Football Tips: Kyogo key in this 23/1 Rangers v Celtic Old Firm Bet Builder

Shane O'Brien reckons the gap could widen at the top in Scotland.

Rangers v Celtic betting tips

Celtic to win
Both teams to score
Kyogo Furuhashi to score anytime
Fashion Sakala to score anytime

*A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 23/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.

Rangers v Celtic, Monday, January 2: 12:30
TV: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football

Celtic to win

It may only be the first week of January, but Celtic can all but wrap up the Scottish title with a win at their bitter rivals on Monday. They currently sit nine points clear of Rangers in the Scottish title race and have dropped just three points all season. They will move 12 points clear if they secure a second straight league win at Ibrox. 

Rangers, on the other hand, have clung on by their fingernails in the title race since Scottish football returned after the World Cup. 

It felt like one bad result would end Rangers’ slim chances of winning the league, with Michael Beale’s side on course to drop points against both Aberdeen and Hibs before coming from behind to win both games.

However, Celtic are simply a class above every other side in Scotland and a similarly slack defensive performance from Rangers here would see their title chances go up in smoke. 

Both teams to score

Celtic boast the best defensive record in the Scottish Premiership, conceding just 15 goals in 19 league games to date this season. However, they have only recorded five clean sheets in their 10 away games to date and are without a clean sheet at Ibrox since September 2019. 

Celtic are by far the best attacking team in Scotland, scoring a staggering 61 goals in 19 games, while Rangers are second-best attacking and defensive team in the league, scoring 44 and conceding 18. 

Their record of 44 goals in 19 games is nowhere near as impressive as Celtic’s, but it is still a record of more than two goals per game and they have every chance of breaching the Celtic rear guard on Monday. 

Just as they did at the end of last season, Celtic may have to score twice to come away from Ibrox with all three points. 

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Kyogo Furuhashi to score anytime

Kyogo has enjoyed an excellent run of form since the return of club football. The Celtic forward has scored four goals in four league games since Scottish football’s return and has scored a hugely impressive 14 goals in 17 league appearances this season, at least double the tally of any other Celtic player. 

He is unsurprisingly top scorer in the Scottish Premiership at the time of writing and will be confident of scoring his first goal against Rangers since joining in 2021.

Fashion Sakala to score anytime

Fashion Sakala might be Rangers’ best hope of a goal on Monday. Alfredo Morelos appears to have taken advantage of Antonio Colak’s injury absence, scoring two important goals in Rangers’ four games since the World Cup to help ignite a stuttering season, but his record against Celtic is incredibly poor, boasting just two goals in 19 Old Firms. 

Sakala meanwhile, has featured in all four games since the World Cup, scoring two, and boasts a respectable record of three goals from six league starts this season. The Zambian forward, who scored in the last Old Firm of last season, can cause Celtic problems.

Rangers v Celtic Old Firm Derby Bet Builder tips

Celtic to Win
Both teams to Score
Kyogo Furuhashi to Score Anytime
Fashion Sakala to Score Anytime

*A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 23/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.

All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

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