away league games (D2 L13), a 3-2 win at Hibernian in August. They have lost their last four on the road, failing to score in their last three.

• 20 of Bojan Miovski’s 22 goals in the Scottish Premiership for Aberdeen have come at Pittodrie (91%). Indeed, the North Macedonian has scored (5) or assisted (1) six of the Don’s last eight home league goals (75%).

Livingston head to Pittodrie on Wednesday night, looking to end their winless run and ease their relegation fears.

Would you make any changes to the starting line-up if your were in David Martindale's shoes? Pick your Livi XI here.

Aberdeen’s Jack MacKenzie has returned to training after recovering from a hamstring injury and will be assessed. Fellow defender Slobodan Rubezic is suspended.

Livingston could be at full strength if Sean Kelly recovers in time from the knock that forced him off in Saturday’s goalless draw with Kilmarnock.

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Cristian Montano believes Livingston have a big chance to change the dynamic of their season in the coming weeks.

They have five matches and 15 points to play for over the festive period – including Wednesday’s trip to Aberdeen – and Montano is confident they can ease their predicament before they get a chance to “regroup” during the winter break and add some new faces in the January transfer window.

“There’s a lot of things that can come into play here,” said the Colombian. “We’re in a busy period, but we’re also coming up to a period where we can have a break and regroup.

“Hopefully we can get a few results to go into that on a positive note. And hopefully the board and gaffer can look at different things as well because we do need some new additions to help us kick on for the second part of the season.

“If you look at the injuries and suspensions we’ve had, we’ve been light when we’ve lost two or three players. If we can get a couple of new faces in, it will help us.

“That goes for any other team but I feel like we need that, especially with the season we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of players from the core of last season’s team missing through injuries and if we get new faces in that could help give us more balance.”

Montano is in his third season at Livingston and he feels previous challenging periods at the club can help them get back on track this time.

“When you’re trying to be successful at anything, you’re not just going to go all the way up in a straight line,” he said. “You’re going to have roadblocks, you’re going to have setbacks. In my time here, it’s always been like that.

“It’s never been a smooth ride. My first season here wasn’t smooth. Even last season, when we had a great start, it didn’t end so well. We’ve always had roadblocks and now we’re having it earlier in the season.

“We just have to look at those experiences we’ve had in the last few seasons and how we dealt with those setbacks. We know we can come out the other side and make it all work. It’s about staying calm and believing in ourselves.”

Image source, BBC Sport

Stuart Barrie, Livingston fan

On the bright side, we didn’t lose this.

The reality is we really could have done with a win and perhaps should have won this one, especially when we had a penalty late on. When Bruce Andrerson swerved his spot kick wide to hit the post, it probably was the most gutted I’ve been at the football in a long time. He’s an out and out goal scorer and will be gutted too, but Bruce has to put it behind him and get focused on what he does best for the team, scoring goals.

It’s well documented we’re on a poor run and Livi fans would need to head to YouTube to see what a goal looks like it’s been that long.

The players look very low on confidence. We’re not playing anything like the football we can play. We’re a bit one dimensional at the moment with a direct style and there’s a fair bit of hoofing it.

There was a few times I felt for Holty when he was looking for the pass but simply had no options so had to go long. I don’t think they players are hiding but they don’t seem to have the same desire we had earlier in the season to take the ball and pass it. Hence, we go long and it just gets fired back at us so we’re under pressure again.

The last few weeks have seen some negativity from the stands. That’s understandable from fans when they are concerned about how things are going and not seeing our team hit the heights we know they can hit. However, there was some good backing from most of the fans for the players and management team which was good to see.

We’ve got a couple of hard away fixtures coming up in Aberdeen and at Celtic, but we need a good performance at least. Get that and we can get into our next couple of home games against Hearts and St Johnstone which are massive for us now.

David Martindale says "versatile" Shaun Donnellan's arrival will allow him to focus on bringing in attacking players as the club look to preserve their Premiership status.

The 27-year-old, who was a Republic of Ireland under-21 international, will join up with Livingston on 1 January 2024, first being available against Hearts a day later.

Donnellan joins on a two-and-a-half year deal from English National League South side, Torquay United, where Martindale has monitored him since the summer.

"I worked hard to bring him to the club but Torquay squashed my interest early doors," Martindale told the club's website.

“This November, Shaun was in a position to sign a pre-contract with ourselves and I’m delighted that he has chosen to do so.

“Everything was done with Torquay’s permission, and it has now developed that they are willing to let Shaun move on in January 2024 rather than waiting until the end of the season.

“Shaun is very versatile and can play a number of positions – right back, right wing-back, right centre back and defensive midfield.

“He will bring a lot of versatility to the squad and that should allow us to move one or two on in the defensive areas, while focusing our recruitment more in the offensive areas now that we know we have Shaun over the line."