Livingston

Mikey Moore's 88th-minute header rescued a draw for Rangers against Scottish Premiership strugglers Livingston, who blew a two-goal lead after Cristian Montano's red card.

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Livingston boss Marvin Bartley: "A real rollercoaster of emotions, but you have to remember who we're playing against. If you'd offered me 2-2 befroe the game I would have taken it.

"2-0 up we looked pretty comfortable. The turning point was the sending off.

"The players gave me everything today and that's all I can ask for.

"It's going to take a lot for us to get out of this situation but I saw a lot of things I liked today.

"For me the referee has got [the red card] right. No complaints at all.

"The players stood up down to 10 and that's all I can ask.

"When the referee said play on, I was delighted. I've not seen the tackle back to see if it's outside the box.

"Talking of decisions, I thought Danny Wilson was fouled in the build-up to one of their goals.

"We're heading in the right direction in terms of performance but we need to start picking up points quickly."

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Livingston may include new signings Barrie McKay and Joel Nouble. Babacar Fati (thigh) could return, but Samson Lawal, Josh Zimmerman, Scott Arfield (hamstring), Connor McLennan (ankle) and Aidan Denholm (hamstring) are all likely to remain sidelined.

Rangers boss Danny Rohl has a couple of fresh injury concerns, although he refused to disclose names. Max Aarons has missed the last two matches and Connor Barron (knee) and Derek Cornelius (muscle) are still out.

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Livingston defender Cammy Kerr insists the gap at the bottom of the Premiership can be classed and his side can still claw their way out of relegation trouble.

With 11 games to play in the league, Livi have just 12 points to their name and trail eleventh-placed Kilmarnock by eight points.

Performances since Marvin Bartley took over as manager have brought some encouragement, though the team lost a last-gasp goal at Celtic and had to fight back from two games down to take a point at Dundee.

Kerr says praised Bartley for bringing a freshness that can lift the side and said that it could just take "two or three games" to completely change the team's fortunes.

He told the Scottish Football Podcast: "In terms of the training, Marvin coming in and having his own ideas on how he wants to do things has been great. The training's been really refreshing and he's got a way that he wants to go and he's sticking with it.

"I suppose it's easy for me to say 'Yeah, we've got to believe', but if you're a professional and you don't believe that you're going to stay up with a points difference of eight, then you shouldn't be playing.

"That's easily brought back in two or three games. You've still got the split to play everyone in and around you, and everyone knows how quickly football changes."

Kerr said there has to be focus and the right attitude if Livi are to achieve a great escape but backed his side to give everything they have in the remaining games.

"You've got to have a really good mentality," he said. "It's a different mentality from being at the other end of the league. You've got to have a real fight and desire and never give up. You've got to go in every day, make sure that you're working to the best of your ability, and come a Saturday or Sunday, even against the bigger teams, you've got to believe that you're going to get something out it.

That's got to be the way everyone in the dressing room thinks. We need everyone fighting in the same direction and I believe we've got that.

We're under no illusions about how tough it is going to be but we know that we're still in a fight and we need to keep going to the end.

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Livingston boss Marvin Bartley has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to welcome Rangers on Sunday.

Here are the main points:

• Bartley stresses new signings Joel Nouble and Barrie McKay will have "a huge part to play" between now and the end of the season, adding both "have showed up well in training".

• The pair played 45 minutes in a bounce game and the Livi boss feels they're "heading in the right direction".

• Livi sit bottom of the Scottish Premiership and Bartley stresses "it's all about getting to the split as close as you possibly can be" to the teams above.

• Bartley feels "the pressure is on other teams" who are being dragged into a relegation battle

• The manager suggests "draws will do because if we draw every game between now and the end of the season and every else loses we stay up."

• Bartley jokes "I felt a lot better at full-time than I did at half-time" of the Kilmarnock v Celtic game.

• While Livi are in a difficult position at the bottom of the table, Bartley stresses "I wouldn't have taken this job on if I didn't have confidence in the players."

• Livi came from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw against Dundee and Bartley says "there's a fine line between confidence and complacency" adding "we have to make sure those mistakes don't happen again".

• "It's a very different Rangers team" to the side they faced earlier in the season and Bartley insists "we won't take anything from that game".

• But the manager wants his side to offer "more of a threat" going forward in games.

• Bartley admits "I'm not enjoying it at all" since taking over from David Martindale but adds "I'll enjoy it if we stay up".

• The Livi boss admits that lawyers from the SFA have spoken to Jeremy Bokila this week regarding an allegation the he suffered racial abuse in last month's match against Aberdeen.

• Bartley adds "as a football club and as a manager, we're there with him every step of the way".

• Team news: Aidan Denholm is getting closer to a return but is not yet ready to be in the squad, Babacar Fati is getting closer while Josh Zimmerman is further behind.

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• Livingston have lost 21 of their last 23 meetings with Rangers in all competitions (D2) since a 1-0 league victory in September 2018.

• Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 visits to Livingston in all competitions, including their last seven in a row (all in the league) since a goalless draw in August 2020.

• Livingston are winless in their last 12 home league games (D4 L8), the longest run by any side within a single Scottish Premiership season since Hamilton in March 2016 (also 12), while the last to go longer within a single campaign were St Mirren from August to February 2015 (14).

• After winning just one of their opening eight league games of the season (D6 L1), Rangers have since won 14 of their 19 league fixtures under Danny Rohl (D4 L1). Indeed, since his first Scottish Premiership game in charge on October 26th, the Gers have earned 46 points, at least nine more than any other side in the competition (Celtic second with 37), and 11 more than league leaders Hearts (35).

• Rangers have won each of their last 11 league games against opponents starting the day bottom of the Scottish Premiership since a 1-1 draw with Hamilton in February 2021.

Stuart Barrie
Fan writer

The latest of our must-win games, and let's be honest every game is a must-win for us at this stage, was a total head-scratcher.

We never got the win but managed a hard-fought draw, however we were behind in mere minutes, which was depressing. The team showed enormous character and resilience to pull back two goals. It was the good ,the bad and the ugly.

This was a microcosm of our season – leaking goals, playing very well in large parts but unable to find an elusive win. All that was missing from the bingo card of this season's games was losing the last-minute goal.

It's hard to be disappointed with this draw due to the fightback but it's easy to be unhappy about failing to secure a much-needed win, too.

The Marvin Bartley era hasn't really kicked in yet it's also fair to say. The early signs are encouraging but he needs to get the win.

I was impressed with the way he came out in the press and was bullish about the attitude and efforts needed. I liked how he said 'until its mathematically impossible we keep going'. That gives me a little hope and encouragement as a fan.

Another head-scratcher this week was a picture from the Celtic game of current director of football Davie Martindale with a radio headset on.

This caused a fair bit of consternation amongst the Livi fans. Was he giving instructions to the bench? Was this an old photo or, my favourite theory, it was an AI generated image that some mischievous soul produced? If true and he is still pulling the strings I think the club and Davie himself needs to be transparent about this.

I think this a bit of a disservice to the new manager too. He's still finding his feet and, whilst we haven't got that win yet, Marvin deserves to be his own man and be the leader that we know he is.

He's got Davie's counsel midweek. However, on game days,and pretty much all other times, there has to be one voice the players hear.

Anything else will only confuse matters and we don't need any more distractions in our ongoing quest to break the 27 win-less game streak.

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Striker Joel Nouble has returned to Livingston on a deal until the end of the season.

The 30-year-old Englishman joins as a free agent after departing Chinese side Shenzhen Juniors.

Nouble's first spell in West Lothian started in the summer of 2021. Having initially been loaned out to Arbroath, where he scored five goals in 23 games, he went on to make 94 appearances, hitting the net 12 times and providing eight assists.

Nouble moved on to China in June 2024, signing for for Wuxi Wugo for one season before his switch to Shenzhen Juniors, where he scored 10 goals in 19 outings.

Livingston are currently eight points adrift at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership, without a win since August.

Watch highlights as Dundee and Livingston share four goals in the Scottish Premiership (UK users only).

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Livingston midfielder Lewis Smith says the West Lothian side believe they can pull off a relegation great escape.

Smith netted his side's first goal as Marvin Bartley's side battled back from two down to draw 2-2 with Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday.

But they remain without a win in 27 games, with an eight-point gap between themselves and Kilmarnock before the second-bottom side host Celtic on Sunday.

"We are on a poor run and, when you are 2-0 down, you can easily crumble, but we showed great character to fight back and hopefully we can take some confidence from that going in to the rest of the season, because we know what situation we are in and it is going to take a lot for us to get out of it," Smith said.

"But I think it showed that we are resilient, we are all in it together and we can get out of it."

The draw at Dens Park followed a 2-1 defeat away to Celtic in which the reigning champions scored a late winner.

"It showed a different side to us when we were a lot more solid, compact and trying to not let them break us down, but today was a bit different," Smith added.

"We needed to show a bit more going forward and we did that in spells of the game and both performances showed we have got a lot of fight and we are all in it together and we are not going to give up."

Simon Murray's early double wasn't enough to earn Dundee a first win in five games as bottom club Livingston fought back to salvage a point in their desperate fight for Scottish Premiership survival.

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Livingston manager Marvin Bartley tells BBC Sportsound: "We started the game far too slowly and we were punished.

"I said to the players at half-time massive credit for bouncing back the way they did, because it would have been easy at 2-0 down and bottom of the league to not get back up. They did that.

"I'm proud of them, I really am. Obviously the start is not what we wanted but it's about what you do in adversity.

"They faced it head on and nearly got a winner as well, though Dundee got their chances as well and it was like basketball in the end.

"People will walk away saying Livingston are bottom of the league but they showed great fight and great spirit today. That's credit to the players.

"We're going to be tested in other games, though I never want to be two goals down as quickly, and we're going to have to stand up to it.

"Tactically and technically you might get things wrong at times but if you put in that work rate then you've got a massive chance.

"It's better than losing a game and we've got more than enough games to catch the teams above us. We play Kilmarnock and St Mirren before the split and post-split you play the teams around you again.

"We're a point closer to Kilmarnock than we were yesterday.

"I told the players it might not be until the last day of the season we turn it all around but we will turn it around. This is a big point for us considering where we were at the start of the game."

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Winger Barrie McKay has joined Scottish Premiership bottom club Livingston until the end of the season.

McKay, 31, most recently featured for Hearts, leaving Tynecastle at the end of last season.

Previously, he turned out for Rangers, Nottingham Forest and Swansea, and also played on loan at Morton, Raith Rovers and Fleetwood.

He won his sole Scotland cap in 2016, coming on as a substitute in a defeat by France.

McKay is nearing 400 club appearances and could feature in Livingston's Premiership visit to Dundee on Saturday.

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Dundee remain without centre-backs Billy Koumetio (knee) and Clark Robertson (thigh) plus forwards Joe Westley (ankle) and Ashley Hay (broken toe).

Livingston will be without Babacar Fati (thigh) and possibly Samson Lawal after their late withdrawals against Celtic.

Scott Arfield (hamstring) and Connor McLennan (ankle) were also missing in midweek along with Aidan Denholm (hamstring).

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• Dundee (240) and Livingston (245) are the two sides to have had the fewest shots in the Scottish Premiership this season, while they are both in the top four for shots faced (Dundee 392, Livingston 379).

• Livingston have lost their past four league games, last losing five in a row in the Premiership in December 2023 (seven).

• Dundee have failed to score in four league matches, but haven't done so in five successive top-flight games since February 2013.

• Livingston have lost four of their past five Premiership games against Dundee (D1), as many as their previous 15 in the top flight beforehand (W6 D5 L4).

• Dundee have won their two home league games against newly-promoted sides Falkirk and Livingston this season; they had only won two of their previous 16 top-flight home matches against promoted opponents before this (D5 L9).

Livingston are closing in on a deal to sign Barrie McKay for the rest of the season, with the 31-year-old former Heart of Midlothian and Rangers winger having trained with the Scottish Premiership strugglers as he looks to end six months without a club. (Daily Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Watch the highlights as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain scores a late goal on his debut to help Celtic to a narrow win over bottom side Livingston. Available to UK users only

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain curled home a magnificent debut goal in second-half stoppage time to secure a potentially crucial win for Celtic over Livingston in the Scottish Premiership title race.

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Livingston boss Marvin Bartley tells BBC Scotland: "Gutted. I'm upset for the players but I'm also proud of them. The effort was magnificent to a man and I'm hurting for them because we were so close to picking up a vital point.

"The quality Celtic are bringing off the bench is huge, but we matched them in terms of effort. We just weren't able to hang on at the end.

"We knew what we were going to face. The players stood up to them for long periods and stayed in the game. We got the penalty and Scott Pittman has a big chance as well.

"We can do it. Until it's mathematically impossible we will not give up. Can we narrow the gap before the split? Then you're playing the teams around you and those games are huge.

"I've seen more than enough from the players to know they can do it. We need to start picking up points as quickly as possible now."

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Former Raith Rovers manager Grant Murray has joined Marvin Bartley's coaching team at Livingston for the remainder of the season.

The former defender has also had coaching roles at Hibs, Edinburgh City, Queen's Park and Queen of the South, laterally under Bartley in 2023.

"When I first came up to Scotland to play for Hibs, Grant was a coach there and gradually became more involved when Neil Lennon took over as manager and then I had him as my assistant at Queen of the South so I know him really well," manager Bartley said.

"He's someone I trust and adds a pair of experienced eyes to my coaching team.

"He's had a successful football career both as a player and as a coach – lifting silverware during his time at Raith Rovers as manager too.

"His high standards, great work ethic and professionalism are traits that are non-negotiables for me and he'll help further instil that in the group."

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Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney is set to play with a broken nose while new signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could potentially make the squad.

Cameron Carter-Vickers (Achilles), Jota (knee), Alistair Johnston and Callum Osmand (both hamstring) remain out.

Livingston pair Scott Arfield (hamstring) and Connor McLennan (ankle) join Aidan Denholm (hamstring) on the sidelines.

Cristian Montano could return after injury while Jeremy Bokila is available after suspension.

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Free agent Barrie McKay is training with Livingston and could be offered a contract after the Premiership strugglers lost Scott Arfield and Connor McLennan to injury.

Former Rangers playmaker McKay, 31, has been without a club since leaving Hearts last summer.

Manager Marvin Bartley refused to be drawn on interest in McKay but did confirm that veteran midfielder Arfield and winger McLennan are facing spells on the sidelines with hamstring and ankle injuries respectively.

"I don't think they'll be back for the next couple of weeks, put it that way," he said.

"I think Connor will be slightly longer than Scottie is, but definitely not for the next couple of weeks.

"It's a massive blow. We're down in numbers in terms of the size of the squad as well, so losing any players at this moment in time makes it extremely difficult, especially those two players.

"Connor's done extremely well for us and obviously Scottie was brought in (in January) to give us that boost in attacking areas.

"We've lost two boys from the top end of the pitch, but it's an opportunity for others to now step up and go into the team and take their places."

Bottom side Livi visit third-placed Celtic on Wednesday bidding to end a 25-game run without victory.

"It's a massive task, isn't it?" said Bartley. "Celtic are obviously chasing another title. It'll be extremely difficult.

"On any given day, anything can happen. If you go into football thinking you can't win, then it would be pointless."