Livingston 1-3 Dundee United: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Coral’s post-match review of Livingston 1-3 Dundee United in the Premiership on Tuesday, 30 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Dundee United beat Livingston 3-1 in a match that saw the visitors pull away late on. The game stayed quiet until Zachary Sapsford broke the deadlock for Dundee United in the 33rd minute, giving them a deserved lead after a spell of pressure. Livingston, coming off a tough run of recent league results including losses to Celtic and St. Mirren plus a draw with Dundee, struggled to find their rhythm in the first half and went into the break trailing.

Things heated up in the second half as Livingston pushed for an equaliser, but Dundee United held firm and extended their lead when Ryan McGowan scored in the 86th minute. Amar Fatah then added a third for United in the 90th minute, seemingly sealing the win, before Connor McLennan pulled one back for Livingston in stoppage time at 90+1’. This result builds on Dundee United’s solid recent form, with a win over Celtic and draws against Aberdeen and Hibernian showing their growing confidence away from home.

Livingston edged possession with just over half the ball, but Dundee United looked more threatening on the counter, racking up more successful dribbles and earning far more corners which kept the pressure on. The home side picked up four yellow cards, showing a bit of frustration as the game wore on, while United stayed disciplined with none, and that cleaner approach might have helped them stay composed for those late goals. Substitutions played a part too, with Livingston making five changes like Mahamadou Susoho coming on for Mohamad Sylla at 59 minutes and Tete Yengi replacing Stevie May at the same time, while Dundee United used four, including Julius Eskesen for Dario Naamo at 70 minutes, which seemed to freshen things up without disrupting their flow.

Overall, the stats paint a picture of Livingston trying to control the game but lacking the cutting edge, as seen in their single assist leading to that late consolation, compared to United’s zero but still managing three goals from smart play.

The breakthrough came in the 33rd minute when Zachary Sapsford fired Dundee United ahead, shifting the momentum after a fairly even start. Livingston tried to respond with a flurry of substitutions around the hour mark, like Connor McLennan coming on for Lewis Smith at 60 minutes and Robbie Muirhead replacing Jeremy Bokila shortly after at 64 minutes, but yellow cards for players including Danny Finlayson just before half-time and Mahamadou Susoho later at 84 minutes disrupted their push.

Late drama defined the finish, with Ryan McGowan’s own goal in the 86th minute doubling United’s lead, followed by Amar Fatah’s strike at 90 minutes to make it three. Livingston grabbed a consolation through Connor McLennan at 90+1’, assisted by Cristian Montano, but it was too little too late after United’s substitutions, such as Amar Fatah for Zachary Sapsford at 75 minutes, helped them see out the win.

Livingston lined up in a 4-3-3 shape, looking to build from the back with partnerships like Scott Pittman in midfield before he was replaced by Joshua Brenet at 70 minutes. Up front, Stevie May started but made way for Tete Yengi at 59 minutes, while Connor McLennan came on as a substitute at 60 minutes and grabbed their only goal late on. The setup aimed for balance, but yellow cards for the likes of Danny Finlayson and Macaulay Tait highlighted some defensive strain.

Dundee United set out in a 3-4-3 formation, allowing width through players like Kristijan Trapanovski before Ivan Dolcek replaced him at 82 minutes, and it helped them exploit the flanks effectively. Zachary Sapsford started on the scoresheet with his 33rd-minute goal before being subbed off for Amar Fatah at 75 minutes, who then netted himself late on. Ryan McGowan was involved in the second goal at 86 minutes, fitting into a solid backline that kept things tight.

Coral’s Man of the Match goes to Zachary Sapsford, who really shone for Dundee United with his goal in the 33rd minute setting the tone. He didn’t notch any assists or create big chances, but his two key passes kept the attacks flowing and showed why he stood out before coming off as a starter in the 75th minute. It was a performance full of energy that helped United control key spells.

Recent Premiership matches:

• Loss: 1-3 vs Dundee United (H)
• Loss: 2-4 vs Celtic (H)
• Loss: 0-1 vs St. Mirren (A)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Dundee (H)
• Loss: 0-3 vs Motherwell (A)

Recent Premiership matches:

• Win: 3-1 vs Livingston (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Aberdeen (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Hibernian (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Celtic (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Motherwell (H)

Livingston have just lost 1-3 at home to Dundee United, adding to a rough patch with recent league results including defeats to Celtic, St. Mirren and Motherwell, plus a draw against Dundee, leaving them 12th on nine points and in real danger at the bottom. Their next match is against Hearts on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, with the opposition top of the table on 41 points, so it’ll be a tough ask to turn things around and start climbing away from relegation trouble.

Dundee United have just won 3-1 away at Livingston, boosting their momentum after a run of recent league results featuring a victory over Celtic, draws with Aberdeen, Hibernian and Motherwell, putting them sixth on 25 points and in the mix for a strong mid-table finish. They face Dundee next on 3 January 2026 at 15:00, with the opponents ninth on 19 points, offering a chance to keep the positive streak going and maybe push for European spots if they can grab another derby win.

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