Livingston will welcome relegation-threatened Dundee United to the Tony Macaroni Arena on Wednesday evening in the latest round of Scottish Premiership matches.
David Martindale's side occupy the UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round position. In contrast, The Terrors remain above the relegation playoff scene at the opposite end of the table on only goal difference.
Match preview
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Livingston have experienced an impressive tenure throughout the first phase of the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership campaign after registering nine victories from 21 matches.
Livi concluded the first phase of the 2021-22 season in eighth position but culminated their footballing crusade by finishing at the summit of the relegation group.
Martindale's side currently reside in fourth position in the latest standings and will want to build on their current four-match unbeaten league tenure on Wednesday.
Despite scoring the fourth-lowest number of goals this season - 24 - Livingston had no trouble overcoming St Johnstone last weekend courtesy of a set of braces from Stephen Kelly and James Penrice.
Compared to their midweek hosts, Dundee United have struggled so far this season in the wake of finishing fourth after the completion of last season's first phase.
Liam Fox's side have conceded a joint-high number of goals in the Scottish Premiership this season - 37 - but have commenced a footballing mini-revival in the last couple of weeks after a morale-boosting accumulation of eight points from their previous five matches.
The Terrors began their recent resurgence with back-to-back league victories over 10-man Ross County in their final match of 2022 before complementing that success five days later with a narrow 1-0 win over St Johnstone.
In spite of a 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Rangers on January 8, Fox's side got back on track on Saturday as only Kevin Nisbet's 92nd-minute goal denied the visitors all three points against Hibernian at Easter Road.
At the risk of dropping out of the pinnacle of Scottish football for the first time since 2020, Dundee United will hope to improve on their disheartening record of only a solitary away league victory across 10 matches on their midweek expedition to West Lothian.
Team News
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After hitting four goals past St Johnstone, Livingston manager David Martindale is likely to keep his attacking department the same at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Wednesday evening.
If that is the case, on the back of a brace on Saturday, Stephen Kelly will again lead The Lions' line with Bruce Anderson and Steven Bradley.
At the opposite end of the pitch, a familiar-looking defensive unit will line up for Livi, with Nicky Devlin, Jack Fitzwater, Morgan Boyes and James Penrice all expected to be involved from the commencement of the contest.
Inseparable at the top of the Dundee United's goalscoring charts alongside Dylan Levitt, Steven Fletcher will be responsible for firing the visitors to victory while being supported by Glenn Middleton and Ian Harkes.
After not being involved against Hibernian, the aforementioned Levitt could return to the Terrors' matchday squad but might have to settle for a seat on the substitutes' bench.
Livingston possible starting lineup:
George; Devlin, Fitzwater, Boyes, Penrice; Shinnie, Kelly, Omeonga; Bradley, Kelly, Anderson
Dundee United possible starting lineup:
Birighitti; Smith, Edwards, McMann; Sibbald, Doumbia, Djoum, Behich; Harkes, Middleton, Fletcher
We say: Livingston 3-1 Dundee United
On course to equal their highest-ever Scottish Premiership finish, we predict that Livingston will enter double-digit league victories for the current campaign at the expense of relegation-threatened Dundee United.
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