Football Tips: Celtic to top Rangers in our 25/1 Old Firm Bet Builder

Should be a quiet one. Not.

It’s derby day in Glasgow this Saturday lunchtime but although local bragging rights will always be important, the title race is all-but-over.

Celtic will ‘welcome’ Rangers holding a nine-point advantage with eight games remaining. As Ange Postecoglou’s side have failed to win just two of their 30 matches to date – drawing 2-2 at Ibrox in January and suffering a surprise defeat to St. Mirren – they’ll get the points they need even if they lose here.

And with 15 wins out of 15 at Celtic Park in the 2022/23 Premiership, there’s little reason to think they won’t get a victory here. Is there any hope for Rangers?

Celtic v Rangers BET BUILDER TIPS:

  • Celtic to Win
  • Over 2.5 Goals
  • Kyogo Furahashi to Score 2+ Goals
  • Under 9.5 Corners
  • Over 4.5 Cards

A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 25/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP

Saturday 12:30pm: Celtic v Rangers
TV: Sky Sports Main Event

Match odds: Celtic

As their last visit ended 4-0 and they were three goals down before half time, it’s hard to make a case in their favour.

However, the Gers were under the management of Giovanni van Bronckhorst when they took that pasting back in September. Since Michael Beale took over, Rangers have an identical league record to Celtic, with the aforementioned draw the only game either club has not won.

And for what’s it worth, Beale’s boys edged the expected goals by 0.8 and had one more big chance than Celtic that day. Regular service was resumed in the last meeting, though, with the Bhoys winning the League Cup final 2-1 in February.

You must back them here too. It doesn’t matter that Rangers have improved, Celtic have been unstoppable on home turf this term and will collect another three points here.

Over/Under 2.5 Goals: Over

These bitter rivals usually deliver solid gold entertainment. Five of the last six meetings have seen both teams score, with four of them paying out on over 2.5 goals.

However, the pattern has been less clear-cut in Premiership games at Celtic Park. Across the last four, two have ended in heavy home wins to nil, the other pair ended 1-1.

So, let’s dig a little deeper. Under Beale, Rangers have played eight matches on the road in the league, winning them all, naturally. Six of the games featured at least three goals, with four going higher still.

A bet on over 2.5 goals looks safe as houses based on that.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY – OCTOBER 05: Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic FC in action during the UEFA Champions League group F match between RB Leipzig and Celtic FC at Red Bull Arena on October 05, 2022 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Getty Images)

To Score 2 or More Goals: Kyogo Furuhashi

Unfortunately for Rangers, they look set to be on the wrong end of at least a couple of goals, and there’s a fair chance Kyogo Furuhashi is the man who’ll get them.
He’s the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership, with 20 goals this season. Far more pertinently, he bagged three in the last two Old Firm derbies, including a brace in the recent League Cup final.

Furuhashi can repeat that with two goals here, so add him to your Bet Builder.

Corners Over/Under 9.5: Under

The problem with trying to predict an Old Firm derby is that the teams’ form and statistics are so different against each other compared with when they play any other team in the Scottish top flight.

For instance, both Celtic and Rangers average over seven corners per match this season, yet that barrier has only been breached by either side once in the last six league meetings.

That match – a 3-0 win for the Bhoys in February 2022 – was the only one of the games that hit double figures for total corners too. As such, take Under 9.5 corners in this one.

Cards Over/Under 4.5: Over

Despite this being one of the most highly charged derbies in world football, sendings off have become rare. Nobody has been dismissed in the previous eight clashes in all competitions, or last six in the league.

The previous red card shown at Celtic Park was back in 2019 and was (inevitably) issued to Alfredo Morelos by the match referee this weekend, Kevin Clancy. The red prior to that was given to Alfredo Morelos etc etc etc.

But while none of the last five league meetings in the east end of Glasgow saw a red, they all featured at least four yellows and an average of over five. With Clancy yet to do an Old Firm game this season and averaging 4.3 bookings per match anyway, we should be safe for over 4.5 cards here.

Celtic v Rangers BET BUILDER TIPS:

  • Celtic to Win
  • Over 2.5 Goals
  • Kyogo Furahashi to Score 2+ Goals
  • Under 9.5 Corners
  • Over 4.5 Cards

A Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 25/1 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.

READ MORE

The latest football odds are on PaddyPower.com now

THE PADDY POWER GUIDE TO SAFER GAMBLING – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW