Rangers have never lost at Ibrox to Livingston, a record spanning 25 games in all competitions. It’s a run Lions boss David Martindale would love to break when his men make the short trip along the M8 on Saturday (kick-off 15.00).
He also wants to improve on Livingston’s current record since returning to the William Hill Premiership with a play-off success over Ross County at the end of last season.
The West Lothian club, who anchor the 12-strong table with eight points from 12 starts, have only emerged with three points on one occasion so far this season, a victory over Falkirk, who are now fifth, at the Home of the Set Fare Arena. They have also recorded five draws.
However, several of their defeats have come late on and Livi did push Rangers hard when they visited Almondvale on September 28, Matchday six of 33. That game ended with defender Max Aarons netting in the fourth minute of injury time, steering the ball into the bottom corner after Mo Sylla equalised to the home side in 68 minutes. James Tavernier put Rangers ahead after 23 minutes.
Danny Rohl has won his first three Premiership matches since taking over at Ibrox and is pleased with the way the side has developed. They are now in fourth position on 18 points, the same as third-placed Hibs. The West of Scotland combine have played a game less and Hibs are third on goal difference, plus seven. Rangers are plus five.
The German admitted there had been some good results but added: “We have also had some small setbacks.”
Ex-Hearts defender John Soutter, injured in the Scotland warm-up at Hampden on Tuesday as the national team clinched their World Cup place, is causing concern for the Glasgow side and the central defender has started all but one game for the club this term. He is one of their key men.
Rohl has, however, picked up more league points in his short tenure than Russell Martin who was sacked soon after steering his men to the 2-1 victory against Livingston. The table indicates, overall, that the men from Govan have 18 points from 11 starts.
Back in West Lothian, Martindale (pictured) will be minus defender Joshua Brenet who was in the Curacao squad which clinched a place in the World Cup in midweek after a no-score draw in Jamaica. Curacao is located in the southern Caribbean sea and is an island country within the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
They are the smallest nation – population around 150,000 – ever to qualify for the world’s top football tournament and are managed by ex-Rangers and Sunderland boss, Dick Advocaat, now aged 78 who will be the oldest manager to lead a team to the World Cup.
The big-hearted boss revealed that flights back to Scotland were always going to be difficult for 31-year-old Brenet, who was an unused substitute in the game, and Martindale told the player to enjoy the party with the rest of his team-mates before jetting back to Scotland.
