Big gulf on paper as Livingston host high-flying Rangers at Tony Macaroni Arena
The Tony Macaroni Arena will host a classic Premiership mismatch on 22/02/2026 when Livingston welcome Rangers in round 28. The fixture pits a side desperately fighting for survival against one of the division’s title contenders. Livingston, rooted 12th with only 12 points from 27 games, have managed a solitary win all season and arrive on the back of a run that reads like a cautionary tale: heavy away defeats and a handful of draws. The home crowd of 9,672 will want more energy and urgency than the formline suggests.
Rangers, by contrast, travel to Almondvale with swagger. Second in the table on 55 points, their recent results include a flurry of high-scoring victories — 8-0 and 5-1 among them — and a convincing 4-2 win over Hearts in their latest outing where Youssef Chermiti impressed with a standout performance. The visitors boast defensive solidity too, with 11 clean sheets this campaign and just two league losses. The contrast in averages is stark: Rangers produce roughly 16.11 shots per game to Livingston’s 9.67, and their attack registers more dangerous opportunities on average.
Form, statistics and a telling head-to-head
Livingston’s problems are clear in the numbers: 56 goals conceded across the season and only 28 scored, a negative differential that explains their position. Recent home numbers show they’ve struggled to keep clean sheets — only one so far at home — and many of their fixtures have been goal-heavy, with over 2.5 goals occurring in two-thirds of their matches. Rangers combine firepower with consistency; their offensive output (47 goals) plus defensive resilience (21 conceded) and superior attacking averages paint them as overwhelming favourites. The last meeting between these sides in November went to Rangers 2-1, underlining the visitor’s edge when the pair meet.
For readers building a betting approach, context matters. If you’re weighing market choices, brushing up on overall market selection strategies can help — consider a primer such as Soccer betting tips and the choice of markets. If you’re curious about specialized lines like handicap markets, a useful explainer is here: What does it mean the handicap market in sports betting?.
Betting suggestion Rangers to win (1X2): backing Rangers to take the three points is the clearest play. Bookmakers make them heavy favourites (about 1.35) for good reason — superior form, stronger defensive record, and potent attacking numbers versus a Livingston side leaking goals and scraping results. This is a value-for-confidence pick on the match-winner market given the raw statistical mismatch and recent head-to-head evidence.
