ABERDEEN have completed their third signing of a busy January window, securing the services of former St Mirren standout Toyosi Olusanya on loan from Houston Dynamo.
The 28-year-old forward arrives at Pittodrie for the remainder of the season, following in the footsteps of fellow new recruits Liam Morrison and Lyall Cameron. Having already scored four times against the Dons in previous seasons, Olusanya is looking forward to having the Pittodrie crowd on his side this time around.
Interim boss Peter Leven has found some momentum in the cups, but with the Dons currently sitting in 8th place and without a league win in six, Saturday is being viewed as a “must-win” at Pittodrie. Standing in their way is a David Martindale side desperate for points, having gone a staggering 20 league games without a victory.
The New Guard: Debuts on the Cards?
All eyes will be on the team sheet at 2 PM. After a week of intense activity in the transfer market, the Dons’ squad has a distinctly different look.
Lyall Cameron—who earned a standing ovation on his Scottish Cup debut—is expected to start in midfield following the news that Rangers have finally learned his £400k tribunal fee. Meanwhile, Liam Morrison and Toyosi Olusanya are both available and eager to make their first league starts in red.
“The new boys have integrated well,” Peter Leven told the media on Friday. “Toyosi brings an aggression we’ve missed, and Liam is desperate to show Steve Clarke he belongs in that World Cup squad. We’ve had a good week on the grass, and the tempo has been high.”
Injury News: Defensive Reshuffle
Despite the new arrivals, Leven still has defensive headaches. Gavin Molloy and Kristers Tobers remain sidelined with ongoing injury issues. There are also doubts over Liam Morrison’s match fitness after a minor muscle strain at QPR, though he is expected to be in the matchday squad.
For Livingston, Adam Montgomery and Aidan Denholm are ruled out, leaving Martindale with a thin squad as he tries to close an eight-point gap at the foot of the table.
No Room for Error
Let’s be blunt—if we can’t beat a Livingston side that hasn’t won a league game since August, then we really are in trouble. But David Martindale’s teams are never “easy.” They will be physical, they will waste time if they get the chance, and they will try to turn this into a scrap.
The key for the Dons is to use the energy of the new signings. We’ve looked static and predictable for too long. I want to see Olusanya stretching the Livi backline and Cameron finding the pockets of space that have been empty all season. If we score early, it could be a comfortable afternoon. If we don’t, it’s going to be a long, nervous 90 minutes.
Prediction: Aberdeen 2-0 Livingston
Dons fans—what is your starting XI for tomorrow? Do you throw all three new signings straight in, or stick with the team that beat Raith? Let us know in the comments!
Co-Founder of Fitba Focus and MMA UK. A lifelong Aberdeen fan with years of experience in the sports media industry, Peter provides expert analysis and a dedicated "Dons" perspective on the Scottish game. He is passionate about giving a voice to fans across the entire Scottish football pyramid.
