Rangers vs Celtic Prediction & Betting Tips - Scottish Premiership

Prediction published on 30/12/2020, 08:40  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 30/12/2020 at 12:17 in Scottish Premiership Predictions

The new year begins with league leaders Rangers hosting second placed Celtic. Both clubs won on Wednesday and Rangers go into this match with a 16-point lead over their opponents. Celtic have three games in hand on Rangers but they dare not lose this match and go even further behind. Rangers have won 19 of their 21 league games this season with the other two drawn. Their 2-0 win at St Mirren on Wednesday took them to 57 goals in 21 games with only five conceded. They have  turned Ibrox Park into a fortress this season. 10 out of 10 league games have been won there with 32 goals scored and just one conceded. There were eight straight clean sheets until Motherwell took the lead on December 19 before Rangers recovered to win 3-1. Only once have they failed to score at least twice in a home league fixture this season. Just one of their last 23 home league matches have been lost as they bid to win the Scottish Premiership title for the first time since 2011. Two of their last three home Premiership games against Celtic have been won. They lost the most recent one though which was played way back in September 2019.

Celtic know they have to win this game and dare not lose it. Even a win will still see them 13 points behind with three games in hand. Losing to Rangers just isn't worth thinking about for them. Wednesday saw them beat Dundee United 3-0 at home, their fourth straight league victory. It's been a disappointing season for them so far with exits in both the Chanpions and Europa Leagues. They did win the Scottish Cup though, but it was the tenth title in a row they really wanted. Away form has seen Celtic unbeaten in nine league games, though three have been drawn. With Rangers barely dropping points, every draw Celtic have is a bit of a disaster. So was their 2-0 home loss to Rangers, their only league defeat of the season. Go for Rangers to show their superiority and get a vital home win.