Preview: Livingston vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

While the visitors currently sit third in the table with 10 points from their opening five league matches, the hosts sit four points further back in seventh place.

Match preview

Livingston suffered their third successive defeat across all competitions when they were beaten 2-1 at home to managerless Dundee United in the second round of the Scottish League Cup on Wednesday.

Kurtis Guthrie pulled one back for the Lions in the final quarter of the match after strikes from Steven Fletcher and Ian Harkes had given the Tangerines a two-goal lead, but the hosts were unable to score an equaliser and were condemned to their first elimination at this stage for three years.

David Martindale will be concerned with his side's defensive performances of late, as they have conceded eight goals in their last three matches, including five without reply in a heavy league defeat against Aberdeen last weekend.

Livingston's hopes of returning to winning ways on Saturday appear to be slim as they have won only one of their last 20 top-flight meetings against Hearts, a convincing 5-0 home victory in December 2018.

Hearts were also eliminated from the League Cup on Wednesday as they suffered a slender 1-0 defeat to Kilmarnock at Tynecastle, just four days after beating them 3-2 in the Premiership.

Innes Cameron headed in the game's only goal in the 21st minute to condemn the Jam Tarts to elimination in the second round for the third successive season.

Robbie Neilson's side have now failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their opening eight competitive fixtures of the new season and they have also lost four of their last five games in all competitions.

Hearts will be confident of bouncing back with a victory on Saturday, though, as they claimed maximum points from all of their three encounters against Livingston last season, winning by an aggregate score of 6-0.

With the Old Firm derby taking place this weekend, a victory for Hearts could move them level on points with Rangers in second place if they were to lose to Celtic in the lunchtime kickoff.

Livingston Scottish Premiership form:

Livingston form (all competitions):

Hearts Scottish Premiership form:

Hearts form (all competitions):

Team News

Livingston duo Bruce Anderson and Tom Parks remain sidelined as they continue to recover from respective ankle and knee injuries.

The Lions will be able to welcome back Jack Fitzwater from suspension, though, and the centre-back could return to the heart of the defence, with Sean Kelly expected to move back into centre-midfield.

Midfielder Scott Pittman, who has made a club-record 312 appearances for Livingston during his seven-year spell in West Lothian, is set to retain his place in the starting lineup, providing support in behind lone striker Jon Nouble.

As for Hearts, they have been devastated by the news that last season's top scorer Liam Boyce is ruled out for the next seven to nine months after tearing a cruciate ligament in last weekend's 3-2 league win over Kilmarnock.

Centre-back Kye Rowles was also forced off in the same game and faces between six and eight weeks on the sidelines with a fractured metatarsal.

Defender Craig Halkett is also ruled out with a hamstring problem, so Neilson may decide to name the same back three of Michael Smith, Lewis Neilson and Alex Cochrane.

Neilson is sure to have one eye on next Thursday's Europa League group-stage clash with Istanbul Basaksehir, but he is expected to name a strong side on Saturday, with Gary Mackay-Steven potentially joining Lawrence Shankland and Josh Ginnelly in attack.

Livingston possible starting lineup:

George; Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Montano; Omeonga, Holt, Kelly; Shinnie, Pittman; Nouble

Hearts possible starting lineup:

Gordon; Smith, Neilsen, Cochrane; Atkinson, Devlin, Haring, Halliday; Ginnelly, Shankland, Mackay-Steven

We say: Livingston 1-1 Hearts

A closely-fought contest between two out-of-form sides who are keen to bounce back is set to take place at the Toni Macaroni Arena.

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