Livingston

David Martindale has been speaking to the media before Livingston's Premiership game with Motherwell on Saturday.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• A full training week with no interruptions has enabled Martindale to "get detail into the players”.

• On St Johnstone captain Liam Gordon’s sending off last weekend against Livi, which has since been overturned on appeal, he says he doesn’t think Joel Nouble was going anywhere but there was contact and he “can see why it was given and why St Johnstone are aggrieved”.

• He’s expecting a difficult game against Motherwell despite their three-game losing run and says their “structure, stability and continuity is very good, they’ve got a defined shape on and off the ball".

• He’s not focusing on past results and says “it’s going to be a very difficult league this year” and the “shift in the table is going to be evident”.

• Martindale says he will "never leave Livingston off of my own back” and that the club has "changed my life".

• Mikey Devlin is available after injury, while Cristian Montano and Michael Nottingham are back running.

Livingston women's striker Jen Dodds will combine playing duties with a key role as the club's football operations manager and media officer.

Dodds, who helped fire Livi to promotion to SWPL2 last season, will work alongside chief executive Dave Black and secretary Tricia McKenna.

“I’m delighted to be on board and already really enjoying the role so far,” said Dodds.

“After graduating in a sports course at university recently, I was keen to get involved in football and I’m really pleased to be able to do that here at Livingston.

“From the outside coming in, it has been eye-opening to see the work that goes on behind the scenes. I hope to continue the good work that has been done by those here previously and grow that and develop it in the coming weeks and months.”

Livingston host Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday looking for a first win since August.

Would you make changes to the side if you were in David Martindale's shoes? Pick your Livi XI here.

Stuart Barrie, Livingston fan

Another point on the road can only be a good thing. We maybe didn’t fire on all cylinders but it’s a good point to take.

There is a bit of controversy over some of the decisions given. Over the season it's some you win and some you lose, I think on Saturday we got the rub of the green.

I have to admit being terrified when we got that penalty; David Martindale had hair the last time we converted a spot-kick.

We have missed so many penalties I thought we would be the first team to ask not to take one to save the heartache and embarrassment of missing another. But up steps Sean Kelly and all is well from 12 yards again.

Another positive is that big Joel Nouble looked livelier after being a bit below par for a while. Jason Holt was very good and despite losing a goal I thought we defended decently too.

It wasn’t just a point won, it was keeping St Johnstone at arm’s length that was just as important.

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked for your views on Livingston's 1-1 draw with St Johnstone

Malcolm: Time up for Davie, ran out of ideas, team needs fresh ideas, hope, future NOW.

BBC Scotland's Tyrone Smith at McDiarmid Park

Livingston forward Joel Nouble insists "the only way is up" after their "decent" start to the season.

Livi have lost two of their opening seven Scottish Premiership games, against Rangers and Celtic. However, four draws mean they currently find themselves 10th in the table.

"Other than the Old Firm we haven’t lost to another team so, we don’t go into games trying to get a point, we want to win games but getting a point is better than nothing so I feel it has been a decent start," Nouble said after Saturday's 1-1 draw with St Johnstone in Perth.

"As players we are always trying to strive for more, we want to get more three points on the board but for now I feel like it has been an alright start.

"Wins make the difference in this league. So far, we haven’t been able to do that a lot but it is a long season so, in our opinion, the only way is up and we can only get better.

"We feel like we are still playing a different formation to last season, we are still getting the hang of it, we are probably a bit defensively more solid, but up the pitch where I am, we have got to do better and chip in with more goals, but I am confident me and the boys can always improve and do that."

Image source, SNS

Livingston manager David Martindale: "I think St Johnstone were probably well worth the money in the first half, I think there was a wee bit of an overhang from us. I thought we were really slow, really passive, and quite lethargic in the opening stages of the game.

"St Johnstone got their just rewards, they pressed us quite high up the park obviously Steven [MacLean]’s information would have been that we played Wednesday night and not had the recovery that they’d had.

"We tweaked a couple of bits and bobs at halftime and get a wee bit fortunate in terms of how we got the entry into the box for the penalty. Joel sees the space and does really well so we get a wee bit fortunate in how we got back into the game.

"From that stage I thought we were value for money, I thought we were quite good.

"We never really challenge their keeper to be honest but we pressed them and worked the ball really well, and moved them side to side and got a wee bit of joy from that in the second half.

"The sending off made it a wee bit more difficult for us as they dropped into a 4-4-1, so they hold on for the draw and to be fair a draw was probably about the right result to be honest."

Were you at the match in Perth or following along from home?

Either way, we want your thoughts. Have your say here.

His on-the-ball quality didn't shine as much as previously today but Joel Nouble showed great work ethic to constantly hassle the St Johnstone defenders.

He won his side's important penalty and then was on the receiving end of the tackle that reduced Saints to ten men.

Image source, SNS

Tyrone Smith, BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park

As for Livi, I guess this will maybe go down as a decent point on the road.

It is actually their fourth draw in seven games and if David Martindale can start turning those draws into wins, then they could find themselves challenging further up the table.

However, if they can’t then they could find it difficult to get themselves away from the Premiership basement.

David Martindale also makes a quartet of changes to his side, who were hammered 4-0 at Ibrox on midweek League Cup duty.

Luiyi de Lucas, Stephen Kelly, Dan MacKay, and Kurtis Guthrie are all benched.

With Tom Parkes, Mo Sangare, Andrew Shinnie, and Bruce Anderson replacing them.

• Follow all of the action this afternoon here

St Johnstone: Mitov, Wright, Gordon, Considine, Robinson, Carey, Sprangler, Phillips, Costelloe, Kucheriavyi, Jephcott

Substitutes: Richards, Gallacher, May, MacPherson, Olufunwa, McClelland, Smith, Turner-Cooke, Franczak

Livingston: George, Parkes, Obileye, Anderson, Brandon, Holt, Nouble, Sangare, Shinnie, Kelly, Penrice

Substitutes: Hamilton, Pittman, Kelly, MacKay, Bradley, De Lucas, Lloyd, Guthrie, Lawal

St Johnstone hope Chris Kane and Liam Gordon will shake off knocks while DJ Jaiyesimi is making good progress following a hamstring injury but will not make the game.

Nicky Clark (ankle), Ali Crawford (calf), Ross Sinclair (broken arm) and Callum Booth (back) all remain sidelined.

Livingston boss David Martindale will assess a few bumps and bruises after the midweek defeat at Ibrox. Livi hope to have Mikey Devlin back from injury, while Michael Nottingham (Achilles) and Cristian Montano (calf) are building up their fitness.

Image source, SNS

Sean Kelly believes Livingston's game at St Johnstone on Saturday is unlikely to be one for the purists, but says it's the type of fixture where "seasons are going to be made".

Saints are three points adrift at the bottom and have yet to bank a win this season, while 10th-place Livi are seeeking a first victory in four league outings.

"I think we know what to expect going to St Johnstone, it's always going to be a difficult game," said defender Kelly.

“I don't imagine it's going to be necessarily the prettiest game people have watched, just going off pure stereotypes.

"It's a massive game even this early in the season given the way the league table's shaping up already.

"These are the games where seasons are going to be made against teams that are in and about us.

"Obviously you can take the Rangers and Celtic games in isolation, but if you're going to have a decent season these are the games where we need to win."

Kelly, 30, made his first start of the season in the midweek Viaplay Cup exit to Rangers after an injury absence.

"Fitness-wise I'm obviously not 100% perfect, being the first game, but I'm delighted to be back," he said.

"It felt as the [Rangers] game went on I grew personally stronger and the team grew stronger until the second goal, which obviously came at our best spell."

Six games in and it's already looking bleak for St Johnstone with just two points and two goals scored. The Perth side are three points adrift at the foot of the table and need to get some wins to avoid becoming detached.

Manager Steven MacLean also faces a tricky trip to Aberdeen before the next international break, emphasising the need to take something this weekend against Livingston.

Counterpart David Martindale is not under nearly the same amount of pressure but Livi are licking their wounds after losing heavily to both 10-man Celtic last Saturday and Rangers in the cup.

Livingston have built a reputation of doing enough to steer clear of danger by picking up points in fixtures just like this. But defeat would mean three losses inside eight days for Martindale's team.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

Livingston travel to St Johnstone for a crucial Premiership contest on Saturday.

After a 4-0 defeat against Rangers in the League Cup, should David Martindale change things up?

Make yourself the manager and pick your Livi XI here.

Livingston manager David Martindale says four Rangers players admitted Abdallah Sima's controversial opener in the sides' League Cup quarter-final on Wednesday should not have stood. (Scottish Daily Mail print edition)

Read all of Friday's Scottish Gossip

The Scottish Premiership game between Aberdeen and Livingston on 4 November has been postponed because the Pittodrie side will be playing in the Viaplay Cup semis that weekend.

A new date for the league match in Aberdeen will be confirmed by the SPFL "in due course".

Image source, SNS

David Martindale has questioned why the video assistant referee didn’t intervene in Rangers’ opening goal against Livingston on Wednesday night.

Abdallah Sima looked to have pushed Jamie Brandon before running through to score and send Rangers on the way to a 4-0 win and Viaplay Cup semi-final against Hearts.

Referee Willie Collum gave the goal and VAR Nick Walsh did not ask him to review the incident.

Speaking before his side’s weekend trip to face St Johnstone, Livi boss Martindale said: "It is frustrating. We got a six-figure invoice the other day for VAR. It is a good bit above six figures and you get these decisions - you are hoping that VAR is going to help to make the right decision.

"In those circumstances it would have been beneficial if Willie had been asked to look at the monitor and if the on-field referee watches it and says it is not a foul, you probably take it a wee bit more on the chin.

"In hindsight, a wee bit frustrated, a wee bit angry by the decision.

"But I would rather the referee on the park gets the opportunity to use the technology and at that point if Willie says he doesn't think it is a foul then it puts the debate to bed, it curbs any argument I have got.

"I genuinely felt Willie was going to blow for a foul and then I thought okay, the technology, the people in the VAR studio will give us the foul.

"I was at the [Rangers v Motherwell] game on Sunday and there was one on Tav [Rangers skipper James Tavernier] and I don't think there was anywhere near the force used in that one but Rangers got the decision.

"So it's going back to consistency, because I think there was more of an infringement last night than on Sunday. So I am a wee bit disappointed."

Livingston announced on Sunday night that Baycup Ltd and sole director John McIlvogue had acquired a majority shareholding of the club.

Martindale said: "He was in on Tuesday and floating around all the staff when I was training. We had a quick five-minute chat. I will hopefully get a good chat next week."

Image source, SNS

• No team has faced more shots (103), more shots on target (40) or had more expected goals against (12.3) than St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership this season, while only Ross County and Livingston (both 11) have conceded more goals than the Perth side's 10.

• Livingston have recorded four draws from their last eight top-flight matches, which is as many as they had in their previous 21.

• St Johnstone are yet to win in the league this season (P6 D2 L4); the last time they failed to win any of their first seven matches in a top-flight season was in 2019-20 when they failed to win their first nine (D4 L5).

• Livingston’s last six league visits to St Johnstone have seen them alternate between winning (3 times) and not winning (D1 L2), losing most recently 2-0 in May last season as Saints ended a three-game losing run in this fixture.

Livingston chief executive Dave Black attacks the decision not to overturn Rangers' opening goal in last night's 4-0 loss at Ibrox, using social media to say "...incredibly difficult to take the fact that we also have to pay for the introduction of VAR but still have to put up and shut up with this sort of error even yet." (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

Image source, BBC Sport