Summary

  • Gerrard's side now need four points to clinch title

  • Morelos rolls in after Stryjek saves Davis shot

  • Goldson header disallowed for offside & Morelos heads wide from close range

  • Morelos booked for diving after collision with Stryjek; Gerrard shown two yellows at break for complaining

  • Hamilton Academical 1-1 St Johnstone: Melamed cancels out Callachan opener

  • Perth side still in hunt for top-six finish; Hamilton still bottom

  1. We have to remain professional - Davidsonpublished at 17:54 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Hamilton Academical v St Johnstone (18:00)

    Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson admits that celebration after their League Cup victory on Sunday "were a little bit muted".

    "We have to make sure we stay professional," he says. "We enjoyed Sunday, but it's over for now. Hopefully we can go back and enjoy it later.

    "It's really important now to focus on these final eight games. We want to push us up as high as we can and maybe into that top six. If we're not looking down, it allows us to focus on other competitions."

    Explaining his team changes, he adds: "Chris Kane has an injury to his foot and Ali McCann took a knock to his chest, so they are the forced one. The other changes are tweaks with the formation."

  2. Livi to the Maxpublished at 17:52 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Livingston's Max StryjekImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Max Stryjek has been unfortunate to lose his starting place with Livingston but is back in tonight with Robby McCrorie unable to play against his parent club

  3. Top-six target for Livi and Saintspublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    A top-six finish is the goal for Livingston and St Johnstone now that the League Cup business is over.

    Livi are in the driving seat, sitting fifth and a win over Rangers would seal their place after the league splits in two.

    For Saints, it's a long shot as they sit eighth, six points behind St Mirren.

  4. Not been hard to lift players - Martindalepublished at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Livingston head coach David Martindale tells BBC Sportsound "it has not been hard to lift" his players after Sunday's cup final heartache.

    "The focus was all on Rangers from Monday onwards," he says.

    "If I've got to motivate the boys to play in games like this, there's something wrong. Our club objective at this point is guaranteeing the top six. Everybody is on the same sheet.

    "Can we be the first club to beat Rangers in the Premiership? That's the carrot. Rangers have set the benchmark. They're a fantastic football team, but I don't want them getting three points tonight."

    Livingston manager David MartindaleImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    David Martindale had much to ponder after Hampden defeat

  5. Form favours Rangerspublished at 17:41 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Livingston are one of the few sides to have taken points off Rangers this season.

    However, including that 0-0 draw at Tony Macaroni Arena in August, the West Lothian side have gone five games without scoring against the Ibrox side.

    They have caused Rangers problems in the recent past but need to go back to September 2018 for their lasts win, at home, since when they haven't beaten the Glasgow side in eight meetings.

    Meanwhile, the wheels have come off slightly for David Martindale's side, who have now gone four games without a win since their 14-game unbeaten run under their new boss came to an end.

    Rangers, meanwhile, are unbeaten in 15 games, seven away from home, since losing to St Mirren in the League Cup.

    Rangers midfielder Scott ArfieldImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Scott Arfield is back in Rangers' starting line-up

  6. Contrasting runspublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Hamilton Academical v St Johnstone (18:00)

    League Cup winners St Johnstone head to Hamilton having only lost twice in 12 outings - and one of them was against leaders Rangers and the other against second-top Celtic.

    Other than that defeat at Ibrox, Callum Davidson's side have won three in a row away from home.

    In contrast, Accies have won just once in eight outings and haven't won on home soil for three games.

    Hamilton left Perth with a point in December, but they have not beaten Saints in four meetings.

  7. Tune in to Sportsoundpublished at 17:33 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Sportsound has just begun on BBC Radio Scotland MW.

    Among those joining host Kenny Macintyre are Scotland head coach Steve Clarke, former Scotland Women boss Shelley Kerr and pundit Michael Stewart.

    BBC microphoneImage source, SNS
  8. Livi makes four changes from cup final sidepublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Livingston boss David Martindale makes four changes to the side that suffered Hampden heartbreak against St Johnstone on Sunday.

    There is a change in goal as Max Stryjek replaces Robby McCrorie, who can't play against his parent club.

    There are also alterations in defence, midfield and attack as centre-back Jack Fitzwater, Craig Sibbald and Gavin Reilly all come in for Efe Ambrose, Steve Lawson and Scott Robinson.

  9. Four changes from cup final for Saintspublished at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Hamilton Academical v St Johnstone (18:00)

    St Johnstone manager Callum Davidsonopts to freshen things up after their cup final victory and makes four changes to the side that played at Hampden.

    Guy Melamed replaces Chris Kane for the Israeli's second league start in a row after his excellent performance in their 3-0 win at Motherwell

    Fellow striker Stevie May also starts in place of winger Craig Conway.

    It's a straight swap elsewhere on the park as midfielder Craig Bryson and left-back Scott Tanser come in for Ali McCann and Callum Booth

    St Johnstone's Shaun RooneyImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    Shaun Rooney was St Johnstone's goalscoring hero at Hampden

  10. Patterson handed first league startpublished at 17:22 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Rangers have had six days rest since their last game as the league leaders were not in action at the weekend.

    However, Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard has still decided to make a couple of switches as teenage right-back Nathan Patterson makes his first league start for the club following last Thursday's goalscoring heroics as a substitute against Royal Antwerp.

    Patterson comes in for Leon Balogun, with Ianis Hagi making way for Scott Arfield in midfield.

    Nathan PattersonImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    19-year-old Patterson will make his first top-flight start this evening

  11. When can Rangers win title?published at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    With Steven Gerrard's Rangers 15 points clear at the top, and assuming they don't suffer an unlikely late collapse, they could wrap up the title as early as Sunday.

    The Ibrox side are, arithmetically, seven points off being crowned champions and, if second-top Celtic drop points against Dundee United on Sunday, Rangers would be celebrating if they win both their games.

    However, if the reigning champions win that one, even four points would give them the chance to seal the title in the Old Firm derby on 21 March 21 at Celtic Park.

    Now that would really be rubbing it in!

    League table
  12. LINE-UPS from Fountain of Youth Stadiumpublished at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Hamilton Academical v St Johnstone (18:00)

    Hamilton Academical: Fulton, Odoffin, McMann, Easton, Anderson, S.Martin, Trafford, A.Martin, Moyo, Hodson, Callachan

    Substitutes: Gourlay, Stirling, Hughes, Mimnaugh, Winter, Munro, Thomas, C.Smith

    St Johnstone: Clark, Kerr, McCart, Gordon, Rooney, Wotherspoon, Craig, Bryson, Tanser, May, Melamed

    Substitutes: Parish, Brown, Conway, O'Halloran, Gilmour, Middleton, McCann, Booth, Ferguson

  13. Ogkmpoe and Hamilton drop out for Acciespublished at 5:11

    Hamilton Academical v St Johnstone (18:00)

    Despite making a lot of noise about Jamie Hamilton's red card, which was eventually rescinded, Hamilton manager Brian Rice has opted to leave the defender out of the squad entirely.

    Striker Marios Ogkmpoe is also out with injury.

    Aaron Martin and David Moyo come into the side in their place.

  14. LINE-UPS from Tony Macaroni Arenapublished at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    Livingston v Rangers (18:00)

    Livingston: Stryjek, Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Serrano, Bartley, Holt, Sibbald, Pittman, Mullin, Reilly.

    Substitutes: Maley, McMillan, Taylor-Sinclair, Ambrose, Lawson, Kabia, Forrest, Tiffoney, Robinson.

    Rangers: McGregor, Patterson, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Kamara, Davis, Arfield, Aribo, Morelos, Kent.

    Substitutes: McLaughlin, Bassey, Simpson, Hagi, Defoe, Itten, Zungu, Wright, Stewart.

  15. Cup finalists seek positive reactionpublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    St Johnstone were worthy winners, particularly dominating the second half, as they lifted the Scottish League Cup for the first time in their history.

    Manager Callum Davidson insisted that the celebration party would have to wait until later in the season.

    Livingston will have been disappointed with their performance at Hampden as they failed to add to their 2004 cup success and manager David Martindale said he was determined not to let it spoil their season with his side within touching distance of a top-six finish.

    Stay with us to find out how Sunday's two finalists will react to their respective doses of joy and despair.

    St Johnstone celebrateImage source, SNS
    Image caption,

    St Johnstone defeated Livingston 1-0 on Sunday at Hampden

  16. Two big, early gamespublished at 16:48 Greenwich Mean Time 3 March 2021

    It's an early live shift tonight, with both Scottish Premiership games kicking off at 18:00 GMT as matches continue with the presence of fans.

    They both could prove significant at the two ends of the table as champions elect Rangers visit Livingston, while bottom side Hamilton Academical host a St Johnstone side fresh from lifting the League Cup for the first time in their history.

    Stay with us for the build-up, live commentary and post-match reaction here on the website and on BBC Radio Scotland.

    Fixtures