Livingston manager David Martindale still has belief his team can get out of trouble after Hibernian condemned them to a seventh consecutive defeat.
Martin Boyle’s low shot gave Hibs a 1-0 win in a tight contest played in challenging conditions, with swirling wind and driving rain.
Livingston were disappointing in the first half but, despite improving after the break, they could not find a leveller and now sit five points behind 11th-placed St Johnstone at the foot of the cinch Premiership.
Martindale said: “I’m not wanting to sit here and try to make excuses. I’ll take full responsibility. I coach the players, I pick the team and I recruit the players. I’m big enough to understand that this all falls on me.
“I thought the players were very good today. I thought their application and their game management and their intensity was good.
“I couldn’t care too much about David Martindale to be honest. I’m gutted for the players after the game today because I know how much it is hurting them. We’re going through a period of deep adversity and fortunately, I’ve got thick skin and I’m resilient and I’ll get us through this.
“I know we’ll get through this. We’re sitting five points behind but you’re one win away from changing it. I did my first press conference this season and I said it’s going to be a tough season.
“This is the first time Livingston have been in the league for six years – there’s a reason why. It’s probably the first time we’ve been in the league with a lot less money than previous years. But do I believe there’s enough in the changing room between the staff and the players? I do.”
Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery, meanwhile, was delighted with the character shown by his side as they overcame the challenging weather to secure the win that moved them up to fourth in the table.
He said: “I’m really happy to get the points. It’s a really hard place to come. We knew before the game it was going to be a fight. We had to match them and I thought we did that.
“The conditions were tough with the wind swirling and the pitch is really quick. We knew that we would have to bunker in at times and deal with those long throws in the box and the balls into the box.
“They’re a big team and I have to make a special mention for Paul (Hanlon), Will (Fish) and David (Marshall).”
Montgomery also hailed his side’s response from a damaging 4-1 defeat to Celtic on Wednesday as they made it four wins out of five.
He added: “We talk about momentum all the time and it’s important we showed character today. Coming off the Celtic result where I was really disappointed with the manner of goals we gave away.
“We gave ourselves a massive uphill task and that was disappointing but that’s done now and we needed to come here and show character and get back to winning ways and that’s what the boys did.
“If you go back four or five weeks, we conceded a lot of goals from winning positions and it’s something that we’ve worked hard at.
“We get through the game today, get a clean sheet and three points at a really difficult place to come.”
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku and McTominay on target to extend hosts' Serie A lead
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera in the box, with Lukaku stepping up from 12 yards to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) with three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
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