Hibs are four places and seven points ahead of second-bottom United, but Liam Fox's side are showing signs of improvement and their three-game unbeaten run came to an end against second-top Rangers last weekend.

They also edged it by a single goal on their last meeting with Hibs, at Tannadice in October, and are unbeaten on their latest three visits to Easter Road.

With Marvin Bartley having moved to League 1 to take charge of Queen of the South last weekend, Livingston face their first test under their new backroom team.

Neil Hastings has been promoted to David Martindale's assistant, with experienced former Scotland centre-half Christophe Berra appointed first-team coach in the role he vacated.

Bartley has been such an influence as player, captain and then right-hand man, but ever-present Martindale is used to the changing of the guard around him at Tony Macaroni Arena and another seamless switch seems likely.

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Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

United have sold out their full allocation of 1500 tickets for the visit to Easter Road. This is undoubtedly an indication of the turnaround in fortunes since the World Cup break.

Hibs have won five of their 10 home leagues fixtures so far this season and if they want to achieve the heights they wish for in the table then that is a record that must improve.

Ryan Porteous will once again play in the midfield area, with manager Lee Johnson saying the centre-half has the ability to play in most positions within a team.

A win at Easter Road would take United above cup semi-finalists Kilmarnock and possibly Motherwell, who are hosting bottom side Ross County, themselves only three points behind the Tannadice outfit.

Hibs could potentially move up to fifth, definitely above St Mirren, who lost away to Hearts last night, depending on how Livingston fare away to St Johnstone.

Lee Johnson's side ended a fairly dismal run by winning 3-2 away to Motherwell last weekend thanks to Kevin Nisbet's hat-trick and will look to the fit-again Scotland striker for inspiration again today.

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Motherwell manager Steven Hammell tells Sportsound: "It's a massive game for us, biggest game of the season probably until the next one.

"We're in a position just where we don't want to be and we understand where a positive performance and a positive result puts us.

"The mood's good. Our focus is solely on today, it's not on what we do Monday, it's not about what we do next week.

"It's over to the players now when they cross the line."

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Dundee United head coach Liam Fox explains midfielder Dylan Levitt's absence this afternoon.

"Levitt's got a wee issue with his hamstring," he tells Sportsound. "We'll hopefully get him back for Wednesday.

"It's disappointing because he's a big player, but we're bringing in a very good footballer in Arnaud Djoum.

"Hibs are a team full of very good players, with a very experienced manager. I'm looking for a reaction from our second half last week."

Asked about transfers, Fox just says: "We're trying."

Hibernian manager Lee Johnson has been giving some detail on Chris Cadden's injury, with the right-back missing today.

"He came off with a spasm in his back," he tells Sportsound.

"It's been scanned and lead to a bit fluid in a joint. Hopefully it'll settle. It's just precautionary."

On the game, Johnson adds: "This is our next opportunity to maximise points. The league's tight and you can see where a win today would put us.

"But we can't rest on our laurels. We need to keep the hammer down."

Championship leaders Queen's Park's eight-game winning run came to an end with a Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat by Raith Rovers in midweek and they face a big challenge again today as they visit Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Billy Dodds' side had lost three games in a row before scoring 10 goals in two handsome victories.

Rovers will look to extend their six-game unbeaten run as they visit Cove Rangers.

Having lost 4-1 at home by Caley Thistle last weekend, second-bottom Arbroath have to visit second-top Ayr United this time.

Bottom-placed Hamilton Academical will look to build on their Challenge Cup win over Clyde as they host a Greenock Morton side without a win in four outings.

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Dunfermline Athletic look to be home bankers in League 1.

The leaders are 10 unbeaten, winning three in a row, as they host bottom side Peterhead, who are without a victory in 15 outings.

Second-top Edinburgh face a difficult game away to fifth-placed Alloa Athletic, who are unbeaten in three outings.

In-form third-top Falkirk will be strong favourites at home to second-bottom Clyde, who have won once in 16 games.

Kelty Hearts will look to build on their Challenge Cup win over Queen of the South as they host in-form Airdrieonians, while the Dumfries side visit a Montrose team without a win in eight.

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Forfar Athletic lifted themselves off the foot of the table last weekend, but they face a tough test of their recent recovery as they host leaders Dumbarton, who are unbeaten in 10 outings.

Both have a chance to steal a march on close rivals, with bottom side Bonnyrigg Rose against second-top Stirling being postponed.

After ending a six-game run without a win by beating third-placed Elgin City last weekend, fourth-top East Fife host a Stenhousemuir side who themselves ended a three-game run of defeats by beating Stranraer.

Albion Rovers ended a run of four defeats by beating Bonnyrigg and will look for back-to-back away wins as they visit Stranraer.

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Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland at Fir Park

This is a significant game at Fir Park for both sides.

A win for Motherwell and they’ll put more daylight between themselves and the foot of the table - but defeat and they’ll be well and truly dragged into a relegation fight.

County are looking to reduce the gap at the foot of the table - and both will no doubt be hoping Hibs can do them a favour by beating Dundee United.

When these sides met earlier in the season in Dingwall, Motherwell ran out 5-0 winners, but it didn’t provide any kind of kick start for the Fir Park side. In their following 11 league games, they’ve lost seven, drawn three and won only one.

County have played 12 league games since that day and have fared rather better, picking up 11 points, with three wins, two draws but still losing seven of their following fixtures.

You would imagine we won’t see anything like five goals at Fir Park today for either side. Well have only scored nine at home all season, County only five away in the league.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park

A picturesque scene in Perth right now, but it may not last with rain and strong winds forecast for around kick-off.

Saints are looking to arrest a run of four straight defeats, while Livi know a win will hoist them to fourth in the table.

Matches between these two tend to be tight affairs and you’d imagine this one will be no different.

There's been one game already this weekend, with Heart of Midlothian beating St Mirren 1-0 last night to consolidate third place in the Premiership.

The big talking point was a St Mirren penalty claim denied despite the ball striking the arm of Hearts centre-half Kye Rowles.

• Match report: Heart of Midlothian 1-0 St Mirren

Unfortunately, two matches have fallen foul of the constant rain we've had this week.

It means the match of the day in the Championship - Dundee v Partick Thistle - will have to be rearranged because Dens Park is waterlogged.

The League 2 game between Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic and Stirling Albion is the other fixture off.

New signing Olly Crankshaw makes his debut in one of three changes for Motherwell.

The midfielder, who has joined on loan from Stockport County, comes into the midfield, while Max Johnston is added to the defence and Stuart McKinstry starts up front.

Callum Slattery is suspended, while Dean Cornelius and Connor Shields drop to the bench.

Forward Mikael Mandron, who has joined from Gillingham on loan until the end of the season, is on the bench.

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Callum Davidson has swapped three in his quest to end a four-game losing run. Midfielder Cammy MacPherson and winger Jamie Murphy drop to the bench, with centre-half Tony Gallacher missing out altogether.

Left-back Adam Montgomery has re-joined on loan from Celtic and goes straight back into the starting line-up, while Canada World Cup midfielder David Wotherspoon is back in, making his first start since the middle of December.

Forward Nicky Clark is also restored to the XI, having been dropped to the bench for the 2-0 loss to Aberdeen last week.

Livingston welcome back midfielders Scott Pittman and Jason Holt from suspension, but David Martindale only names them among the substitutes as he picks an unchanged starting XI from the 2-0 win away to Ross County last weekend.

Striker Kurtis Guthrie and winger Cristian Montano are also both on the bench after returning from injury lay-offs, but the Lions are still without Joel Nouble.

The big striker has been missing since Christmas Eve with injury.

United head coach Liam Fox makes just one change from last weekend's defeat by Rangers.

Dylan Levitt misses out altogether, presumably through injury, so Arnaud Djoum comes into the midfield.

Midfielders Jamie McGrath and Peter Pawlett return to the bench for the first time since November following calf injuries.

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Hibs manager Lee Johnson makes just one enforced change from the win away to Motherwell last weekend.

Chris Cadden limped off at Fir Park and is out, so Will Fish comes in. It looks like he will play right-back, although it's possible Josh Campbell moves to right wing-back with Fish operating in a back three.

Having rejected a move to Forest Green Rovers, midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes returns to the bench after a four-month absence, while full-back Lewis Miller is also there following his lay-off.