Livingston manager Gary Holt has aimed a swipe at Rangers' Steven Gerrard after the latter urged referee Nick Walsh to protect his players as they travel to the Tony Macaroni Arena today.

Gerrard was furious the last time the two sides met when Joe Aribo trudged off with a bloody cut to his head following a collision with Ricki Lamie.

Replays showed Lamie's shoulder connected with Aribo but Gerrard, at the time, claimed an elbow had been thrown.

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In the build-up to their encounter later today, Gerrard asked whistler Walsh to look out for his troops.

But Gary Holt didn't take too kindly to Gerrard's requests and reminded him that football remains a contact sport.

And he demanded a 'fact-check' into some of the Light Blues boss' claims.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Holt said: "As a manager I attempt to keep any grievances private.

"If something has flared up and requires a response then my style would be to have a quiet word in someone’s ear the next time I see them.

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"But on this occasion I feel the need to make an exception.

"It was the naivety in the comments about my club Livingston from Rangers manager Steven Gerrard that surprised me.

"Ahead of our game against Rangers, he called for referee Nick Walsh to ensure his players were protected.

"Protected from what? It’s the Tony Macaroni Arena they’re heading to – not Madison Square Garden.

"There’s a bit of background to his concerns and, annoyingly, a bit of history being rewritten.

"Back in our league cup game in September my defender Ricki Lamie was mentioned for his part in an incident that left Rangers’ Joe Aribo requiring stitches to a head wound.

"Gerrard claimed an elbow had been thrown and the incident would have resulted in a red card in any league in the world other than ours.

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"His remarks were relayed to me at the time. There was also a suggestion that I hadn’t shown concern for Joe at the time – this was absolute nonsense.

"The facts are that it wasn’t an elbow that was thrown.

"Gerrard claims his medical team were on the park four or five times in the first half of that game, it’s quite a statement and again something that I’d suggest needs fact checked.

"But what concerns me is a remark that the Rangers manager has tied into the recent media focus on head injuries and the impact of concussion.

"It’s not on to suggest that the way my players approach a game puts opponents in greater harm. Football is a contact sport. Injuries are sustained – it’s an occupational hazard."