Lovely passing from St Johnstone as they break the Dundee press and David Wotherspoon has his sights on goal.

The Saints midfielder drops the shoulder and cracks one, but it's tipped over from Adam Legzdins.

Mark Hateley
Former Rangers striker on Sportsound

Scott Wright strides forward with purpose but the Rangers forward drags his shot wide from 22 yards.

If Stephane Omeonga needed a reminder of what Scottish football is like, he's just had one as Rangers' John Lundstram upends the little Belgian with a late challenge.

Suddenly a big gap appears in the Livingston defence as Nathan Patterson races forward. The teenager drills in a low, angled shot, but goalkeeper Max Stryjek is out quickly to make a good blocking save.

So close for the hosts as Paul McMullan's corner bounces off a slick patch of grass and hits the chest of Jamie McCart.

But Zander Clark is alert to claw the ball off the line and prevent an own goal.

St Johnstone also win an early free-kick and it's swung in from deep by Liam Craig.

It's a decent delivery, but Dundee get it out. Callum Booth is on hand to whip another ball in only to see it evade everyone in the box.

Nathan Patterson is off and running straight away, with the Rangers full-back chopped down after 20 seconds or so.

A couple of Rangers players tumble in the box as the free-kick is played in but there's nothing untoward.

And away we go at Ibrox and Dens Park.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard tells Premier Sports: "It's a big game for us - we want to go all the way.

"We've underachieved in this competition in previous years and want to make amends for that.

"We've come really close on one or two occasions but that's not good enough for Rangers.

"It's the first trophy available since we became champions so we want to show everyone we're hungry to build on our success of last season."

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David Martindale took Livingston to the League Cup final last season and the manager would love to get back to Hampden.

He had suggested resting Andrew Shinnie with one eye on the weekend visit to Tynecastle but the 32-year-old is leading the line once more.

"Andrew put a tough shift in on Sunday but I spoke to him and he was desperate to play," the manager tells BBC Sportsound.

"Stephane Omeonga will add tenacity, he's very aggressive in the press and has good aggression and technical qualities. He is probably in a game too early if I'm honest, but Ben Williamson can't play and Scott Pittman has a wee knock."

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Talking of Glen Kamara, the Rangers midfielder signed a new contract extension today.

The Finland international has agreed terms until the summer of 2025.

"I have absolutely loved my time here and being a part of the title-winning team last season has given me the hunger to try to win even more in the seasons ahead," said the 25-year-old.

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Rangers eased to a 3-0 victory at home to Livingston on the opening weekend of the Premiership and they are unbeaten in 11 against tonight's opponents, winning 10 of those.

That run includes the only pervious League Cup meeting between the clubs, which was settled by a Glen Kamara goal in West Lothian in September 2019.

St Johnstone and Dundee have yet to meet in the Premiership this season.

Saints are on a run of five successive wins in this fixture, including a 1-0 at Dens Park in last season's Scottish Cup.

"Tight and scrappy," was how Callum Davidson recalled that game earlier this week, before adding: "I'll take that again".

Rangers' long winning run at home in the league came to an end on Sunday as Motherwell fought back to earn a 1-1 draw.

Steven Gerrard's men had 24 shots to the visitors' five, with the Steelmen scoring with their only effort on target.

"We needed a bit more devilment in our finishing and belief," said assistant manager Gary McAllister earlier this week.

"I thought we played some great football towards the box, but we just needed a bit more hunger and desire to score."

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Can Livingston make it back-to-back Old Firm scalps?

David Martindale's side turned Celtic over on Sunday, with Andrew Shinnie firing in a fantastic goal for the club's first league win of the season.

Shinnie was a revelation in a lone striker's role and the former Inverness Caley Thistle midfielder is up top again tonight.

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Dundee dropped to the foot of the Premiership at the weekend after losing Sunday's derby at Tannadice.

Six games into their top flight return, the Dark Blues are yet to register a win. James McPake's side have also gone three games without a goal.

However, the manager is confident that his forwards will start to click.

"It's just a case of not panicking and keep believing," he said at his pre-match media conference. "We will see a ruthless Dundee team coming soon."

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Is this the season for Rangers to win a cup? The Ibrox side hasn't lifted either of the big two since the League Cup back in 2010-11.

They cantered to the Premiership title last season, unbeaten across 38 games, but they fell at the quarter-final stage in both cups, losing out at St Mirren in this tournament and beaten on penalties by St Johnstone at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup.

Under Steven Gerrard, Rangers have been to one final, a sore 1-0 defeat to Celtic in this competition in December 2019.

St Johnstone have never lost a domestic cup game under manager Callum Davidson. The tally stands at 14 ties after a remarkable debut season in the dugout for Davidson ended with the Saints taking the League Cup and Scottish Cup back to Perth.

There have been a few close calls along the way, including penalty shoot-out wins at East End Park and Ibrox, and they were given an almighty scare by Arbroath in the round of 16 this time round.

Saints twice had to come from behind at Gayfield in August before yet another shoot-out success set up this evening's visit to Dens Park.

I know they lost a shoot-out to Dundee United in the group stage last season but that doesn't count as a defeat does it, since they just missed out on a bonus point.

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Dundee boss James McPake has made just one change from the weekend derby defeat as Liam Fontaine comes into the backline for Ryan Sweeney, who suffered a concussion on Sunday.

As for the visitors, Callum Davidson makes two switches to the side that recorded their first league win of the season at Aberdeen on Saturday.

Murray Davidson and Michael O'Halloran are the men who drop out, as Ali Crawford and Liam Craig come in.