Livingston

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  1. Rangers 4-0 Livingston: Manager reactionpublished at 22:22 27 September 2023

    Livingston manager David Martindale told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound: "I think the first goal's a foul. It's a clear hands on. For the life of me I don't know how we've not got a foul there.

    "I don't think anyone goes out to make bad decisions. Football's about opinions. It comes down to the opinions of people making those decisions. My opinion of it is that it's a foul.

    "We started the second half fairly well. We give a second goal away, a cheap second goal. At that point, we've got a mountain to climb. Third goal's really, really basic - schoolboy defending. Rangers were probably value for their four goals."

  2. Rangers 4-0 Livingston: Analysispublished at 22:12 27 September 2023

    BBC Scotland's Martin Dowden at Ibrox

    Livingston just could not get out or retain possession for any length of time. However, a slight dip in Rangers' level for a short spell afforded the visitors some hope and they came very close to levelling.

    David Martindale will be frustrated at the opening, encouraged by the moments that brought a glimmer of hope but ultimately will feel a sense of deja vu having seen a similar outcome on their last visit to Ibrox.

    It felt like a long shot given they have never won at Ibrox and ultimately that proved to be the case.

  3. Rangers v Livingston: Changespublished at 19:06 27 September 2023

    Rangers make four changes from the team that beat Motherwell on Sunday with Ridvan Yilmaz, Ryan Jack, Kemar Roofe and Abdallah Sima restored to the starting XI.

    Borna Barisic, Scott Wright and Cyriel Dessers drop to the bench with the injured Rabbi Matondo missing out.

    Livingston also make four alterations following their weekend loss to Celtic, starting at the back with Sean Kelly coming into defence. Stephen Kelly and Daniel MacKay are added to midfield and Kurtis Guthrie joins the attack.

    Andrew Shinnie, Mo Sangare, Scott Pittman and Bruce Anderson make way and all four are listed as substitutes.

    Livingston players Daniel MacKay and Kurtis Guthrie at IbroxImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Livingston players Daniel MacKay and Kurtis Guthrie pre-match at Ibrox

  4. Rangers v Livingston: Line-upspublished at 19:03 27 September 2023

    Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Yilmaz, Lundstram, Jack, Cifuentes, Lammers, Roofe, Sima.

    Substitutes: McCrorie, Souttar, Dessers, Sterling, Wright, Balogun, Barisic, Rice, McKinnon.

    Livingston: George, Sean Kelly, Brandon, De Lucas, Obileye, Penrice, Stephen Kelly, Holt, MacKay, Guthrie, Joel Nouble.

    Substitutes: Hamilton, Parkes, Pittman, Anderson, Bradley, Sangare, Shinnie, Lloyd, Lawal.

  5. Penrice aims to feed Rangers fans' frustrationspublished at 11:27 27 September 2023

    James Penrice hopes Livingston can tap into the fan unrest at Ibrox and stage a Viaplay Cup upset tonight.

    Rangers host Livingston in the quarter-finals three days after being booed off by some of their supporters despite beating Motherwell 1-0.

    Defender Penrice said: "I think you look at that every game when you go away from home. Places like Hibs, Hearts, if you can turn the fans, then you are going to have a better chance of winning the game.

    "Going there, keeping at 0-0 for the first 15 minutes, and trying to nick a goal, it would be massive for us, just to try and turn the tide.

    "We will go there and try to frustrate them and try to get through."

    James PenriceImage source, SNS
  6. Rangers v Livingston: Team newspublished at 19:15 26 September 2023

    Rangers are set to be without Rabbi Matondo for six weeks after he sustained a knee injury in Sunday’s 1-0 win against Motherwell.

    The winger came off in the first half of their cinch Premiership victory at the weekend and becomes the latest player to be sidelined ahead of the Viaplay Cup quarter-final against Livingston on Wednesday.

    Rangers are still without Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell due to knee injuries, while Tom Lawrence and Nico Raskin are sidelined with calf problems and Danilo misses out through a fractured cheekbone.

    Livingston hope to have Mikey Devlin back from injury, while Michael Nottingham (Achilles) and Cristian Montano (calf) are getting close to fitness but will not make the game.

  7. Pick your Livi XI for Rangers clashpublished at 12:50 26 September 2023

    Livingston travel to Ibrox to face Rangers for the quarter-finals of the Viaplay Cup on Wednesday.

    Livi lost 3-0 against Celtic in the league last time out, but David Martindale’s men will be hoping to cause an upset and pile the pressure on Michael Beale.

    Choose you Livi XI for the game here.

    Livingston selector graphic
  8. 'Livi barely laid a glove on 10-man Celtic'published at 11:12 26 September 2023

    Livi talking point graphic

    Stuart Barrie, Livingston fan

    In past seasons we’ve had a terrific record against Celtic and with the visitors having a tricky European away game earlier in the week there was a bit of optimism around this fixture. Maybe it was blind hope, but I felt we may nick something.

    For the most part it was a fairly even game with both teams having good chances. Then Joe Hart ruined our game plan by getting sent off and Celtic stepped up a gear. To be fair, for a couple of goals we were the victims of our own demise. The manager made some positive changes and threw on forward players, adopting a more attacking approach, but it didn’t work and we barely laid a glove on the visitors.

    When you’re 2-0 down against a quality side like Celtic it’s hard to claw your way back into the game even if they have 10 men. They may have been a man down but you wouldn’t have noticed with the running their forward players do. We may not get a better chance to beat Celtic, so this one was disappointing.

    What was pleasing is the full stands. Loads of clubs have cut back on Old Firm visitors’ tickets. I’m fine with giving away the three stands. Its makes for a cracking atmosphere and the cash it brings in could be a lifeline for us.

  9. Martindale understands 'job at risk' with new owner published at 09:10 26 September 2023

    David Martindale admits the change of ownership at Livingston could cost him his job after 10 years with the West Lothian club. (Scottish Sun)

    Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

    Scottish gossipImage source, BBC Sport
  10. New owner a 'huge positive' - Martindalepublished at 13:47 25 September 2023

    Livingston's change of ownership is a "huge positive" for the club, says manager David Martindale, although he admits that he knows very little about the new owner.

    It was announced on Sunday that Baycup Ltd and John McIlvogue have taken a majority stake in the Scottish Premiership club, with McIlvogue joining the board and becoming chief commercial officer.

    Chief executive Dave Black and chairman John Ward will remain in their roles.

    “I don’t really know anymore than you guys but what I will say is there’s a new owner and it’s got to be a positive for the football club, because where we have been for the past three or four years has not been great," Martindale said.

    “I am going to be really honest, it’s been really, really difficult for the staff in the club.

    “So to have fresh impetus, a fresh skill-set coming into the building and hopefully upstairs aligned with downstairs and a wee bit of help upstairs for everybody in the club, that’s a huge, huge positive for the club.

    “I have not even met these new owners or the new owner, whatever it is. I don’t even know him, but I just know it needed done and hopefully this is the step in the right direction.”

    Martindale in his pre-match press conferenceImage source, SNS
  11. Livingston 0-3 Celtic: Your views published at 18:59 24 September 2023

    your viewsImage source, SNS

    We asked how you felt following defeat at home to Celtic.

    Kieran: Definitely went into today thinking we could take points away, so was encouraged going into half time against 10 men and only a goal down. Lineup looked positive too. Disappointed to let the lead slip in the second half, missing that defensive solidity that’s gotten us this strong start to the season. I can imagine we missed Devlin at the back.

  12. Highlights: Livingston 0-3 Celtic published at 18:37 24 September 2023

    Media caption,

    Watch the action as 10-man Celtic overcome Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.

  13. Livingston 0-3 Celtic: What did the manager say?published at 15:37 23 September 2023

    Livingston manager David Martindale told BBC Scotland: "If we had ended that game 1-0, we probably could've taken it on the chin but ultimately we lost that game 2-0 against 10 men.

    "My expectations, the players', the staff's expectations are greater than that. That's really the disappointing aspect of the game.

    "Against 10 men for 60 minutes, we've got to do better. And I've got to hold my hands up as well. Maybe I never quite got my substitutions right. Credit to Celtic."

  14. Livingston 0-3 Celtic: Analysispublished at 14:35 23 September 2023

    BBC Scotland's Kheredine Idessane at the Tony Macaroni Arena

    Down to nine men in defeat against Feyenoord in the Champions League in midweek, Celtic once again failed to finish with the full complement but were not exposed as they returned to the relative warmth of the domestic comfort blanket.

    Which is why this victory will feel like an especially valuable one. Winning in West Lothian has not been easy for Celtic in the past few years, even with 11 players, so to do it – and do it comfortably - a man down for over an hour speaks volumes for those who remained on the park when Joe Hart was ordered from it.

    Brendan Rodgers said a week ago the learning process under a new manager is an evolving one but in the first half hour, his side played with an urgency, fluidity and variety that must have pleased him greatly.

    Before his red card, Hart made a key stop to keep Celtic level when the game was still goalless and in his absence, his team-mates made it look like they had just as much space, time and possession as they did before his departure.

    In Matt O’Riley, they have a player blossoming under the new Rodgers regime – four goals from midfield already this season.

    And in Daizen Maeda, they have a player who’s capable of great moments of quality as well as covering more and more ground.

    Substitute goalkeeper Scott Bain came on in the 28th minute and would possibly have been expecting a busy afternoon thereafter but it was his opposite number Shamal George who had to be sharp to make sure the 10 men did not increase their lead still further.

    That’s five wins and a draw in the league despite a defensive injury crisis and the introduction of midweek Champions League football. Not a bad position to be in ahead of a free week when Celtic have plenty of time to recover and prepare for the trip to Fir Park in seven days’ time.

    Celtic celebrate after Reo Hatate scores a penalty against LivingstonImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Reo Hatate (second from left) got Celtic's first from the penalty spot

  15. Livingston 0-3 Celtic: Who impressed?published at 14:27 23 September 2023

    But for Livingston goalkeeper Shamal George, Celtic's margin of victory would have been greater.

    Livingston goalkeeper Shamal George makes a save to deny Celtic's Daizen MaedaImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Livingston goalkeeper Shamal George makes a save to deny Celtic's Daizen Maeda

  16. Two Livingston changes as Forrest makes rare Celtic startpublished at 11:47 23 September 2023

    Livingston make two changes following last week's draw at Ross County with Mo Sangare and Scott Pittman coming in for the injured Mikey Devlin and benched Stephen Kelly.

    Just one alteration to the Celtic team that lost to Feyenoord on Tuesday with veteran winger James Forrest starting in place of Luis Palma, who makes the bench. Forrest last started a match in January.

    James ForrestImage source, SNS
  17. Livingston v Celtic: Line-upspublished at 11:38 23 September 2023

    Livingston: George, Brandon, Obileye, De Lucas, Penrice, Sangare, Pittman, Holt, Shinnie, Anderson, Nouble.

    Substitutes: Hamilton, Parkes, Kelly, MacKay, Bradley, Kelly, Lloyd, Guthrie, Lawal.

    Celtic: Hart, A Johnston, Lagerbielke, Scales, Taylor, O'Riley, McGregor, Hatate, Forrest, Kyogo, Maeda.

    Substitutes: Bain, Palma, Yang, Turnbull, Holm, Oh, Tomoki, Bernardo, Ralston.