Billy Dodds
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound

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Lively start from Livi.

Alan Forrest tries to curl a shot into the top corner, but a St Mirren defender gets his head in the way to send the ball behind.

A wee scare for Motherwell as Christie Elliot fizzes a dangerous ball across goal but no Dundee team-mate can get on the end of it.

Derek Ferguson
Former Rangers and Hamilton midfielder on Sportsound

St Mirren keeper Jak Alnwick is called into early action to deal with a rasping low drive from Scott Pittman as Livi get on the front foot.

Ayr United threaten as Tomi Adeloye and Mark McKenzie combine down the right and James Maxwell bundles the ball just wide at the near post.

Dundee United midfielder Adrian Sporle has a pop from long-range but the shot is straight at home goalkeeper Aidan McAdams.

Ouch!published at 15:04 British Summer Time 14 August 2021

15:04 BST 14 August 2021

Dundee 0-0 Motherwell

A stoppage in play early on at Dens Park as Motherwell midfielder Callum Slattery receives treatment after a collision with Charlie Adam.

And away we go.

Who'll be in the quarter-final hat by the close of play?

Dundee United manager Tam Courts reveals Callum Butcher and Logan Chalmers are both injured, but he is hopeful that Marc McNulty - who is on the bench - will make an appearance at some stage.

He tells BBC Scotland: "I'm very excited. Somerset Park stirs up a great atmosphere and occasion, and the quarter final is a big carrot.

"We were playing against the champions last week and we're really buoyed by that, but I'm expecting a proper cup tie today.

"This group of players showed they can be cup specialists, they made the semi-final of the Scottish Cup season."

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St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin aims to make amends for last season's League Cup semi-final defeat to Livingston.

"I don't like to talk about it as revenge," he tells BBC Scotland. "There's different players at our club and Davie Martindale has made a few changes at Livi as well.

"We didn't give a good account of ourselves in that semi-final at Hampden and we don't want a repeat today.

"I believe in the boys and if we play to the level we're capable of we can get the job done."

Motherwell manager Graham Alexander tells BBC Sportsound he won't take his side's good form at Dens Park for granted today.

"I don't go through the history books," he says. "We've got to compete really well. I'm seeing good signs from the team.

"The last two to three weeks we've had consistency with the squad. They want to work but we need to win games to validate that work.

"We want to feel good about ourselves and today is a good opportunity to do that."

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Livingston manager David Martindale tells BBC Scotland: "The atmosphere is great already. St Mirren fans are in - I think it's the boys who normally sit up the back - and it's just great to have supporters back in the stadium.

"I imagine there won't be much in the game and it will come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes or produces a bit of brilliance.

"I've got options on the bench but one of them is Marvin Bartley and I'm desperate not to play him."

Dundee manager James McPake tells BBC Sportsound that speculation linking him with the MK Dons job was "just noise".

"My full focus is on Dundee," he says. "This is the start of my eighth year. This club means a lot to me and my work hasn't changed.

"You're flattered with speculation but you do the job on hand.

"We've added quality and we want to progress. We've not had a good enough cup run since I've been here. We have a good crowd in and we want to make this place a hard place to come to."

Ayr United manager David Hopkin tells BBC Scotland: "When the draw got made everyone got excited. Dundee United had a fantastic result last week against Rangers. We know it's going to be difficult but we've got home advantage and we've just got to try and upset Dundee United.

"It's a cup tie. We want to get it finished in 90 minutes, we don't want extra-time and penalties. I've made changes to the team and shape to compliment how Dundee United play and hopefully we can get at them.

"Today I'm going with two strikers. I don't want to be chasing the ball all day. We're looking to get through to the next round, we've not been in a quarter final for a long time."

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St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin captained the Paisley club to League Cup glory in 2013 and would dearly love to repeat the trick as manager.

The Buddies fell at the semi-final stage of both cups last season. Can they go further this time around?

There are around 1,000 visiting fans in West Lothian cheering their team on.

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Dundee were given a bit of a doing from Celtic last weekend, leaving Glasgow with heads spinning after a 6-0 defeat.

"We were nowhere near good," was manager James McPake's glum assessment.

The Dark Blues shouldn't be too downhearted after opening their return with a lively draw against St Mirren and sweeping through the League Cup group with three comfortable wins and a walkover against Covid-hit Ross County.

Dundee United go into this game buoyed by a cracking win over Rangers last weekend, which ended a 40-game unbeaten streak in the league for the champions.

Thomas Courts has his side fired up for that one, with Jamie Robson scoring the only goal at Tannadice.

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