Hearts V Livi Preview

Last updated : 31 October 2003 By Dov
www.livifanzine.com Hearts V Livi preview and full match day guide

Livingston take on Hearts on Saturday full of confidence after Wednesday nights narrow 1-0 cup win away to Dundee United.  One player that will definitely be out is ex-Dons man Jamie McAllister who took a sore one and will be out for up to four weeks after he was badly injured during the United match.  

Skipper Stuart Lovell still looks far from match fit, but the experienced Australian will start the match along with in form Lee Makel.  Roddy McKenzie will be looking to keep his former team mates from Scoring, and Marvin Andrews will have keep an eye on the impressive and the very tall Marc Devries.  

 

Davide Fernandez didn’t have the best match on Wednesday, but his skill and flare is still needed, and we all know his ability and he will be one of the names in the starting eleven.  Derek Lilley has still to impress the Livi supporters.  He looks quite slow, and is very clumsy when it comes to controlling the ball.  He has been on the bench quite a lot, so hopefully after he gets a few matches under his belt; he should start to have better games.

 

The only other recognised player out injured is Fernando Pasquinelli, who should return to the squad within the next couple of weeks.

FULL MATCH GUIDE

Livingston next league away game sees the Lions hop along to Tynecastle to play Craig Levein’s Uefa Cup hopefuls, Hearts. Livingston will be hoping to make it another happy away day for supporters after the terrific away victories against Aberdeen and Hibernian. Here’s Dov’s complete guide to the match…

A happy hunting ground you say?

Tynecastle is a stadium where Livingston nearly always turns on the style and beat the Jambo’s with ease. The first match Livingston played there in the SPL, the Lions managed a superb 3-1 victory thanks to a brace from Davide Fernandez and a great goal from Barry Wilson. The Lions also won at Tynecastle later on in the season 3-2 to guarantee a third spot in the league in their first ever season in the SPL.

Are we likely to win this time?

There’s no reason why Livingston can’t beat the Jambo’s, as they have nothing to fear. Livingston will be under pressure from the Hearts attackers early on, but as long as the Livi defenders hold the fort, then it will be up to players like Pasquinelli and Fernandez to ensure they do the business up front.

Any players I should watch out for?

Livingston’s Marvin Andrews will have to be on his toes to match Dutch striker Mark De Vries. The former Dordrecht 90 player scored an impressive 14 goals in the Dutch First Division before he moved to the Jambo’s. Livi will also need to keep tabs on Jean-Louis who is an exciting left midfield playmaker with an urge to attack at every given opportunity. He has a sweet left foot on him, and he will need to be closed down as soon as he gets the ball.

What are Hearts aims for the rest of the season?

Hearts main aim for the season must be to progress to the third round of the Uefa cup. They have already beat FK Zeljeznicar of Bosnia over the two legs and they were tied with FC Girondins de Bordeaux of France in the second leg. Bordeaux are full of European experience and Hearts will have to at their best if they are to progress into the draw for the next round.

What about the stadium?

Tynecastle is a neat stadium with a great atmosphere. The Jambo’s will have to move soon as their stadium will not be up to Uefa standards in the up coming years and there is talk of them sharing a stadium with rivals Hibs or moving to the home of Scottish Rugby, Murrayfield Stadium. The supporters are not too happy about the possibility of ground sharing with their rivals, so the Jambo’s are seriously considering moving over the road to Murrayfield.

Prediction?

Livingston have been playing pretty decent away lately and I think the trip to Tynecastle will be no exception. Davide Fernandez is starting to come on to his game, and the Livi midfielders look as if they are all starting to gel together. The Livingston back four have been playing out of their skin, and if they keep another away clean sheet, I can see the Lions winning by one or two goals.

Prices Adults £18 Concessions £10

OSC BUS leaves @ 1pm from the stadium