Celtic vs. Rangers: Preview, Prediction & Betting Tips

As the Scottish Premiership edges closer to its conclusion, the stage is set for one of the most pivotal fixtures in Scottish football: Celtic vs Rangers. This Saturday, the two most storied clubs in Scotland will face off in a clash that could very well decide the fate of this season's title race. Celtic, currently leading the table with 84 points from 35 games, find themselves in a precarious position, only three points ahead of their arch-rivals Rangers, who are hot on their heels with 81 points from the same number of matches.

Date: 11/05/2024

Kick-off time: 12:30

Location: Celtic Park

This season has been a test of resilience and adaptation for Celtic. Following the departure of Ange Postecoglou, Brendan Rodgers returned to the helm, tasked with maintaining the club's domestic dominance. While Rodgers has managed to keep Celtic at the top, his tenure hasn't been without criticism. The style of play, often labelled as boring and conservative, has not resonated well with a faction of the Celtic faithful. Despite these stylistic concerns, the results have been largely effective, if not spectacular, with the team positioned to clinch a third consecutive league title and their 54th overall. Such an achievement would narrow the historic gap with Rangers to just one title.

Key to Celtic's performance this season have been midfielder Matt O'Riley and defenders Liam Scales and Greg Taylor. O'Riley's midfield mastery has been crucial in controlling the tempo of matches, while Scales and Taylor have fortified a defence that has needed to be resolute amidst a less adventurous approach upfront. The pressure, however, is mounting with every match, as any slip-up could jeopardise their championship aspirations.

On the other side, Rangers have experienced their own set of challenges. Under the guidance of Philippe Clement, Rangers have had a solid campaign but now find themselves in a position where every game is a must-win. Having recently relinquished their lead in the Premiership, the team faces the risk of this season being remembered more for squandered opportunities than for triumphs. The sentiment around Ibrox is a mixture of hope and urgency, with the knowledge that reclaiming the top spot is imperative not just for this season's success, but also for asserting long-term dominance over Celtic.

Rangers' standout performers have been James Tavernier, whose contributions from right-back have been invaluable, Connor Goodson, who has been a rock at the back, and John Lundstram, who has imposed himself in the midfield. However, despite individual brilliances, Rangers' overall cohesion and consistency have been put to the test, with the team needing to harness every ounce of their skill and willpower to overcome the deficit in the league.

Historically, recent meetings between these two giants have tilted in favour of Celtic, with the Hoops securing three wins out of the last five encounters. Rangers managed one victory, and one game ended in a draw. This record bestows a psychological advantage upon Celtic, which they will be eager to capitalise on come match day. For Rangers, overturning this recent trend will be crucial not only for their title hopes but also for restoring belief among their supporters.

The stakes could hardly be higher. For Celtic, a victory would all but secure the title, given their point lead and the limited number of games remaining. For Rangers, a win is essential to keep their hopes alive and potentially take the title race down to the wire. A draw, while not disastrous for Celtic, would certainly ratchet up the pressure in their final fixtures.

This upcoming match is more than just a game; it's a defining moment in the Scottish Premiership season. It encapsulates not only the fierce rivalry between Celtic and Rangers but also the sheer unpredictability and drama of football. The outcome of this match could echo through the annals of Scottish football history, remembered as the day the title was secured or squandered. Whichever way the pendulum swings, one thing is certain: this Saturday will provide a spectacle filled with passion, intensity, and moments of sheer footballing drama.

Celtic Team News:

Daizen Maeda made a timely return from injury at the weekend with an appearance off the bench but it remains to be seen whether he'll come straight back into the starting XI here.

It feels likely that Brendan Rodgers will stick with the same team that started the game against Hearts at the weekend.

Rangers Team News:

Abdallah Sima and Ryan Jack are going to be Rangers' only two absentees coming into this game.

In all likelihood, they'll probably join Celtic in naming the same XI that started at the weekend.

Celtic are in fine form as they enter this game having won four and drawn one of their last five games in the league. Their latest outing was a potentially tricky game against 3rd placed Hearts, but Celtic passed that test with aplomb as they romped to a 3-0 win courtesy of goals from Kyogo Furuhashi (X2) and Matt O'Riley.

Prior to Saturday's win, Celtic claimed successive wins over Dundee (2-1) and St. Mirren (3-0), where James Forrest, Reo Hatate, Adam Idah and Furuhashi notched the goals. Those wins followed a hugely entertaining 3-3 draw with this weekend's opponents where Celtic sacrificed a two-goal lead to ultimately share the spoils after Rangers dramatically equalised in stoppage-time after Daizen Maeda, Idah and O'Riley had done the business for Celtic going forward.

Celtic's other result in this five-match stretch was a 3-0 win away at Livingstone, which came via goals from Paulo Bernardo and O'Riley in addition to a Livingstone own goal.

Rangers' form has somewhat gone off the boil in crunch time as they come into this game with two wins, two draws and one defeat from their last five games in the league. They're coming into this game off the back of a two-match winning streak, where a 4-1 win against Kilmarnock at the weekend–thanks to goals from Fábio Silva, Ben Davies, Tom Lawrence and John Souttar–followed a 2-1 win away at St. Mirren, courtesy of an own goal prior to a Cyriel Dessers winner.

However, those two wins were preceded by a very disappointing three-match winless streak where the Gers drew 0-0 with Dundee, lost 3-2 away at Ross County and drew 3-3 to Celtic on home soil, despite entering the game as strong favourites.

If Rangers fail to win the league title, no doubt that period will be reflected upon as the moment Rangers "bottled" the league, as prior to that the title was well and truly in their own hands.

Games between these two are always tough to call but all things considered, it's tougher to imagine Rangers winning this one than Celtic. There's one thing feels more likely than anything else and that's a lot of goals, but with home advantage on their side it's tough to see Celtic losing this one. The Bhoys will probably be less inclined to push to win the game as it progresses into the later stages given a draw suits them fairly well, so with a win for Rangers an absolute must we expect the Gers to turn up with intensity here. However, their record against Celtic has left a lot to be desired in recent years so three points looks a tall order here. Celtic 2-2 Rangers.

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This game will be aired live to all subscribed U.K. viewers on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football from 11:30.

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