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Rangers vs Celtic betting tips:
- Celtic to win - 9/5 with Unibet
- Over 2.5 goals - 8/13 with bet365
- Kyogo Furuhashi to score anytime - 15/8 with William Hill
Rangers and Celtic will both be looking to land an early blow on their fierce rivals when they go head-to-head on Sunday (12pm, Sky Sports).
Just one point separates these two historic clubs in the Premiership table, so a victory here would hand either side the initiative in the title race.
Celtic are the defending champions but they lost influential manager Ange Postecoglou in the summer as well as some key players.
The Hoops are the narrow favourites to win the title, according to UK bookmakers, but this is expected to be a close game.
Rangers vs Celtic tips: Bhoys can compound rivals’ misery
It has been a tough week for Rangers. There will be no Champions League football at Ibrox this season after Michael Beale’s team were beaten by PSV in the play-off round.
The tie was in the balance after a 2-2 draw in the first leg, but Rangers were thumped 5-1 in Eindhoven on Wednesday night. It was hardly the ideal preparation for the first Old Firm game of the campaign.
Rangers fans will hope that the manner of the defeat will prompt a response from the players. The danger is that any sort of setback in the game on Sunday may cause their heads to drop.
Celtic are already safely through to the Champions League group stage on account of their title triumph last term.
The Bhoys have had a full week to prepare for the derby, another factor which could give them an edge.
Brendan Rodgers’ men were unable to break down a stubborn St Johnstone side last time out, drawing 0-0 at Parkhead.
But they looked impressive in prior victories over Ross County and Aberdeen and their attacking quality could prove too much for a Rangers defence that was exposed as brittle by PSV.
Tip: Celtic to win - 9/5 with Unibet
Both managers will encourage attacking play
Beale accepted the blame for Rangers’ heavy defeat by PSV and he also identified what their major problem in the tie was.
“In two legs against PSV, we scored three goals - the problem’s at the other end of the pitch,” he said after the final whistle on Wednesday.
With little turnaround time between the match in the Netherlands and Sunday’s derby, Beale may decide that the best approach is to go on the attack.
Rangers would struggle to do anything different in front of the Ibrox crowd, who will want to see their team play on the front foot.
However, that could play into Celtic’s hands. A front three of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and one of Liel Abada or Yang Hyun-jun would be well equipped to expose the Gers in transition.
Rangers are capable of scoring goals too, as they have done in seven of their eight games in all competitions this season.
Four of the last five Old Firms have featured three or more goals, so we anticipate more of the same this time out.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals - 8/13 with bet365
Kyogo can bolster brilliant scoring record
What a signing Kyogo has been for Celtic. Few of the club’s fans had heard of the Japanese forward before his arrival in Glasgow in 2021 but he is now a cult hero at Parkhead.
His scoring record is phenomenal. In 85 appearances for Celtic, he has found the back of the net 56 times.
A return of 27 goals in the Premiership last term was enough to earn Kyogo the Golden Boot, and two in three at the start of this season suggests he is hungry to retain that accolade.
Kyogo has arguably not been at his best so far this season. Encouraged to drop deeper by Rodgers than he used to under Postecoglou, the former Vissel Kobe man is still adjusting to his new manager’s demands.
He loves scoring against Rangers though, having done so five times in his nine meetings with Celtic’s arch-enemies.
Do not be surprised if Kyogo makes his mark on the latest edition of this famous fixture.
Tip: Kyogo Furuhashi to score any time - 15/8 with William Hill
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
