Despite the peaceful nature of the season, Livingston defender Jon Guthrie is hopeful that David Martindale’s side can add to Kilmarnock’s misery at Rugby Park this afternoon.

Alex Dyer’s side are in the midst of a difficult run after losing four successive games in which they have also failed to score. It has dragged the Rugby Park side down the table where they are now level on points with Hamilton and St Johnstone while Livingston, by contrast, have moved swiftly up the table on the back of their current winning streak.

Martindale has won all five of his games since taking over from Gary Holt with the bellowing sounds of his instructions from the touchlines ringing out loud and clear.

“Nothing much has changed there in terms of that,” said Guthrie. “People will probably start to see him now but under the last gaffer he was heavily involved.He’s been a massive part of what we’ve done, on the pitch and off the pitch. He’s a great leader and he’s had a brilliant start.

“We’ve been working hard in training and we knew if we stuck to our principles it would come good. The run we’re on, the confidence is massive so long may it continue.

Davie was a big part anyway so it’s probably easier for us to get on with things.

“Performances are getting better so we have to take that into Boxing Day.”

And no matter how the points come, Guthrie knows it is imperative just to stay in the top flight.

“I think even last season we got labelled as a long-ball and set-piece team,” said the defender who opened the scoring against Accies on Wednesday evening. “But we’ve got players in the team who like to get on the ball and are good technical players.

“Against Hamilton we moved the ball really well and I think that’s how we won the game.

They couldn’t live with our movement but we’re not really too bothered how we pick up the points. Some games will be uglier and we’ve got that side but we’ve got that passing side too.”