Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell warns that Livingston won't give anything away cheaply as the sides clash in West Lothian this afternoon, but want his side to continue their recent form.

The Steelmen have had plenty of plaudits for displays in their last three games, even if they have resulted in slender defeats to Celtic, Rangers and St Mirren, and Kettlewell says there's not a lot wrong.

Though he knows that three points at the Tony Macaroni Arena would go a long way, Kettlewell knows it won't be easy.

"There is disappointment," he said, "But I can genuinely tell you, come Monday morning when the guys were back in here, that it was a really positive place to be, the mood was good.

"We still referenced the 'what ifs' and analysed it, but once we do that, it's just that marker to try and park everything and start to look at our next game, which is going to be really tough, playing against Livingston.

"They don't give anything away cheaply, that has been part of their make-up and identity for quite some time, now.

"We have to embrace that, realise that's exactly what that game is going to look like, and it probably filters into the category of two pretty close, evenly-matched teams.

"We've got to make sure that those fine margins, conceding in the last minute of a game, conceding to a cross, whatever it may be, that we just sharpen up those one or two aspects that haven't been quite right for us over the course of three games.

"We've lost by an individual goal in three games, and we have to try and turn that in our favour.

"I think I've been pretty consistent in what I've said from the very start, that this is a hard league, that this is a tough league to make sure you pick up points.

More sports news from across Lanarkshire Ryan One make Sheffield move EK boss: Ex-Gers youth 'really gifted' Diamonds will 'attack the Championship' Karate kids medal at Youth Cup "But we might need to adjust certain aspects, because this game becomes completely different.

"In our last three games, two of them were here, one was at Ibrox, and we now go and play on the astroturf pitch at Livingston.

"I'm not going to start opening up that debate or anything, but what I will say is that it becomes an entirely different game, different bounce of the ball, and at times, in my opinion, it feels like the ball is out of play more than it will be on a grass pitch - that's just my view on it.

"We just need to make sure we're ready for that.

"Kettlewell says going into the international break three points better off would be big.

"I think we've proved we're a really competitive side, no matter who we're playing against or where we're playing against them.

"The mind-set is exactly the same and these three points would be as vital as any of the ones that have gone before it.

"I would love us to give ourselves an opportunity to do that, if we do, it puts you in a really good frame of mind, going into an international break.

"If it doesn't, then the toys won't be out the pram, we will have to just make sure we continue to make small improvements.

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