Livingston

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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.”

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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.

Were you at Livingston's defeat or following from home?

Have your say on Livingston v Celtic here

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."

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.

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

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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.

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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.

Livingston captain Mikey Devlin is a doubt due to the injury that forced him off towards the end of the last game against Ross County.

Sean Kelly is back in contention after his recent absence but Cristian Montano (calf) will miss out again.

Nat Phillips (ankle) remains a doubt for Celtic as Yuki Kobayashi, Mikey Johnston and Marco Tilio edge closer to fitness.

Liel Abada (thigh), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki (both hamstring) and Stephen Welsh (ankle) remain on the sidelines.

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Late developer Danny Lloyd is determined to savour his time at Livingston as he ekes the most out of his career that only turned professional at age 25.

The 31-year-old Liverpudlian, who joined David Martindale’s side last month on a short-term deal until January, said: “I was always trying my best and playing at National League North level for quite some time.

“From 21 to 25 I think I played four consecutive seasons at National League level. I was just one of those lads it didn’t happen for very early on, but I stuck to it.

“I had a very good job at the time working alongside football. I was enjoying that and playing football.

“I had a couple of good seasons at Fylde and fancied a change, then went to Stockport and everything just clicked for me. I scored 29 goals and had 20 assists in that season then Peterborough offered me a deal in League One. I jumped from National League to League one and haven’t really looked back.

“I’m absolutely buzzing at the opportunity here and will be doing my best to not let it pass me by.”

Lloyd made his Livingston debut off the bench in last weekend’s draw with Ross County and is now gearing up for one of the biggest games of his career when Celtic visit West Lothian on Saturday.

On telling his family he was coming to Scotland, he says: “My fiancée said ‘Get yourself up there.’ I have had unbelievable support from my family network. They are right behind me and I couldn’t ask for more from them to be honest.

“They were all buzzing and I think there’s around 14 of them coming on Saturday. It’s going to be a good experience for me. Biggest club I will have played against.”

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Livingston host league leaders Celtic on Saturday lunchtime, looking to upset the odds and continue their recent unbeaten run.

Would you make changes to the team that drew 1-1 away at Ross County last time out.

Choose your Livi XI here.

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• Livingston have lost their last four league meetings with Celtic, more than their previous 11 beforehand (W2 D6 L3).

• Having failed to win five successive league visits to Livingston from 2018 to 2021, Celtic have since won both of their last two by an aggregate 6-1 score.

• Since a 0-0 draw on the opening day to Aberdeen, Livingston have failed to keep a clean sheet in the Scottish Premiership, conceding eight goals in four matches. In fact, they have only kept two clean sheets in their last 21 top-flight games, conceding 38 goals during this period.

• Celtic have completed more passes (2,748), completed more passes in the opposition half (1,427), and averaged more possession per game (68.4%) than any other team in the Scottish Premiership this season. In contrast, Livingston have completed the fewest passes in the league with 861.

Livingston boss David Martindale is looking to eke an advantage out of Celtic’s Champions League exertions when the sides meet on Saturday.

Brendan Rodgers takes his team to West Lothian for a lunchtime kick-off in the wake of Tuesday night’s 2-0 loss to Feyenoord in Rotterdam.

“We feel we can take points off anyone coming here as we have historically shown,” said Martindale.

“We go into the game with a bit of belief. We need to go and think there will be an overhang from Celtic’s European adventures.

“They are away playing Champions League football at a very good intensity. It took a lot out of them then they have to travel back. So you have got to try and find every marginal gain you can.

“Playing Saturday/Wednesday or Saturday/Tuesday can have a knock-on effect so we have to try and use that to our advantage.

“They also have a wee bit of an injury problem that we have to look to exploit. [Cameron] Carter-Vickers is a huge player for them and it’s difficult for new guys to try and emulate what guys like him and Jota have done over the last couple of seasons right away.

“It’s probably not their settled back four just now and any manager will tell you it’s probably the one area of the park you’re not wanting to change too much.”

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David Martindale has been speaking to the media before Livingston’s Premiership game with Celtic this weekend.

Here are the key points from the Livi manager:

• Last weekend’s point at Ross County could be one Livi look back on as crucial at the end of the season.

• Livingston believe they can trouble any team at home and last season was the first time since they returned to the top flight in 2018 that they’ve not taken points off Celtic.

• They will look to exploit any European hangover suffered by Celtic after their Champions League exertions in defeat at Feyenoord.

• Martindale believes European football is a “huge factor” in Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs all struggling at the start of the domestic season.

• Celtic are missing two “huge and influential” players in Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, but Martindale says talk of their defensive frailty is overblown.

• He says his players deserve huge credit for their run of one defeat in 10 this season and that it shows the “solidity and continuity” instilled in the squad.

• Despite the loss of “very, very big players” such as Stephane Omeonga, Jack Fitzwater and Nicky Devlin in the summer, Livi still have a core of 14-15 players who understand the culture and environment at the club and "lead by example".

• On whether it’s difficult to keep the squad focused amid off-field investment wrangles: “These problems have been here for about four years so it’s not any different now. I’m disappointed when there’s not a story about Livingston in the paper.”

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Livingston’s task against Celtic hasn’t become any easier with Brendan Rodgers having replaced Ange Postecoglou at the helm, says David Martindale.

After inheriting a treble-winning side, Rodgers’ Celtic were knocked out of the Viaplay Cup by Kilmarnock but are top of the Premiership by two points after five games.

Livi host Celtic on Saturday and boss Martindale told Sky Sports Scotland: "First and foremost, they are two top-class managers, so they have lost a top-class manager through success but also recruited a top-class manager.

"There is differences, subtle changes, subtle tweaks. They have lost Cameron Carter-Vickers (to injury) which has weakened them and I think Jota leaving them weakens them.

"They have recruited very well. It's going to take a bit of time for that to have an impact but they've got a manager who has whose managed at the top level, who knows the club inside out so that transitional period has helped because he knows the fans' demands, he knows a lot of the players.

"Callum McGregor was a mainstay under Brendan (first time), that's the leader on the park.

"So they have a lot of stability and continuity by bringing Brendan back so it is going to be an extremely difficult game.”

Despite further budget restrictions, Livingston sit in seventh place and have lost only one game in 10 in normal time - a 4-0 defeat by Rangers at Ibrox.

Martindale rates his side’s season as “six out of 10” so far, adding: “Fairly happy with the start we have made but still a bit of work to be done and a good bit of progress to be had for everyone at the club."

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