Livingston looking to exploit Celtic's European hangover at Almondvale

Livingston are hoping to benefit from Celtic’s Champions League excursions when they host the Hoops at Almondvale on Saturday.

The Parkhead side lost 2-0 to Feyenoord in Rotterdam on Tuesday and played the last 30 minutes of the match with only nine-men after Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Holm were sent off within five minutes of each other.

David Martindale is now looking to take advantage of any potential drop-off in the Premiership league-leader’s performance levels when they visit West Lothian at the weekend.

Livi have only lost one game in their last ten, a defeat to Rangers at Ibrox, and sit seventh in the league after five games this season.

The manager, who is also hoping to use any uncertainty across Celtic’s backline to his advantage with Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Nat Phillips all out injured, says he is confident they can spring a surprise on the champions.

He said: “We feel we can take points off anyone coming here as we have historically shown.

“I think last year was our first season in the Premiership that we never took any points off Celtic.

“It’s a big game for us and we are going into it with a bit of belief, we’ve got to try and use a wee bit of the overhang from Celtic’s European adventures.

“Just taking into account the travel factor, they have been away playing Champions League football at a very good intensity last night that would’ve taken a lot out of them then they’ve got to travel back.

“So we’ve got to look for any small margin we can, playing Saturday/Wednesday or Saturday/Tuesday can have a knock on effect so we have got to try and use that to our advantage.

“They also have a wee bit of an injury problem at this time that we have to look to exploit, Carter-Vickers is a huge player for them and it’s difficult for new guys to try and emulate what guys like him and Jota have done over the last couple of seasons right away.

“It’s probably not their settled back four just now and constantly changing due to the injuries and I think any manager will tell you it’s probably the one area of the park that you’re not wanting to change too much.

“I think it will be top players coming into these positions but there will be an adaptation period of not just playing for Celtic but adjusting to Scottish football.”