Kilmarnock manager Tommy Wright tells BBC Sportsound: "It's a big game, both sides know that.

"The one thing we also know is no one will be relegated today, but the team that loses will have a tougher task.

"We want to move the ball early and the get the ball into wide areas. But at the same time we know it could end up a bit of a battle and we need to be ready for that."

On the impact of Kyle Lafferty: "I can't ask any more of him, except more goals. He's worked extremely hard. He's given the place a lift on and off the pitch. He's done his talking off the pitch. He does plenty of it as well..."

Prior to today's huge game in Ayrshire at the bottom of the Premiership table, Ross County manager John Hughes tells BBC Sportsound: "It's a cup final today, we have to get a victory.

"It's coming down to the business end of the season. We have to give ourselves a chance. It has to mean something.

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"We can take inspiration from the last time we played them [a 3-2 win]. It'll be a very tight match and it'll be fine margins, hopefully it falls on our side.

"We've picked a good, strong physical team. They've all been there and played in big games, hopefully that'll be the recipe for a good victory."

Celtic interim manager John Kennedy admits next Saturday's Scottish Cup last-16 tie with Rangers is a factor in his team selection this afternoon.

"The league is finished but this is big preparation for a massive game next week," he tells BBC Sportsound.

"We go strong today, a few changes gives boys minutes and puts the squad in a stronger place for next week."

Celtic have been held to draws in two of their three meetings with Livingston this season - including a goalless stalemate at home in January - and Kennedy adds: "They are very aggressive and don't give you time on the ball.

"We have to be patient to disorganise them, tire them out and pick them off."

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St Johnstone too, will view this as a key game as they look to reel in Livingston and the hosts are a side brimming with confidence.

Since a 2-1 defeat at Pittodrie on Boxing Day, Callum Davidson's side have lost just twice in 16 matches - to Rangers and Celtic - and now have the League Cup gleaming in their trophy cabinet.

Saints have conceded just once in their last six games and will fancy shutting out their shot-shy visitors but Aberdeen have not lost in Perth since April 2016 and the Perth men have scored just eight goals in 16 home games in the league.

This looks like a match Aberdeen simply have to win if they are to have any chance of making up a seven-point gap on third-placed Hibernian.

New manager Stephen Glass isn't quite ready to take over and might just wear out the carpet in his hotel room as he watches on from his quarantine quarters since the Dons were far from convincing as they scraped past Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup last weekend.

Aberdeen have scored just twice in 11 games and Callum Hendry has got them both. Of course, the on-loan St Johnstone striker is not eligible to face his parent club.

All of the talk surrounding Celtic is focused on Eddie Howe. Is the former Bournemouth manager coming and, if so, when? Meanwhile, interim boss John Kennedy must keep the players fit and focused with a juicy Scottish Cup visit to Ibrox on the horizon.

Little could be gleaned from a one-sided cup win against an understrength Falkirk last weekend, although Scotland manager Steve Clarke will have been heartened to see James Forrest score on his first start since September.

Forrest will be aiming for a strong finish to the season to cement his place in the European Championship squad.

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When you're down at the bottom, scrapping for survival, it's handy to have an in-form striker.

Northern Ireland internationals Kyle Lafferty and Billy Mckay go head-to-head at Rugby Park this afternoon.

Mckay has found the net five times in his last six games for County, including a double in a 3-2 win over Kilmarnock last month. Lafferty has hit six goals in three matches, with a brace in the same game.

The signing of the 33-year-old looks like a smart piece of business from Tommy Wright with the goals suddenly flying in after a long barren spell. George Oakley also got his first for the club after replacing hat-trick hero Lafferty in a comfortable Scottish Cup win at Stenhousemuir.

That took Killie's tally to 10 goals in their past three outings after hitting just three in their previous nine.

The visitors have lost three on the bounce since that win over their relegation rivals in Dingwall but manager John Hughes insists his players have the "courage and character" to embrace the battle against the drop.

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St Johnstone make four changes from their 1-0 Scottish Cup win over Dundee.

Liam Craig, David Wotherspoon, and forwards Stevie May and Guy Melamed all drop out.

Craig Bryson, Glenn Middleton, Chris Kane and Craig Conway all start instead as St Johnstone attempt to close a nine-point gap on fourth-place Aberdeen.

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Aberdeen make two changes from the 1-0 Scottish Cup win over Dumbarton.

The 20-year-old full back Jack MacKenzie, who recently signed a two-year contract with the club, makes his second appearance of the season, while winger Matt Kennedy also comes into the side.

Calvin Ramsay, who was injured during the game with Dumbarton, drops to the bench, as does Ethan Ross.

Callum Hendry, the only player to score for Aberdeen in their last 11 games, can not play against his parent club St Johnstone.

Kyle Gourlay is named as goalkeeper for Hamilton Academical as manager Brian Rice makes three changes from last weekend's Scottish Cup defeat to St Mirren.

Number one Ryan Fulton is missing through a knee injury while Jamie Hamilton and Kyle Munro return to the starting line-up. Scott Martin is out through injury with David Moyo dropping to the bench.

Dundee United goalkeeper Deniz Mehmet is benched by number one Benjamin Siegrist and Luke Bolton is replaced at right-back by Liam Smith.

Odsonne Edouard returns to lead the Celtic attack in one of four changes from last weekend's Scottish Cup stroll against Falkirk.

Left-back Greg Taylor, midfielder Callum McGregor and forward Mohamed Elyounoussi also start, with Diego Laxalt, Tom Rogic, Ryan Christie and Leigh Griffiths dropping to the bench.

Livingston go with the same line-up that squeezed past Raith Rovers 2-1 in extra time on cup duty.

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Kilmarnock manager Tommy Wright makes just one change to the side that thrashed fourth-tier Stenhousemuir 4-0 in the Scottish Cup last weekend.

Right-back Ross Millen drops out as Aaron McGowan comes in.

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As for the away side, County manager John Hughes makes five switches after his team fell out the Scottish Cup at home to local rivals Inverness CT.

Coll Donaldson, Leo Hjelde, Stephen Kelly, Charlie Lakin and Oli Shaw make way for Alex Iacovitti, Carl Tremarco, Ross Draper, Jordan Tillson and Jordan White.

St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin is prevented from picking the same side that beat Hamilton in the cup last week, with striker Jon Obika failing a late fitness test. Ryan Flynn comes into the XI instead.

Motherwell also make just one change after their 5-0 win at Formartine last week. Tyler Magloire drops out, with Ricki Lamie taking his place at centre-back.

St Johnstone: Clark, Kerr, Gordon, McCart, Rooney, Bryson, McCann, Booth, Middleton, Kane, Conway.

Substitutes: Parish, Brown, Tanser, Craig, Wotherspoon, O'Halloran, May, Gilmour, Melamed.

Aberdeen: Lewis, McKenzie, Hoban, McCrorie, Considine, Ferguson, Campbell, Kennedy, McGinn, Hayes, Kamberi.

Substitutes: Woods, Hornby, McGeouch, McLennan, Ross, Ruth, Ramsay, Virtanen, Duncan.

Hamilton Academical: Gourlay; Hodson, Hamilton, Martin, Easton, McMann; Odoffin, Hughes, Callachan; Anderson, Munro

Substitutes: Scully, Stirling, Stanger, Moyo, Redfern, C Smith

Dundee United: Siegrist; Smith, Reynolds, Edwards, Robson; Harkes, Butcher, Fuchs; McNulty, Shankland, Sporle

Substitutes: Mehmet, Connolly, Pawlett, Clark, Hoti, Chalmers, Bolton, Appere, Smith

Motherwell: Kelly, O'Donnell, Gallagher, Lamie, McGinley, Crawford, Campbell, Lawless, Roberts, Cole, Long.

Substitutes: Chapman, Dunne, Mugabi, Carroll, Cornelius, Foley, Maguire, O'Hara, Hastie.

St Mirren: Alnwick, Fraser, Shaughnessy, McCarthy, Connolly, Flynn, Doyle-Hayes, Erhahon, Durmus, McGrath, Erwin

Substitutes: Lyness, Finlayson, Tait, Reid, MacPherson, Henderson, McAllister, Dennis

Kilmarnock: Doyle, McGowan, Broadfoot, Medley, Haunstrup, Power, Dicker, McKenzie, Pinnock, Burke, Lafferty.

Substitutes: Rogers, Dikamona, Waters, Rossi, Dabo, Mulumbu, Kiltie, Oakley, Whitehall.

Ross County: Laidlaw, Naismith, Watson, Iacovitti, Tremarco, Tillson, Draper, Vigurs, Gardyne, White, Mckay.

Substitutes: Hilton, Shaw, Hylton, Charles-Cook, Kelly, Lakin, Paton, Donaldon, Wright.

Celtic: Bain, Taylor, Kenny, Welsh, Ajer, Brown, McGregor, Turnbull, Forrest, Elyounoussi, Edouard.

Substitutes: Barkas, Duffy, Bitton, Griffiths, Ajeti, Soro, Christie, Rogic, Laxalt.

Livingston: McCrorie, Devlin, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Longridge, Bartley, Holt, Sibbald, Pittman, Forrest, Emmanuel-Thomas.

Substitutes: Stryjek, McMillan, Lithgow, Ambrose, Lawson, Diani, Mullin, Kabia, Poplatnik.

Queen's Park are cantering to the title in League 2.

The Spiders are on a run of five successive victories since play resumed last month.

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The top three are all at home today in League 1, with Falkirk three points ahead of Cove Rangers and five away from Montrose.

Partick Thistle have a game in hand of that trio and can't really afford many more slips after two consecutive league draws.

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Both Dundee and Raith Rovers are at home this afternoon, so Hearts may well have to wait a bit longer.

Inverness Caley Thistle are in fine fettle as they make the long trip to Queen of the South. Can the Highlanders make it seven wins in a row in all competitions?

Just six points cover second place to sixth in the Championship

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