Livingston

Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "It looked like a Livingston team again. We've been too soft. I mixed it up today and the boys that came in caused a real problem today. Jack Hamilton was terrific. There's a lot of positives but we're talking about positives a lot.

"The difference for me was Lawrence Shankland. His finish for the second goal was tremendous. I'd love to see him move on and see where his career could go. He's done the hard yards, he's a goalscorer and the Hearts fans will hate me for saying this - but it'd be great to see him kick on. Hearts are extremely lucky to have him.

"You've got to trust the technology, but I find it bizarre that it took so long to make the decision. Surely it can be done quicker?

"We didn't start the second half well at all, defensively. It's huge character from the players to come back and get in the game. Big Kurtis [Guthrie] was tremendous today, he's stepped up to the player. I asked players to have my back and the big man done that 100%.

"Outfighting and outrunning opponents is what got us here. I'm an underdog, I'll keep fighting and swinging until matchday 38. I believe the players showed they were behind me today. If we play like we did today, we'll be okay. If we go down, we'll go down fighting. I won't go down with a whimper."

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Livingston: Hamilton, Parkes, Devlin, Obileye, Brandon, Pittman, Holt, Penrice, Bradley, Guthrie, Shinnie.

Substitutes: George, Montano, Anderson, Mackay, Nouble, Sangare, Nottingham, De Lucas, Yengi.

Hearts: Clark, Kent, Halkett, Kingsley, Sibbick, Haring, Nieuwenhof, Cochrane, Vargas, Shankland, Forrest.

Substitutes: Gordon, Oda, Halliday, Denholm, Pollock, Tait, Tagawa, Lowry, Wilson.

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Livingston have only won two of their last 24 top-flight league games against Hearts (D10 L12), although both were at home: 5-0 in December 2018 and 1-0 in September 2022.

Hearts have won just one of their last five top-flight visits to Livingston (D2 L2), a 1-0 triumph in December 2021.

Livingston are winless in 12 league games, losing 10 of them (D2) while scoring only three goals in this spell.

Hearts have picked up 55% of their Scottish Premiership points this season away from home (18/33), the highest ratio in the division. The Jam Tarts have won four of their last five away league outings (L1).

Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland has scored in each of his last five Scottish Premiership games (6 goals); the last British player to score in six consecutive appearances in the competition was Scott Sinclair for Celtic in September 2016, while the last Scot to do so was Leigh Griffiths for Celtic in September 2015.

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Having a break from Scottish Premiership action could give Livingston to impetus to save their top-flight status, says striker Joel Nouble.

Livi are now six points adrift after earning just two points from their past 12 games and face Hearts on Tuesday before the winter hiatus.

During the break, the squad will go to Turkey and Nouble hopes it could be just what they need to get back on track.

“The position we’re in now, taking our minds elsewhere could help rejuvenate the boys and the team bonding could help get us a bit closer,” he said.

“The break could definitely give us an extra five or 10 per cent. I’m still very confident we can stay up.”

Stuart Barrie, Livingston fan

There was to be no Christmas miracle for Livi. Our run of games over the festive period netted a dismal points tally of two from a couple of dull no score draws.

There’s no disguising it, no smoothing over cracks and no dressing it any differently, we’ve not been good enough and are in serious danger of relegation.

We absolutely needed three points from the game against Motherwell, even a draw probably wouldn’t have been enough to kickstart a charge up the table. Sadly, we got a poor performance and what we deserved out of the game, which was nothing.

We were like a team of strangers for the first 45 minutes, all over the shop defensively. Stalwart Scott Pittman gave us a glimmer of hope to make it 2-1 but almost immediately the comedy defending that defined the first half was there for all to see.

It’s hard to see any kind of comeback from our bottom of the table position but we can’t give up like we appeared to for this game. Every week is a battle now, we need courage and character from our players.

Most football clubs have cycles, ups and downs. Our memorable time in the Premiership may be drawing to a close but if we are to go down, I want my team to go down fighting with pride and passion. That’s a minimum requirement.

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It might not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but how did your club fare in the 2023 Premiership table?

The disparity in the number of matches played in the calendar year makes a difference, obviously - we're looking at you Rangers, Aberdeen and especially Dundee.

But it still gives a decent barometer of who had a decent year and who didn't fare quite so well.

We asked you for your thoughts after Livingston lost 3-1 to Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

Here are some of the top comments:

Michael: Statistics don't lie. For a few seasons the ratio of shots on target to goals has been the worst in the league and yesterday's 10% was another example. We need to work the opposition goalkeeper more.

Anon: Understand that we are looking to be more solid at the back and help shore up the defence, but they look like they had never met never mind played together. Penrice and Holty are the two that look like they care the most. Pitman solid as can be. Need to revert to previous formation that saw players in better positions and go for it now. Stop the 3-5-2.

Anon: There’s an air of inevitability about our current position. We have wildly punched above our weight for the past seven years, but with extremely limited resources as a club it doesn’t come as a surprise where we are - a victim of our own success? Huge performances are needed if we want to remain in the Premiership.

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A poor performance at Fir Park makes it 12 league games without victory for David Martindale's Livingston.

We want to know your thoughts, Livi fans.

Have your say.

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Livingston manager David Martindale told BBC Scotland: "It's not the first time (I've not been happy). We've been through it, we've chatted about it, we've been through it on numerous occasions. I thought we had turned a corner, to be honest. I know the results haven't been there but the performances have. Today, I don't think we performed.

"That first half of football was probably one of the worst I've seen since I've been in at Livingston. That doesn't come down to tactics, formations or game plans, that comes down to individuals not taking responsibility and doing their jobs properly. They didn't do that in the first half.

"I take the majority of the responsibility but today that first half performance was not good enough. It was not of the standards I expect of Livingston."

Cam Wanstall, BBC Sport Scotland

Livingston… what is there to say? Sloppy mistakes cost them early on and there was a complete lack of cutting edge quality.

Only one shot on target - Scott Pittman's unorthodox finish - proves there was quite simply not enough quality going forward. Especially so in the second half, in which the home side were content sitting in throughout.

Defensive errors were enforced by a terrific Motherwell press, but failing to hold possession within their own defensive third was Livi's first half downfall and was just as costly as their profligacy in front of goal.

David Martindale makes just the one change to the team that drew with St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Cristian Montano makes his first start for Livingston since a 2-0 defeat to Rangers on 12 November. The Colombian's inclusion sees midfielder Andrew Shinnie start today's game from the bench.

Meanwhile, defender Tom Parkes returns to the matchday squad following a head injury that forced him off at Celtic Park last Saturday.

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Image source, BBC Sport

Motherwell: Kelly, Spencer, O'Donnell, McGinn, Blaney, Gent, Spittal, Zdravkovski, Bair, Shaw, Biereth.

Substitutes: Oxborough, Mugabi, Slattery, Obika, Paton, L Ross, M Ross, Butcher, Wilkinson.

Livingston: George, Nottingham, Devlin, Obileye, Penrice, Pittman, Holt, Montano, Nouble, Anderson, Guthrie.

Substitutes: Hamilton, Parkes, Brandon, Bradley, Sangare, Shinnie, de Lucas, Ledingham, Lawal.

Image source, BBC Sport

Calum Butcher is unlikely to return for Motherwell while Lennon Miller, Dan Casey and Pape Souare remain sidelined.

Livingston expect to have defender Tom Parkes back after he missed Wednesday's draw with St Johnstone follow a head injury that forced him off at Celtic Park last Saturday.

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James Penrice has insisted his Livingston teammates are giving their all as they attempt to escape relegation to the Championship.

The wing-back says there is a huge incentive to win at fellow strugglers Motherwell on Saturday, while also calling out the criticism of Joel Nouble, whose substitution off the park was cheered by sections of the home support on Wednesday.

"Obviously it's massive. With not getting the three [against St Johnstone], it's probably made it even bigger. We just need to go there and go and get the three.

"We need to actually go out on the park and do it and it's not been falling for us. The amount chances we missed [against St Johnstone] but going into Saturday, it's a chance to go and get get three points again and hopefully we're going to do that.

"We all know in there, we can do better and there is a way you go about things. I think we've been trying, there's no doubt about that.

"I would probably put emphasis on going there getting on a wee run, if we went to Motherwell and we go and win. Hopefully that happens and we put a run together and climb up the league.’

On fan criticism of Joel Nouble, he added: "Nobody's going out there and not trying. I think Joel playing out of position, it's not easy.

"I didn't like what happened with the cheering of him coming off us. I don't want to see that. He's a teammate and he's trying his hardest. Nobody's going out there and sacking it off.

"You can say his form this year isn’t the same as last year but you also say that he's playing out of position as well.

"It's not easy with the run we’re in, they're always going to look for somebody to kind of hack down, but we're going to stick together and we'll do that, and Joel was definitely there with us."

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Not only are Motherwell and Livingston the bottom two sides in the Premiership, but they're also enduring lengthy winless runs that have them in danger of losing touch with the chasing pack.

Should either team claim three points in their basement battle at Fir Park on Saturday, the victors would enjoy a real morale boost, while the losers would face even more doom and gloom, says The Times' Michael Grant.

Speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast, he said: "This is going to sound cruel, but I hope that neither of them win tomorrow. I really hope this is a draw and that us and the media can still keep writing about these winless runs that they both have.

"I know it sounds a bit vulture-ish, but it is interesting to see how far it'll go. Motherwell - no wins in 15.

"I'm being flippant because it will be pretty horrible around both clubs at the moment, for the staff and the players and everybody at the club. You're under such a cloud when you go so long without winning.

"One of them probably will win tomorrow and suddenly the skies part and the sun comes through and everybody feels better about themselves, but if there's another loser tomorrow, it's really bleak.

"And all of that is apart from the relegation issue, which of course they're the bottom two at the moment and in danger of just drifting away."

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"Mentally strong" Joel Nouble affirmed he will not be fazed by criticism from Livingston fans and backs himself to get back to his best.

The 27-year-old striker has not scored since August and was booed by some supporters before being sarcastically cheered off when he was substituted in the 80th minute of Wednesday’s goalless draw with St Johnstone.

Asked if he was hurt by what happened, Nouble said: “No. Fans are entitled to their opinion.

“They pay their hard-earned money to come to the game and if they’re not happy with the performance, they’re allowed to voice their opinion.

“I’m just focused on trying to help the team win and hopefully that gets the fans back on my side.

“I’m strong mentally. I’ve been through a lot worse in life than getting a bad reception from fans. Obviously teammates and family will always want to check up on you and see how you’re feeling but I’ve told them I’m fine.

“This isn’t going to define my season or my career. Obviously at the time it isn’t the best but the best thing I can do is focus on the next game.

“I don’t take it to heart.”

Nouble was applauded for his performances last term, but has struggled this season as the Lions have slipped to the foot of the Premiership with no wins in their last 11 games.

The forward-thinker feels playing wing-back in a 3-5-2 recently instead of on the left wing in a 4-3-3 has taken an edge off his play.

“I might not be on my best form but I’m always a confident person and always have self-belief,” he said. “I’m very confident I can get back to my best.

“[Criticism] is something that won’t ever go away, whether it’s fans or media, but I'd back myself to overcome any situation.

"Last year I was playing left-wing and in three of the last four games I’ve been playing wing-back so the opportunities I’m getting in games to show my abilities probably isn’t the same as last season, but wherever the gaffer puts me I’m going to try and perform well.”

Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell dismisses the notion that Saturday's meeting with bottom side Livingston is a six-pointer, with Well four points ahead of David Martindale's side. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip

• Motherwell are unbeaten in 14 top-flight home games against Livingston (W11 D3) since a 5-1 defeat in October 2002 under Terry Butcher. The Steelmen have won their last four such games in a row.

• After their 2-0 win in October, Livingston could pick up successive top-flight wins over Motherwell for the first time since December 2002, when they won five in a row.

• Motherwell have lost their final league match in four of the last six calendar years (W2), although one of the two exceptions in this time was in 2021 when they beat Livingston 2-1.

• Livingston have won just one of their last 18 away league games (D2 L15), losing their last six in a row on the road.

• Since winning three of their first four Scottish Premiership games in 2023-24 (D1), Motherwell have failed to win and picked up just six points in 15 matches (D6 L9), the fewest of any side in that time.

Livi travel to Fir Park to face Motherwell on Saturday in a battle of the bottom two.

Would you make any changes to the team who drew 0-0 against St Johnstone?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and tell us your starting XI here.