Preview: Livingston vs. St Mirren - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, on the other hand, could move up to fourth in the table if they can win their third successive league game.

Match preview

Having collected just three points from their last 17 matches, Livingston can only dream of such lofty heights at the moment. The Lions' six-year stay in Scotland's top flight appears to be coming to an end based on a sustained period of terrible form.

David Martindale's side were beaten 1-0 by Kilmarnock last time out in the league last Wednesday, with Marley Watkins's 88th-minute winner condemning Livingston to their 16th defeat from 25 league games. As such, they are six points adrift of Ross County in the relegation playoff spot, having played one more match than their closest competitors.

However, they showed great resolve to come from two goals down away to Partick Thistle in the Scottish FA Cup last weekend, with Joel Nouble's brace sending the tie into extra time. With penalties looming, Tete Yengi struck in the dying seconds to cap a remarkable comeback and send Livingston into the quarter-finals for the first time in almost two decades.

Given that they will face Celtic at Celtic Park in the last eight, though, their chances of progressing any further appear to be slim. As such, Martindale and his players will be hoping that their comeback can boost their league form, starting from Saturday against St Mirren.

However, that is unlikely to be an easy task considering St Mirren's excellent form this season, with Stephen Robinson's side currently on course to secure the club's highest league position since the 1980s.

The Saints have built on finishing sixth last season, having largely been fighting against relegation in each of the previous four campaigns. Successive league wins against Hibernian and Dundee have moved them only one point behind Kilmarnock in fourth, where they have not finished since 1980-81, which came one season after their best-ever finish in third spot.

That said, their hopes of lifting the Scottish FA Cup for the first time since 1986-87 came to an end at the hands of Celtic last weekend, with the Glasgow giants running out 2-0 winners at St Mirren Park. Goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda either side of half time proved enough for Brendan Rodgers's side to set up their forthcoming quarter-final tie against Livingston.

As such, Robinson and his players can now focus on securing a second successive top-six finish for the first time since the aforementioned relative glory days of the 1980s. They will be confident of piling on Livingston's misery this weekend, especially with fourth place in sight, as Kilmarnock simultaneously travel to Celtic Park.

Livingston Scottish Premiership form:

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Livingston form (all competitions):

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St Mirren Scottish Premiership form:

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St Mirren form (all competitions):

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Team News

Livingston will almost certainly remain without Cristian Montano and Jack Hamilton due to muscle strains, but otherwise Martindale should have a fully-fit squad to select from.

The 49-year-old may be tempted to name the same starting XI that worked wonders when overturning a two-nil deficit against Partick last weekend, although Bruce Anderson will be in contention to start after making a decent impact from the bench.

St Mirren, meanwhile, will welcome James Bolton back to their matchday squad. The defender was suspended against Celtic in the Scottish Cup last weekend after being dismissed late on in his side's previous match against Dundee.

Mark O'Hara, Conor McMenamin and Ryan Strain are expected to remain sidelined through injury, meaning that Robinson may revert to the side that prevailed against Dundee in their last league outing.

Livingston possible starting lineup:

McGovern; Nottingham, Donnellan, Obileye, Brandon; Holt, Pittman, MacKay; Nouble, Yengi, Kelly

St Mirren possible starting lineup:

Hemming; Bolton, Gogic, Fraser; Bwomono, Kwon, Boyd-Munce, Tanser; Scott, Mandron, Kiltie

We say: Livingston 0-2 St Mirren

Livingston's comeback against Partick in the Scottish Cup last weekend may provide some hope of them surviving relegation this season, but St Mirren will provide much stiffer opposition than a Championship side.

The visitors have won their last two matches without conceding a goal, and we expect them to move into fourth position by claiming a third consecutive victory against their rock-bottom opponents.

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