Livingston

Like the Old Firm's inevitable dominance at the top and Hearts' grip on third place, Livingston have long seemed destined for the drop.

Time will finally run out for David Martindale's side on Saturday if they fall to a fourth consecutive home defeat.

As the visitors are second-bottom Ross County, who have not won away from home in 15 games since September, a win would reduce the gap to nine points.

However, even that would seem an insurmountable mountain to climb in the final four games considering Livingston have not won in eight outings, losing six of them, while County have only lost three of their latest eight.

If it was anyone else but Martindale, there would be major question marks about the manager's future.

However, there have been no hints that Livingston's new owners are contemplating an end to the 49-year-old's 10-year association with the club, or his near four years in charge of the first team.

Martindale, who had long warned that the West Lothian club's ability to punch above their financial weight had a shelf life, revealed this week he had given his players a mental health break from the "psychological" strain of battling relegation.

It no doubt also gave him time to ponder what he views as a "reset" and "major overhaul" of his squad regardless of which division they find themselves in next season.

With 14 or 15 players destined to exit in the summer, Martindale will already be planning for life without them - and in the Championship for the first time in six years.

Read all the weekend's Premiership picks

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Michael Nottingham plans on staying at Livingston next season regardless of which division the club are playing in.

David Martindale's side will be relegated to the Championship on Saturday if they fail to beat Ross County at home.

"I expect to be here next season," said 35-year-old defender Nottingham.

"In my contract I can stay up here and I really enjoy it up here. I'm definitely willing."

Asked if he would anticipate being at the club beyond the summer even if they are relegated, he added: "100%."

Nottingham says there's a sense of freedom in knowing Livingston must win at the weekend to keep their "very slim" survival hopes alive.

"It's been a grind. It's gradually been getting worse over the season. Things just really haven't gone our way," he said.

"We know it's a massive game and the boys want to give it absolutely everything to make sure we get the win.

"The chances of us staying in the league for next season are very slim. Nevertheless, there's still a small chance and you just have to believe you can win the next game and see where it takes us.

"We've got to get the business done this weekend otherwise it's completely over. In that sense it does take the pressure off. We know exactly what we need to do."

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• Livingston have only lost one of their seven Scottish Premiership home games against Ross County (W4 D2), going down 1-0 in October 2022.

• After their 3-2 victory in February, Ross County could win successive top-flight meetings with Livingston for the first time, with this the two sides’ 17th such clash.

• Should Livingston lose, their relegation from the Scottish Premiership will be confirmed; it would be the first time they have been relegated from the top flight since 2005-06.

• Ross County are winless in 15 away league games (D5 L10), losing their last six in a row; they have never previously lost seven in succession on the road in the top flight.

• Only Celtic’s Matt O’Riley and Kyogo Furuhashi (six) have combined for more goals than Ross County team-mates Simon Murray and Eamonn Brophy (four) in the Scottish Premiership this season, with Murray assisting Brophy twice in the 3-2 win over Livingston in February. Murray and Yhan Dhanda have also combined for four league goals this term.

Livingston host Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, looking to keep their faint hopes of survival alive.

Who do you think should start for David Martindale's side?

Put yourself in the manager's shoes and pick your Livi XI here.

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David Martindale says he's trying to protect the mental health of his Livingston squad during their gruelling Premiership season.

The West Lothian side must beat 11th-placed Ross County on Saturday to have any realistic chance of being in the top flight next term.

After a weekend with the Scottish Cup semi-finals taking pace, Martindale hopes his squad are returning refreshed following a break to spend time with family.

"It was more about giving the players and staff time off," he said. "We shut the club down basically, giving everyone a reset. It's been a challenging period, it's been tough.

"We try to take a bit of pressure off the players and staff. It's a difficult environment when you're losing games and you're at the bottom of the league.

"You've got to look at the psychology and the mental health of that and give people a wee bit of a break.

"I'm in the changing room quite a bit, and the one thing I'll give you with this squad of players is they've never lost their positivity. After games is normal, but on a Monday morning, we come back ready to go.

"Losing games and being bottom of the league isn't good [mentally] in any sport. Then you throw in social media, which is a cesspit when you're not winning games of football.

"We try and speak about that with the players, try and make then understand social media isn't always the best place to be. It's easy for people to go on and start pointing fingers."

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Livingston manager David Martindale has been facing the media ahead of his side's win-or-bust meeting with Ross County on Saturday.

Here are the key points:

• Insists every game has been a big game in their difficult season. They will focus on themselves rather than the Dingwall side and do "everything they can" to win.

• Expects a "major overhaul" of the squad regardless of what division they play in next term. Adds there are 14 or 15 players he believes will leave in the summer, while he has 12 or 13 he can rely on and hopes to build on.

• Gave the players time off last week to recover from the "psychological" strain of battling at the bottom.

• Has to take into consideration how their season has affected his players' mental health, advising them to come off the "cesspit" of social media to avoid having the finger pointed at them.

• "Uncoachable errors" and "individual mistakes" are a big reason why Livingston are where they are, saying it's important the squad sticks together and there's no culture of blame. Says he has made errors too that maybe aren't as obvious as a stray pass or a missed chance.

• Steven Bradley is injured, while Tete Yengi is suspended following a second yellow after he'd been substituted at Tynecastle. Doesn't anticipate fresh bodies being named on the bench, which only had four outfielders a fortnight ago.

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Livingston lost the Reserve Cup final 2-1 to Dunfermline at Almondvale on Tuesday.

Rudi Bryce put Livi in front, but goals either side of half-time from Jake Sutherland and Taylor Sutherland saw Dunfermline crowned champions.

We asked you which of Livingston's out-of-contract players you'd been keen to keep beyond the summer.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Del: Time to find out who rates themselves beyond their performances this season or who's going to be honest. Too many fantasists in the squad.

Anon: If we can keep hold of Jamie Brandon, Jason Holt, Andrew Shinnie and Tete Yengi we'll be doing well, The rest can go, though can't see any one of them wanting to stay if David Martindale is still there.

Malky: Livi need a mass clearout as it's inevitable we're going down. Anderson, Holt and Shamal George are the three players I'd try and keep to build around.

With several players out of contract in the summer, clubs up and down the country are considering who they want to be involved next season.

Livingston's slim chances of staying in the Premiership mean an overhaul is likely, with Joel Nouble, Ayo Obileye and Bruce Anderson all earmarked for departure.

Other names set to leave include Michael Nottingham, Andrew Shinnie, Mikey Devlin, Jack Hamilton, Kurtis Guthrie, Christian Montano and Sean Kelly.

Who would you like to keep, and who would you be happy to wave goodbye to?

Let us know.

Livingston begin their post-split fixtures with a must-win home game against second-bottom Ross County on Saturday, 27 April.

Defeat would relegate David Martindale's side, who are currently 12 points adrift at the bottom.

Livi complete the campaign at home to Hibs on 19 May.

Livingston's post-split fixtures (All times BST):

• Ross County (H) Saturday, 27 April 15:00

• Motherwell (A) Saturday, 4 May 15:00

• St Johnstone (H) Saturday, 11 May 15:00

• Aberdeen (A) Wednesday, 15 May 19:45

• Hibs (H) Sunday, 19 May 15:00

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Livingston's defeat at Tynecastle pretty much sums up our season. Played well in parts, played okay in parts, played awful in parts, and then shot ourselves in the foot with individual errors.

The first 20 minutes we were excellent and even the most pessimistic Livi fan was daring to dream of a great escape as we soared into a 0-2 lead.

Then, reality struck when Hearts woke up and smashed four past us. Same old story for the season.

Only Livi would get a player sent off when Tete Yengi was subbed and kicked a water bottle into his own dugout. That’s daft from the player, but even dafter officiating too. He’s been our main goal threat, so we’ll miss big Tete.

We now need to win all five remaining games to have the unlikeliest of escapes. To put that into perspective, we have won three all season, so it’s not going to happen.

Mathematically we can do it, but everyone knows it’s over.

Its been a long, bleak season with little to cheer about, so rather than trying eek out some points, I say throw caution to the wind and go for it. Give the fans the entertainment we have sorely missed this season.

I’d rather we lost 4-3 than defended all game and hoped for a breakaway or set-piece goal.

I’d love for the manager to let the shackles off, release the pressure and give the support something to cheer before the inquests and budget cuts that the inevitable drop to the Championship will bring.

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Jamie Brandon says Livingston made it "too easy" for Hearts to stage a first-half comeback in their defeat at Tynecastle.

The defender also points to the depleted West Lothian squad due to numerous injuries, while focus turns to the final five games of the season.

"We started the game well and pressed them high and managed to get good opportunities from that," Brandon told club media. "Stephen Kelly showed his quality was two great finishes.

"I think it's too easy for them to get back into the game. We give away the goals and it's disappointing.

"We've came here and executed the game plan well for 20 minutes. After we goal two goals up, we drop off a bit and give them too much space.

"They're a good team, they're sitting third in the league, and if you give them space and time they're going to punish you. That's what happened.

"There's obviously quite a few boys injured just now, the squad's light. It limits what the gaffer can do if things aren't going right in a game.

"We need to go and win as many games as we can [in the split]. We'll be playing the teams round about us and picking up points is ultimately what we need to do."

Pat Nevin and Richard Foster join Liam McLeod to pick over the bones of another incredible weekend of Scottish football drama.

They look back on Ross County’s historic victory over Rangers and discuss what impact it could have at both ends of the table.

They also assess the jobs done by Tony Docherty and Nick Montgomery as Dundee secure their place in the top 6 at the expense of Hibs and Motherwell.

Listen to today's episode of the Scottish Football Podcast here.

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Livingston boss David Martindale pleaded for common sense to rule after Tete Yengi's bizarre red card against Hearts.

Having been booked while playing, Yengi was the substituted and appeared frustrated with his own performance as he was taken off.

Referee Colin Steven took umbrage with the Australian's reaction, and subsequently showed him a second yellow despite the fact he'd left the field.

"The kid comes off park frustrated, he’s kicked one of our bottles," Martindale explained.

“He’s kicked it into our dugout, I just think there has to be a bit of common sense applied. There is no explanation, you are not allowed to do it."

Yengi, who has become a key player for Livi since his January arrival, will now miss the first game of Livingston's post-split fixtures.

“You are bottom of the league, fighting for survival, you are 2-0 up and losing 4-2, he gets substituted and I think common sense has to be applied," Martindale added.

“It’s not the way I want the game to go. I’m not saying what he’s done is right but I think you need to give him some leeway. We’re down to the bare bones as it is so he’s let us down as well.

“If that bottle had gone into the fans, book him all day long, if it had gone into the Hearts technical area, book him.”

Were you at Tynecastle or following the match from home? Either way, we want your views on the game – have your say here.

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Livingston manager David Martindale: "I think you saw the good and bad of Livingston this season.

"We started the game really well, really aggressive in the press. We forced them into mistakes and scored two cracking goals. We make a chance we should do better with with big Tete [Yengi].

"Then you see the ugly side if I'm honest. It's been the downfall all season. They work two good goals, I'll give them two. We allow the cross in and drop our runners.

"But there's also two individual mistakes in there. You strip the game back and we've given them two goals.

"The chances we created in the game, I think we created the better ones when you take out our two individual errors.

"I promise you I'm not treating any game different. I'm coming in to win the next game. I don't get out my bed to get beat.

"These next five games, win, lose or draw I will approach every game the same and make sure I've got enough players behind me with the same mindset.

"Can we go an win the five games? I think we can. Is it a big ask? Of course it is, I'm not delusional. But we need to go and try to win games and we've been trying from match day one. But we've not been good enough."

Thomas Duncan, BBC Sport Scotland

This was a complete sickener for David Martindale and Livingston, who made the perfect start in their bid to close to six points of Ross County ahead of the Staggies' meeting with Rangers on Sunday.

But their defensive issues cost them dearly after they started ferociously and caught out sleepy Hearts.

Two of Hearts' goals were gifts, with Ayo Obileye completely missing a simple defensive header for the second, and Devlin's awful backpass causing the penalty.

The fact three of them were Hearts players getting a free strike on goal from around the six-yard box will infuriate Martindale. But it's no surprise given Livingston have the worst defensive record in the league.

The fiery Livi boss will fight until relegation is confirmed, but it looks a case of when rather than if. Their frustration was summed up by striker Tete Yengi, who was shown a second yellow card for some dissent and a furious reaction once replaced.

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