MATCH PREVIEW | LIVINGSTON (A)

LIVINGSTON V DUNDEE UNITED 
CINCH PREMIERSHIP
3PM SATURDAY 20TH MAY
TONY MACARONI ARENA

We travel to West Lothian for the third time this season as we clash with Livingston, looking to pick up a crucial three points in the race for cinch Premiership survival.

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Opponent Overview 

Since leaving Tannadice empty-handed just over three weeks ago, the Lions have lost two further successive games, to Ross County and Kilmarnock.

This weekend's match presents the first opportunity for the Almondvale outfit to go in search of maximum points on home turf following the split.

All but arithmetically safe from relegation, Livi have little to play for aside from pride. They will, however, want to pip Motherwell to seventh spot for the additional prize money.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on a place in the top six, 2022/23 will still bring Livingston's fourth-highest Scottish football finish in the entirety of their 51-year recorded history.

Furthermore, they need just one additional victory from their final three games to equal their top-flight win record - 13 matches in a 38-game season.

David Martindale has the highest win percentage of any permanent Livingston manager in the Premiership and has solidified his side's place in the upper echelons of the game in Scotland throughout his two-and-a-half-year tenure.

Tale of the Tape

United remain undefeated at the Tony Macaroni Arena this season.

Jim Goodwin's first away match as United boss came in West Lothian. A difficult opening 20 minutes ensued as the hosts dominated proceedings, and were rewarded for their efforts with a 13th-minute Steven Bradley strike.

However, a clever tactical tweak from the Gaffer brought a change of shape which swung the pendulum back in United's favour. 

The visitors would go on to find a deserved equaliser through Aziz Behich, and could perhaps feel aggrieved not to have left Livingston with all three points when a flurry of late chances is taken into account.

Last time the sides met, a turgid spectacle at Tannadice concluded with the Terrors securing their third win on the bounce and simultaneously delivering a hammer blow to Livi's top-six hopes.

The difference in the City of Discovery were goals on either side of the break from Jamie McGrath and Steven Fletcher - 2-0 the final score in front of a bumper home support which entirely packed out both the Eddie Thompson and George Fox stands.

Watch our Story of the Match feature below! 

Facts and Figures

38 players have represented both Dundee United and Livingston, however, no member of our current squad has enjoyed a spell with the Lions.

Number one 'keeper Shamal George has the highest long-pass accuracy stat in the cinch Premiership, with 75% of his attempts finding a teammate.

Almost 20 years have passed since the last goalless draw in this fixture.

Livi skipper alone Nicky Devlin has made 11.2% of his side's passes this season. His nearest challenger is Jason Holt with just over 8%.

No team has conceded more goals than Livingston since the turn of the year - 29.

At the other end, only St Johnstone have scored fewer goals in home matches throughout the 2022/23 season.

Talking Tactics

At Tannadice last month, Martindale opted for his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, however last weekend against Kilmarnock, he slightly altered the system to a 4-3-2-1.

Livi looked uncharacteristically poor when defending crosses into their 18-yard box for the second match in a row, a failing which cost them two goals the week prior in Dingwall.

On three occasions, Lions defender Luiyi Perez was dragged short by a player asking for the ball to feet, opening space for a run in behind for Kyle Vassell - see below.

At the third time of asking, Killie frontman Vassell found a way beyond Shamal George, impressive throughout, to open the scoring.

The main tactical tweak saw dangerman Joel Noublé pushed through the middle as a lone striker, rather than deploying him off the left behind Bruce Anderson, who dropped to the bench.

Furthermore, attacking midfielder Stephen Kelly was forced into a wider role opposite veteran Scott Pittman.

Route One continues to be the West Lothian outfit's methodology when going from back to front, as they boast the highest rate of long balls per 90 in the league - 53.

To underline this further, their average of 43 ground passes per 90 into the final third is the lowest compared to all 12 top-flight clubs, eight short of the league average of 51.

Livingston's crossing and heading rate is also surprisingly low for a team who pride themselves on physical dominance.

Predicted XI: George, Devlin, Perez, Fitzwater, Montano, Shinnie, Holt, Kelly, Pittman, Nouble, Anderson

Memorable Matchup

During the final weeks of the 2002/03 season, United travelled to Almondvale winless in almost two months and embroiled in a battle at the wrong end of the SPL table.

In desperate need of three points to propel themselves away from Motherwell at the foot of the table, the afternoon began in the best possible fashion as Jim McIntyre nodded home from point-blank range inside two minutes.

It would take until the closing stages for the match to truly come to life. Jim Leishman's side found an equaliser through David Bingham, as United's winless run looked as though it was continue into Matchday 37.

However, in second-half stoppage time, Terrors captain Charlie Miller untidily forced the ball over the line to notch his third of the season and secure a priceless victory in the race for top-flight survival.

Watch a brief set of highlights below, courtesy of Arab Archive!

One to Watch

It is likely he is preparing to compete in his final three matches for the club, however, Nicky Devlin's importance to Livingston cannot be understated.

Ranked in Wyscout's top ten cinch Premiership full-backs, the Skipper leads the way for defensive duels, interceptions, key passes and crosses when compared to his West Lothian colleagues. (all stats per 90 league minutes)

Going forward, Devlin occasionally carries a threat with underlapping runs into the right side of the penalty area.

An ever-present since joining the club in 2019, the 29-year-old has made almost 150 appearances in black and yellow. His consistent availability has been remarkable this season in particular, playing the most top-flight minutes of any outfield player. He has started every single one of Livingston's 35 league matches.

Having rejected a new deal at the Tony Macaroni Arena, Devlin could well make the step up into European football next season as Aberdeen look poised to make a swoop for the former Scotland U19s defender, whilst Heart of Midlothian have allegedly also declared an interest.

Officials 

Referee: Don Robertson

Assistant Referee: Gary Hilland

Assistant Referee: Chris Rae

Fourth Official: Alan Newlands

VAR: Grant Irvine

Assistant VAR: Alan Mulvanny

What the Managers say 

Hear from both United manager Jim Goodwin and Livingston boss David Martindale ahead of tomorrow's match!