Rangers vs Celtic Scottish Cup Tips: Back Ibrox men for Hampden date
Sunday features the second Old Firm in the space of a week as Celtic make another trip across Glasgow to face arch-rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.
After the Glasgow giants suffered miserable starts to the season, both sides are in the ascendancy and, with an incredible 76 Scottish Cups between them, whichever side comes out on top on Sunday is sure to be the favourite for the title.
Connor Barron may make a return for Rangers after a month out injured but Derek Cornelius and Bailey Rice remain sidelined for the hosts.
Celtic remain without key players such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota and Alistair Johnston while Kelechi Iheanacho is also a doubt alongside Dane Murray, who was injured during the warm-up prior to the win over Aberdeen in midweek.
Our 12/1 Bet Builder landed in the last meeting between these two – can we follow it up with a second just a week later?
Rangers vs Celtic: All You Need to Know
- Kick-off time: 13:00 GMT
- Match date: Sun 8th March
- Venue: Ibrox, Glasgow
- Competition: Scottish Cup
- How to watch: Premier Sports
- Form (all comps): RAN DDWDW / CEL WDWLL
- Match market: Click here
Tip 1 – Rangers to win & both teams to score @ 9/4
Rangers let a 2-0 lead slip in last weekend’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox but Danny Rohl’s side will have learned from those lessons and should have enough about them to get a win over a potentially fatigued Celtic side.
The Hoops were in action up in Aberdeen in midweek and have lost two of their last five games, while they have failed to win each of the last eight Old Firm derbies inside 90 minutes.
Reo Hatate’s 92nd-minute equaliser last time out ended a run of 10 successive home wins for the Gers this term but Rohl can draw plenty of positives from their dominant first-half display as they search for their Scottish Cup success.
Keeping the Bhoys at bay is another matter, though. Though profligate by their usual standards this season Celtic have still scored in 16 consecutive matches, netting a total of 31 goals in this sequence.
They have also found the net in each of the last three derby matches.
Rangers are in fine scoring form but they have conceded six goals in their last three and are without a clean sheet in four, so expect them to concede.
Tip 2 – Over 1.5 Rangers goals, Youssef Chermiti to score, Benjamin Nygren to score or assist & under 4.5 cards @ 22/1
Rangers have scored 22 goals across their last six home games and have found the net twice or more in each of these.
They beat Celtic 3-1 away from home in January and look good value to notch at least a couple of goals against a side that have conceded 11 goals in their last six fixtures.
Youssef Chermiti, who starred for Rangers in last weekend’s Old Firm derby, could be one of those goalscorers.
His first-half brace at Ibrox took his tally to five goals in his last three games. Notably, he has nine overall this season with eight of them coming against either Hearts or Celtic.
For the visitors, Benjamin Nygren looks a likely goalscorer candidate. He assisted Celtic’s first goal last weekend and found the net off the bench in midweek, leaving him with a goal in nine of his last 13 appearances.
While Old Firm derbies always have the potential to get heated, recent meetings between the Glaswegian pair have been relatively tame.
Only 19 yellow cards and one red card have been shown in the last six meetings, and only one of those has produced more than four cards.
BETMGM’S 22/1 OLD FIRM BET BUILDER
- Over 1.5 Rangers goals
- Youssef Chermiti to score anytime
- Benjamin Nygren to score or assist
- Under 4.5 cards
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
