Rangers vs Livingston

Rangers and Livingston will trade tackles at Ibrox Stadium in the 2021/22 Scottish Premiership curtain-raiser this weekend.

Rangers head into the new campaign on the back of a topsy-turvy off-season during which they picked up only two wins from five warm-up fixtures (D2, L1). However, the reigning Scottish Premiership titleholders have won their last three top-flight matches by an aggregate score of 11-1. Moreover, the ‘Gers’ have won all but one of their previous ten meetings with Livingston across all competitions (D1), including the last three in a row by an aggregate scoreline of 6-0. Odds-on favorites to wrap up all three points here, Rangers have not lost any of their 17 home matches against this opposition in the 21st century (W15, D2). Remarkably, Steven Gerrard’s side finished the 2020/21 Premiership campaign with all 19 victories on home turf, returning an intimidating +53 goal difference in the process (GF:57, GA:4).

On the other hand, Livingston’s new season began earlier in July as they won three of their four League Cup games (L1), though each of their opponents are featuring in lower-league football. The visitors experienced a torrid time down the final stretch of the 2020/21 league campaign, failing to win their last six top-flight fixtures (D2, L4) and netting under 1.5 goals on each occasion. Away from home, the ‘Lions’ have lost three of their previous four Premiership matches (D1), conceding 3+ goals in each defeat. Encouragingly, though, David Martindale’s men had won five of their six league trips before the abovementioned run (D1), keeping four clean sheets in the process.