Game of the weekend: Ross County v Aberdeenpublished at 13:08 17 May
13:08 17 May
Ross County are on course to finish above the league's bottom two places and thus be assured of another season of top-flight football.
Under interim manager Don Cowie, County are two points above St Johnstone going into Sunday's final games.
While Saints are away to Motherwell, the Dingwall side will be at home to Aberdeen - who themselves have an aim.
The Dons, seventh, are on four wins out of four since the split and will definitely finish with more points than sixth-placed Dundee and possibly also St Mirren, who are fifth.
A draw could allow St Johnstone to overtake County on goal difference but only if the Perth side win.
The future of the managerial position in Dingwall is uncertain but Cowie will be regarded as a hero if he completes County's survival mission.
Mick Kennedy, whose East Kilbride side are tied at 2-2 with Stranraer before Saturday's SPFL play-off decider, says securing a place in Scottish League 2 would top knocking Aberdeen out of the Scottish Cup as Darvel boss in 2023. (Record), external
Aberdeen have shown Thelin what they're capable of, says Shinniepublished at 16:03 16 May
16:03 16 May
Image source, SNS
Captain Graeme Shinnie says Aberdeen's upturn in form has shown incoming manager Jimmy Thelin "what this team are capable of".
The midweek win against Livingston means the Dons are now on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league under caretaker boss Peter Leven.
Among those eight matches have been six wins, two draws and six clean sheets, with nine goals scored in the past two fixtures.
Despite that positive run, Shinnie says it has still been a "frustrating" campaign, given Aberdeen will finish in the bottom half, but they have at least brought "a real buzz" back to Pittodrie.
"The good thing is we have ended the season really well," Shinnie adds. "We want to go up to Ross County on Sunday and win that game as well.
"We want to finish really strong, the fans deserve it, we want to win for them. They will back us again in their massive numbers in Dingwall like they always do.
"It brings a real buzz with a new era starting with the new manager, so the fans are right there again and we will look forward to next season."
Sportscene analysis: 'What a week for Boyd'published at 15:20 16 May
15:20 16 May
Media caption,
Sportscene pundits Charlie Mulgrew and Neil McCann revel in 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd's second goal in as many Aberdeen games and praise the impact of stand-in manager Peter Levein. (Available to UK users only)
'Give superb prospect Boyd an eight-year contract'published at 13:52 16 May
13:52 16 May
We asked for your views after Aberdeen's impressive 5-1 win over Aberdeen.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Eric: Another good performance, we created a lot of chances and looked strong at the back. The players look to be enjoying themselves and have belief. I would still like to hear more about player contracts for next season or other clubs will make these decisions for us and we will be back to square one.
Norrie: Nobody in the stadium knew what the penalty was for. Re-refereeing yet another game and incorrectly. Bin VAR. Aberdeen were very good, Dante Polvara gets better every game. A good finish to the season, oh what could have been.
Andy: We need to get Fletcher Boyd on one of those eight-year contracts Chelsea give out. The boy looks a superb prospect.
Chris: The five changes from the Hibs game were a bit of a concern, especially the way the first half went. VAR's intervention for the penalty was ridiculous and I still have no idea why the foul on Ester Sokler wasn't taken into account. The second half was a joy to watch, hopefully recent performances carry on into next season.
Niall: The Dons delivered one of their most dominant displays of the season which will give lots of confidence to the squad. On another night we could have scored five more. The energy, creativity and willingness, that has been sorely lacking for much of this season, was there in abundance. Peter Leven has been transformational with this squad and all credit to him.
Andrew: Very rarely this Season could you say you were expecting a goals fest or a clean sheet but after Sunday's excellent performance I hoped for both again. Leven's much-changed team delivered almost on both, only a soft VAR penalty award robbing us of another clean sheet. The cup semi-final loss is looking like an opportunity missed given our current form!
Alison: Great last home game of the season, just a pity we couldn't have played more like that throughout the season. It's been eye-bleeding stuff watching the Dons this season. Hopefully with the new manager coming in, and some new players, we can look forward to a better new season. A big shoutout has to go to Leven.
Aberdeen 5-1 Livingston: Key statspublished at 12:29 16 May
12:29 16 May
Livingston have scored in their last five games in the Scottish Premiership, their longest run since netting in eight in a row from 29 January 2022 to 6 March 2022.
Aberdeen have won 12 points from losing positions in the Premiership this season, only Motherwell (19) and Rangers (17) have recovered more.
Junior Hoilett has assisted six goals this season (two in this game), more than any other Aberdeen player in the league.
Aberdeen have won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 20 December 2023 against Livingston (eight games without a win).
Aberdeen have won their last four games in the top flight, their last longer winning streak was from 25 February 2023 to 23 April 2023, a run of seven games.
Aberdeen urged to keep Hoilett - gossippublished at 08:45 16 May
Highlights: Aberdeen 5-1 Livingstonpublished at 00:02 16 May
00:02 16 May
Media caption,
Watch the best of the action from Aberdeen's 5-1 Scottish Premiership win over Livingston. (Available to UK users only)
Leven 'delighted' as Dons beat Livi published at 23:52 15 May
23:52 15 May
Media caption,
Aberdeen interim Peter Leven says his side were "brilliant" as they extended their unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership.
Aberdeen 5-1 Livingston: Have your saypublished at 22:37 15 May
22:37 15 May
Image source, BBC Sport
Aberdeen came from a goal down to thump already-relegated Livingston in their final Pittodrie fixture of the Scottish Premiership season with a rampant second-half display.
The home side fashioned multiple first-half chances but lacked a clinical touch, with Livingston almost going ahead but for a goalline clearance late in the opening period.
After the interval Livingston were awarded a penalty for an Ester Sokler handball following VAR intervention and Tete Yengi expertly lifted his spot-kick into the roof of the net.
But Junior Hoilett showed a moment of quality to draw the Dons level with a looping free-kick before Graeme Shinnie's diving header put his side into the lead.
Dante Polvara then swept home and Hoilett's close-range finish compounded the visitors' misery.
With moments to go, 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd scored his second in as many games as he struck from the edge of the area with a low strike to put the gloss on a fourth Aberdeen straight win that keeps them in seventh place.
Were you at the match this evening or following along from elsewhere?
Either way, we want your views on the action here.
Aberdeen 5-1 Livingston: What did the manager say?published at 22:22 15 May
22:22 15 May
Image source, SNS
Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven “I’m delighted. But we had loads of chances in the first half and never took them.
“They got a penalty but I haven’t saw it back. Ester said it wasn’t a penalty but listen, VAR decision again.
“I thought that boys were brilliant tonight, started really well, just couldn’t score but we’d obviously just saved them for the second half.
“We always knew we were going to create again in the second half, we went a goal down but I always knew we’d create with the quality we’ve got on the pitch and score goals.”
On Junior Hoilett, and a potential new deal he adds: “I’ve told the club my thoughts, Junior’s a top player, yes he’s coming to the end of his career but when he puts on performances like that you can see why we should be giving him another year.”
Aberdeen 5-1 Livingston: Analysispublished at 22:08 15 May
22:08 15 May
Jack Herrall BBC Sport Scotland
Looking evitalised under the guidance of Peter Leven, in a game where it would have been easy to grow frustrated at half time they showed a spirit that they've lacked for lare stretches of this campaign.
Hoilett drifted in from the left to play closer to Sokler leaving Duk free to stick to the touchline and stretch the opposition's defence.
Attacking fluidity of that level needs a strong base to build from and Shinnie showed again just how important he is to this side.
Aberdeen 5-1 Livingston: Who impressed?published at 22:04 15 May
22:04 15 May
Junior Hoilett showed his experience and attacking intelligence througout the evening.
With his deal up at the end of the season, surely he'll have another one offered to him this summer?
Boyd the next Portsoy prodigal son? published at 14:37 15 May
14:37 15 May
Liam McLeod BBC Sport Scotland Commentator
Talk about a schoolboy’s dream.
At just 16 years and 107 days, Fletcher Boyd capped a dream week by scoring his first senior goal on his senior debut when he netted Aberdeen’s fourth in their rout of Hibernian in Edinburgh right in front of the visiting supporters.
Boyd, who last week helped the Aberdeen under-18 side win their league title, has also started scoring for the Scotland under-16s, having done so twice against Norway in Cyprus at the start of March. It has been quite the couple of months for the attacking midfielder who hails from the north-east village of Portsoy.
His stunning moment late on at Easter Road evoked memories of the last man from that small hamlet on the Moray Coast to explode onto the scene at Pittodrie.
In 1989, then co-managers Alex Smith and Jocky Scott handed Eoin Jess one of his early starts in the League Cup final against Rangers, he was two years older than Boyd is now and it was a game he didn’t look out of place in.
He went onto win three winners’ medals during a career that lit up Scottish Football. Had Jess not suffered a leg break in a Scottish Cup tie against Clydebank, who knows what level he would have reached. It stifled his rapid progress and by the time he was back up to speed, Aberdeen were on a downward trajectory.
However, Jess rightly takes his place in the club’s folklore and in Portsoy itself whilst in Boyd, the Aberdeen supporters have another local talent to get excited about, just like Jess all those years ago.
All four Aberdeen goals in Leith were full of quality and it has been clear that the current squad has underachieved in the Premiership this season.
What we saw in the capital was what the team is capable of on its day. It was interesting to hear Peter Leven using terms like “throwing the shackles off”.
Had the previous incumbents of the hotseat at Pittodrie this season been of a similar mind, perhaps they would be looking forward to European football again and not seeing out the campaign amongst the also-rans.
There has been much to point fingers at in Aberdeen this season, but, in Boyd and his team-mates in the youth academy such as Alfie Bavidge and Findlay Marshall, the club has to be commended.
Just maybe they have just unearthed the next prodigal son from Portsoy in the process.
Aberdeen v Livingston: Pick of the statspublished at 11:22 15 May
11:22 15 May
Image source, SNS
Aberdeen are unbeaten in four league meetings with Livingston (W2 D2), keeping three clean sheets in the process.
Livingston have lost each of their last three league trips to Aberdeen since a 2-1 victory in April 2022.
Aberdeen have won three of their last four home league games (D1), as many as their first 14 this season beforehand (W3 D6 L5).
Livingston have lost 14 of their 18 Scottish Premiership away games this season (W1 D3); since the SPFL began in 2013, only two sides – Motherwell in 2014-15, and Kilmarnock in 2022-23 – have lost 15 away games in a single top-flight campaign.
Aberdeen’s Bojan Miovski has scored more Scottish Premiership goals against Livingston (5) than any other opponent, with all five strikes coming in just three home appearances against them.
Player to watch: Bojan Miovskipublished at 09:18 15 May
09:18 15 May
Getting the Bojan Miovski goal machine motoring again has certainly helped Peter Leven turn Aberdeen's fortunes around since taking over as caretaker manager.
The Macedonia striker was the one bright spark in an early season of drudgery, but even he tailed off as first Barry Robson then Neil Warnock were shown the door.
Reignited under Leven, Miovski has scored three times in his last five games to take his total to 26 from 56 appearances for club and country this season.
He particularly enjoys scoring at Pittodrie - and will relish Wednesday's visit by Livingston considering his five in just three home games against the West Lothian side are his most against any opponent.
Read the rest of the midweek Premiership picks here.
Leven's plea to players - gossippublished at 08:34 15 May
08:34 15 May
Interim boss Peter Leven has urged the Aberdeen players set to exit the club - with Connor Barron, Kelle Roos and Jonny Hayes all out of contract this summer - to bow out on a high in their final game at Pittodrie. (Press & Journal)
Aberdeen v Livingston: Team newspublished at 20:38 14 May
20:38 14 May
Image source, SNS
Aberdeen have reported no injuries ahead of their final home game.
Livingston defender Cristian Montano came off with muscle tightness against St Johnstone at the weekend and will be assessed. Goalkeeper Jack Hamilton (groin), James Penrice (hip) and Shaun Donnellan have all been missing recently.
Leven 'wanted to really up the tempo' published at 18:43 14 May
18:43 14 May
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Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven has challenged his side to maintain their strong form and finish the season on a high.
The Dons thrashed Hibs 4-0 on Sunday and are unbeaten in their last seven league outings, but Leven is determined not to ease up for the remaining two league games, starting against Livingston on Wednesday.
“The boys have been great since I came in,” Leven told the club’s official website.
“We had lacked that cutting edge in a few games before the Hibs game but thankfully everybody got to see that when we are ruthless we can turn it on.
“I have loved the time that I have been in charge. We’ve got two big games left and we want to win both of them.
“Consistency is massive. We had a meeting after the Dundee game and I said to the players that seventh is where we want to finish.
“It is not ideal with where the club want to be overall but it is as high as we can get and that is where we want to finish.
“I wanted to set the tone since I took over. I wanted to really up the tempo and the passing and everything that I wanted to do.
“Hopefully the fans can see that with what we’re trying to do here and we’re getting results and clean sheets which is huge for us as well.”
Leven on Montgomery sacking, working abroad & Thelin textpublished at 15:55 14 May
15:55 14 May
Ben Philip BBC Scotland News
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Caretaker manager Peter Leven has been speaking to the media before Aberdeen’s final home game of the season against Livingston on Wednesday.
Here at the key points from his press conference:
On Nick Montgomery's sacking by Hibs, Leven says “it’s never nice” when a manager loses his job and hopes he can “bounce back quick”.
Asked if he’d fancy the vacancy, he said no because he has a job and his focus is on Aberdeen right now.
Expects a “tough game” against relegated Livingston and says his players need to be “at it” and “ruthless” against the visitors who he expects will “fight to the end” at Pittodrie.
Reflecting on his time as caretaker manager, Leven says he’s enjoyed it, but has two games left and wants to win both of them.
He credits his time abroad as a coach with his current performance in Scotland and would encourage any young aspiring coaches to experience working overseas.
Incoming manager Jimmy Thelin sent Leven a text message following the Dons' 4-0 dismantling of Hibs to say “great performance, great result”.
