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

Aberdeen and Livingston will both be looking to return to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership when they lock horns at Pittodrie Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The home side will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Ross County on April 9, while Livingston played out a 2-2 draw with Motherwell last time out.

Match preview

© Reuters

Aberdeen are currently third in the Scottish Premiership Relegation Group, boasting 36 points from their 33 matches, which has left them six points clear of fifth-placed St Johnstone.

The Dons have only actually won once in the league since Boxing Day, which came at home to Hibernian on March 19, drawing with Dundee and losing to Ross County in their last two matches.

Aberdeen will now take on Livingston, Dundee, Hibernian, St Johnstone and St Mirren in the Relegation Group and will be desperate to avoid finishing in one of the two bottom positions, which are currently occupied by Dundee and St Johnstone, with the former only having 25 points.

Jim Goodwin's side have been relatively impressive in front of their own supporters this season, winning seven, drawing four and losing four of their 15 matches to collect 25 points.

Aberdeen have also won two of their three Scottish Premiership matches against Livingston this term, including a 2-0 victory in the game at Pittodrie Stadium back in December.

© Reuters

Livingston, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 2-2 draw with Motherwell on April 9, which ended a three-game losing run in the Scottish Premiership.

Indeed, after beating Dundee United 2-1 at the start of March, the Lions lost their next three matches against Celtic, Hearts and St Johnstone before drawing with Motherwell last time out.

Livingston are currently second in the Relegation Group, boasting 38 points from their 33 matches, which has left them two points clear of Aberdeen ahead of this weekend's contest.

David Martindale's side have won five, drawn four and lost eight of their 17 Scottish Premiership matches on their travels this season, picking up 19 points in the process.

Livingston also beat Aberdeen 2-1 when the two teams locked horns in February, so they will be bidding to make it back-to-back victories over the Dons this weekend.

Team News

© Reuters

Aberdeen will again be missing Matty Kennedy, Adam Montgomery and Michael Devlin through injury for this weekend's contest.

The home side did not pick up any fresh concerns in their defeat to Ross County last time out, but there are likely to be a couple of changes, with Connor McLennan and Jack MacKenzie pushing to be involved.

Vicente Besuijen will again play off the left for the Dons, while Christian Ramirez, who has netted 10 times in the league this season, is set to operate at the tip of the attack.

As for Livingston, Bruce Anderson, Tom Parkes and Daniel Barden will be absent on Saturday afternoon.

James Penrice is also set to miss out with the problem that he picked up against Motherwell, so Adam Lewis could come into the starting team for the visitors this weekend.

Livingston could otherwise be unchanged from the side that started against Motherwell, though, with Alan Forrest and Odin Bailey supporting Joel Nouble in the final third of the field.

Aberdeen possible starting lineup:

Lewis; Ojo, Gallagher, Bates, Hayes; MacKenzie, Ferguson; McLennan, Barron, Besuijen; Ramirez

Livingston possible starting lineup:

Stryjek; Devlin, Fitzwater, Obileye, Lewis; Holt, Pittman, Kelly; Bailey, Nouble, Forrest

We say: Aberdeen 1-1 Livingston

There is not an awful lot between these two teams in terms of quality, and we are expecting a tight match on Saturday afternoon, with the pair ultimately sharing the points in a low-scoring draw.