High-flying Livingston will host St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday afternoon, with both sides looking to secure their ninth league win of the campaign.

The Lions and the Saints will want to claim the bragging rights this weekend before they face off again on February 28 in the Scottish League Cup final.

Match preview

Livingston extended their impressive unbeaten run to 14 matches in all competitions with a 2-0 victory away at Aberdeen on Tuesday night.

An own goal from Dons goalkeeper Joe Lewis was shortly followed by a strike from Nicky Devlin to give the Lions a two-goal cushion after just 16 minutes - a lead which they were able to hold to claim their 11th Scottish Premiership win of the season.

Livingston have accumulated 27 points in their first 11 league matches under head coach David Martindale - the most points picked up by any Lions manager after this many games.

Since Martindale took charge in December, they have also kept seven clean sheets, as many as they did in the previous 28 games, and only league leaders Rangers have kept more during this period.

The Lions will be full of confidence heading into their clash with St Johnstone - a side that they have beaten in their last two meetings earlier this campaign, most recently winning 2-1 away from home in December.

Securing another three points on Saturday would move Livingston within two points of fourth-placed Aberdeen if they were to lose at Hibernian.

St Johnstone's run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions came to an end on Wednesday when they narrowly lost 1-0 away to Rangers.

Despite having more shots on target than the hosts, Ianis Hagi's second-half strike from outside the penalty area was enough to separate the two teams, handing Rangers another three points.

The Saints head into their clash with Livingston having lost each of their last three league visits to the Toni Macaroni Stadium since a 1-0 win back in October 2018.

With one eye on the Scottish League Cup final at the end of the month, manager Callum Davidson will be keen for his side to bounce back and make a real statement of intent against one of the league's in-form sides, with a win potentially moving St Johnstone into the top six.

Livingston Scottish Premiership form: WDDWDW
Livingston form (all competitions): DDWWDW

St Johnstone Scottish Premiership form: DDWDWL
St Johnstone form (all competitions): DWWDWL

Team News

Livingston pair Keaghan Jacobs and Alan Lithgow remain unavailable for selection with injuries but otherwise Martindale has a full squad to pick from.

Scott Robinson and Alan Forrest, who both have four goals so far this campaign, will be hoping to break back into the starting lineup after beginning the last match on the bench.

St Johnstone midfielder Murray Davidson, who limped off in the defeat to Rangers, is the only injury concern for Davidson at present.

Ali McCann could drop back into a central midfield role alongside Craig Bryson, with either Guy Melamed or Michael O'Halloran starting in behind striker Stevie May.

Livingston possible starting lineup:
Stryjek; Ambrose, Guthrie, Brown; Devlin, Bartley, Holt, Serrano; Pittman, Robinson; Emmanuel-Thomas

St Johnstone possible starting lineup:
Clark; Kerr, Gordon, McCart; Rooney, Bryson, McCann, Tanser; O'Halloran, Conway; May

We say: Livingston 1-0 St Johnstone

St Johnstone will be hoping to bounce back from their defeat to Rangers and put in a solid performance in preparation for their upcoming League Cup final encounter. However, the hosts are in a rich vein of form and that could continue with a slender victory on Saturday.

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