One of the biggest rivalries in world football returns this weekend when Celtic and Rangers go head-to-head in the Scottish League Cup final at Hampden Park.
Sunday’s clash has all the ingredients to be another blockbuster Old Firm derby and there’s certainly some value to be found when it comes to the betting. We’ve delved into the Betfred markets and looked at the stats to find some tips worth considering.
Celtic - 23/20
Rangers - 2/1
Draw - 5/2
Celtic - 8/13
Rangers - 5/4
There aren’t many teams across the globe on a run of form quite like Celtic’s. Outside of Europe, the Hoops have played 25 games across all competitions this season, winning 23. Only a defeat to St Mirren at the start of the campaign and a draw with Rangers last month deny them an entirely unblemished domestic record.
Rangers themselves are unbeaten in their last 16 themselves though. Although they were well-beaten 4-0 at Celtic Park in the first collision between these sides in September, in the January 2-2 draw they were only two minutes away from securing victory. Michael Beale has made a fine start to life in the Ibrox dugout and he remains unbeaten since moving north of the border in November.
With two sides bang in form, in a derby of this magnitude and a piece of silverware serving as a carrot stick, it’s a tough one to call. There’s no doubt we’ll be in for fireworks but the draw across 90 minutes at 5/2 is mighty tempting. Rangers were underdogs in the Scottish Cup against Celtic last April and ran out 2-1 winners to reach the final. Can they overcome the odds again? There’s certainly some value in backing Rangers to lift the trophy at 5/4.
Kyogo Furuhashi has been in sensational form for Celtic this season, notching 19 goals and two assists in 24 league appearances. He got the equaliser against Rangers last month and leads the betting to score anytime at 11/10. The Japanese forward can be backed at 7/2 to score first.
Recent Rangers Hall of Fame inductee and club captain James Tavernier is a defender who absolutely loves a goal. He’s scored 12 this season and, given the feistiness of the Old Firm, should Rangers win a penalty, you’d expect Tavernier to be there ready to put it away. He’s 7/2 to score anytime.
Yes - 8/15
No - 11/8
Both teams have scored in four of the last five Old Firm meetings and with this being a cup final involving two of the most bitter rivals in football, you’d certainly expect to see goals. 8/15 on both teams scoring is short but certainly makes sense.
There might be some theory in backing against both sides scoring at 11/8, however. Only three of Celtic’s last ten games have seen both teams score, which is the same as four of Rangers’ over the same period.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject To Change
