Livingston vs Rangers: Scottish Premiership updates as title race tightens

rangers were held to a draw away at bottom-side Livingston as Celtic were beaten at home, producing a dramatic swing in the Scottish Premiership title race and leaving several teams under fresh pressure.

Rangers reaction and Danny Röhl's warning

Rangers sit two points behind leaders Hearts and one clear of Celtic, who have a game in hand. Head coach Danny Röhl said there should be no question mark over his players' ability to handle a title fight and stressed the importance of consistency across the run-in. He framed the next period as decisive: there are six matches before the league split and those fixtures must be prepared for with the final five in mind. The sequence starts with the trip to Livingston on Sunday, with coverage from 2. 30pm and a 3pm kick-off.

Röhl noted that it is about who takes the most points until the split, and that small margins now can determine whether gaps of two, five or eight points emerge by that stage. He pointed out that football is always 11 versus 11 over 90 minutes and urged his squad to approach games seriously and aggressively, warning against complacency and referencing a recent 2-2 game between Arsenal and Wolves as an example of how an expected win can slip away.

Since Röhl replaced Russell Martin in October, Rangers have lost just one of 19 league matches, a run that has seen them accumulate the most points in the top flight since his arrival at Ibrox. Even so, Röhl emphasised that his team remain in second place and must keep pushing.

Livingston match report and Marvin Bartley's take

Livingston were involved in an emotional 2-2 draw with Rangers. Manager Marvin Bartley described the game as a "real rollercoaster of emotions" and said that had he been offered a 2-2 before the match he would have taken it. Livingston had been 2-0 up and looked comfortable, Bartley said, but the turning point came with a sending-off that changed the game's complexion. He praised his players for giving everything, acknowledged the scale of the challenge ahead for the club's position, and added that he saw many positive elements in the performance.

How the results reshuffle the title race

A full set of results left Motherwell and Hearts applying fresh pressure at the top. Motherwell won emphatically and Hearts also claimed victory, moves that intensified the championship battle. Celtic's home defeat and Rangers' draw mean the two Glasgow teams have buckled under the pressure on a day of notable upsets.

Looking ahead, Hearts will host Aberdeen next week while Motherwell are at home to Dundee United. That sequence has a direct effect on the table: Motherwell would move to one point behind Celtic and three behind Rangers before Celtic and Rangers meet the following day. It was noted that it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Motherwell could finish above Celtic or Rangers, perhaps even both, and that Celtic and Rangers could find themselves third and fourth if momentum shifts continue.

Hibs perspective and David Gray's assessment

Hibs head coach David Gray said the result was "a long time coming" and highlighted that this was the second time this season his side have been to that situation and not lost. He argued the performance showed Hibs are capable when they go toe-to-toe with opponents, but stressed that such performances require every player to be at their best. Gray described the victory as a massive three points, coming on the back of a positive result last week against St Mirren, and pointed out that Hibs sit five points behind Motherwell while still due to play them twice. He concluded that it is all to play for until the end of the season and that his team will aim to push up the table, taking one game at a time.

Fan reaction and internal criticism of the previous regime

Public reaction included sharp criticism directed at former manager Russell Martin's recent comments about performances. One critic dismissed Martin's assessment as deluded, labelled the defence as poor, accused the midfield of sideways or backward play, said there was no one capable of scoring up front, and singled out player Trusty with a strongly negative epithet. The intensity of fan sentiment underlines how volatile the title race feels at this stage.

Broadcast and coverage notes

Highlights of the day's action will be available at 19: 15 on a scheduled highlights programme, and analysis appearances included Michael Stewart, the former Hearts and Hibs midfielder, contributing on a radio analysis show. Readers should note fixtures and broadcast details are subject to change.