Livingston Vs Rangers: Dramatic 2-2 draw, title race twist and reaction

Latest Scottish Premiership action centred on livingston vs rangers as the bottom club fought back for a 2-2 draw that further complicates the title race. The draw, a late reply and a sending-off changed immediate standings and provoked strong reactions from coaches, former players and critics alike.

Livingston Vs Rangers: match report and key incidents

Full-time readouts show Livingston 2-2 Rangers. Brooklyn Kabongolo and Smith put bottom club two up before a Montano sending-off swung momentum. Fernandez lashed in a late reply and Moore glanced the leveller to leave the game drawn.

Moments that shaped the match included a sumptuous volley from Brooklyn Kabongolo, delivered after a Robbie Muirhead free-kick, described in coverage as an unbelievable finish from a defender who was playing in the English sixth tier last season. At the other end, Rangers won a central free-kick on the edge of the box; James Tavernier struck it but Jerome Prior was on hand to palm the effort away.

Attacking interplay also featured Sebastian Tounekti sending a dangerous ball to the back post that was cleared by the head of Jack Iredale. There were later penalty appeals when the ball appeared to hit Iredale's hand as he challenged Benjamin Nygren at the edge of the box; his arm was noted to be by his side in the replay commentary. Elsewhere, Benjamin Nygren had an effort aimed at the bottom-right corner from the edge of the box that just missed after a slight deflection.

Title-race implications and the wider weekend

The result formed part of a day of twists: Celtic were beaten at home, and Rangers drew away to the league's bottom side. As a consequence, Rangers sit two points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts and one clear of Celtic, who have a game in hand. Those margins make every match before the split crucial.

Next fixtures mentioned for the coming week include Hearts at home against Aberdeen and Motherwell at home against Dundee United. If results fall a certain way, Motherwell would move to one point behind Celtic and three behind Rangers before Celtic and Rangers meet the following day. Commentators noted 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 end up third and fourth in the table.

Danny Röhl: Rangers coach on belief, consistency and warnings

Rangers head coach Danny Röhl expressed firm belief in his squad's ability to handle the title fight, insisting there should be no question mark over the players. He argued the battle will be decided by consistency: who takes the most points until the split. Röhl set out that the next six games effectively prepare a team for the final five, and that doing well before the split creates a strong opportunity for what follows.

Röhl stressed the importance of taking three points in what might appear to be routine matches, warning that in single games everything is possible. He invoked the recent example of Arsenal at Wolves — a 2-2 result in an apparently straightforward fixture — to underline that underdogs can muster huge resistance, so his side must approach each game seriously and aggressively.

Statistical context given in pre- and post-match coverage noted Rangers have lost just one of their 19 league matches since Röhl replaced Russell Martin in October, and that run has yielded the most points of any team in the top flight since his arrival.

Reactions: managers, former players and fan criticism

Livingston manager Marvin Bartley described the match as a "real rollercoaster of emotions, " saying if he'd been offered a 2-2 before the game he would have taken it. He reflected that at 2-0 Livingston had looked comfortable, that the turning point was the sending-off, and that the players had given him everything. He added that it will take a lot for the club to escape their situation but that he had seen a lot of things he liked.

Hibs head coach David Gray said it had been a long time coming, noting it was twice this season his side had been to the ground and not lost, and that the display showed they are capable when they go toe-to-toe. He described the win as a massive three points built on a positive result the previous week against St Mirren, and placed Hibs five points behind Motherwell with two fixtures against Motherwell still to play. Gray stressed it's all to play for until the end of the season and emphasised taking one game at a time.

Former players also contributed to the conversation. Michael Stewart, identified as a former Hearts and Hibs midfielder, and Kevin Thomson, a former Hibernian midfielder, were noted commentators on the day's action.

Fan reaction was sharp and personal. Critics targeting Russell Martin's post-match assessment said he was deluded to call a performance "terrific, " calling the defence "rubbish, " accusing the midfield of going sideways or backwards, and lamenting a lack of scoring presence up front. One critic singled out Trusty with severe language, while another urged Martin to stop with platitudes and warned that a repeat performance next week would be a heavy defeat.

Other match notes and highlights availability

Elsewhere in the round, full-time scores included Celtic 1-2 Hibernian, with Felix Passlack and Benjamin Nygren netting headers before Andrews slotted a late winner following a Trusty red card. Highlights from the day's action are available at 19: 15 in scheduled coverage. The Livingston vs Rangers match had live coverage listed from 2. 30pm with a 3pm kick-off (coverage times shown as 2. 30pm and 3pm ET in schedules).

What next: fixtures and scenarios

• Hearts at home vs Aberdeen (next week).
• Motherwell at home vs Dundee United (next week).
• Celtic and Rangers face each other the day after Motherwell's fixture; permutations mean Motherwell could rise to within striking distance of the top and potentially finish above Celtic or Rangers.

All permutations remain live; the title race has tightened and the coming fixtures will be decisive in shaping the split and final standings.