The fourth Old Firm derby of the season takes place at Ibrox on Sunday. Michael Beardmore has best bets for what he fancies will be a feisty affair.
Football betting tips: Rangers v Celtic
1pt Red card in the match at 9/4 (Sky Bet)
1pt Rangers to win in 90 minutes at 29/20 (William Hill)
One of the beauties of the condensed Scottish top flight is that it provides each team with an extra head-to-head match compared to its English equivalent.
That, of course, means three Old Firm derbies a season, minimum – even if beauty is a term very much in the eye of the beholder when it comes to such carnivorous clashes.
Of course, as with this campaign, there will often be more than three meetings between Celtic and Rangers because the Glasgow giants tend to progress to the latter stages of the cup competitions.
They have been drawn together fairly early in this season’s tournament, in the last 16, and both will have massive motivation to win.
Who needs to win more - Rangers or Celtic?
For Steven Gerrard’s runaway league champions Rangers, should they vanquish their fiercest and closest rivals, the opportunity looms for a first domestic double since 2009.
Stopping that happening will be motivation enough for Celtic but the Hoops – treble winners for the past four seasons – also have the fear of ending a season trophyless for the first time since 2009/10.
There’s a lot at stake on Sunday afternoon and tensions are always high enough on these occasions anyway – so the 9/4 offered by Sky Bet on A RED CARD TO BE SHOWN holds huge appeal.
The past eight Old Firm clashes have featured six dismissals with hostilities renewed between the old enemies now Rangers are once again a bona fide rival following Celtic’s decade of dominance.
That ratio of reds makes 9/4 look large and certainly worth an investment, particularly in a cup tie where winners takes all. Bet365 go 7/4 which is more the sort of price I was expecting.
Are Rangers unbeatable at Ibrox?
Speaking of value, William Hill go 29/20 about a RANGERS WIN (in 90 minutes), which I find pretty jaw-dropping, given the Gers’ record at Ibrox this season.
Rangers have played 18 games at home to Scottish opposition this term – and won every single one. Their sole defeat came in the Europa League to Slavia Prague.
How can you back against a team with such a 100% record? You can’t. And nor should you when they are as a big as almost 6/4 at home.
Celtic will provide a threat, of course, but the Gers have already beaten them twice this campaign and the lure of a domestic double should be enough for them to make that three.
When else are you are going to find such generous odds on this Rangers side at home to a domestic rival? The answer is never so take advantage while you can.
Rangers v Celtic best bets and score prediction
- 1pt Red card in the match at 9/4 (Sky Bet)
- 1pt Rangers to win in 90 minutes at 29/20 (William Hill)
Score prediction: Rangers 2-1 Celtic (Sky Bet odds: 9/1)
Odds correct 1915 BST (16/04/21)
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