Aberdeen v Rangers
Sunday 3rd March 1330rs
Football – Scotland – Scottish Cup
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Marathon Bet
Odds: 89/100 (odds taken 12.45 GMT, Saturday 2nd March)
Such is the way the Scottish season works, this will be the fifth meeting between Aberdeen and Rangers already, and this time there is a place in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup up for grabs as the two rivals go head to head.
Scottish Cup Betting at Marathon Bet
Aberdeen Preview
The Dons have performed well in cup competitions under Derek McInnes, regularly reaching the latter stages of both the League Cup and Scottish Cup. Having already been defeated in the final of the former of those competitions this season, Aberdeen will be eager to get back to Hampden in an attempt to win this trophy for the first time in 29 years. They have reached the final as recently as 2017 as well as a number of semi-final appearances, but McInnes will know they face a test on Sunday if they are to make it back to the national stadium next month and take their place in the last four. Aberdeen have laboured at times in 2019 and their home form is nothing short of rubbish in the calendar year. Considering this is a team who have been so consistent at Pittodrie under this manager, there recent form has to be a concern. Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat home to struggling Hamilton means it’s now just one win in their last seven home matches. One of those games included a draw in this competition against League One Stenhousemuir – a tie they eventually won in a replay. The only victory at Pittodrie in that period of games came in the last round when they defeated Queen of the South from the Championship – McInnes will be hoping that the return to cup action can spark a revival for Aberdeen in front of their own fans.
Key-Facts – Aberdeen v Rangers
- This will be the fifth meeting of the season between Aberdeen and Rangers with the Dons edging it 2-1 in terms of wins
- Aberdeen have struggled at home of late whilst Rangers come into the game full of confidence
- Five of the last six meetings between the teams have ended with two or fewer goals
Rangers Preview
We know how quickly a team’s fortunes can turn around in football and that was certainly the case for Rangers in February. Steven Gerrard’s men were terrible when dropping points halfway through the month at home to St Johnstone, which came only days after a similar performance in a goalless draw in the last round of the Scottish Cup, when away to Kilmarnock. The manager came under pressure for yet again criticising his team in public but it seems to have done the trick in the short term as the Ibrox club have responded will in the three games since that St Johnstone game. It started with a thumping 5-0 win in the cup replay against Kilmarnock, before putting the same number of goals past Hamilton in the league, and another four by hapless Dundee in midweek. Granted, they are games where you would expect Rangers to be superior, but it has certainly increased confidence levels going into Sunday’s crunch game. Having not won a major trophy in eight years, the Scottish Cup looks to be their best hope of ending that drought considering the eight-point deficit they have to overturn in the league.
Aberdeen v Rangers Betting Preview
There’s plenty of bad blood between these two clubs and that’s been evident in the games contested between Aberdeen and Rangers so far this season. There are plenty of battles between players but the most obvious one is Scott McKenna and Alfredo Morelos. Both were sent off when the sides met earlier this year and Morelos has had a further two dismissals against Aberdeen this season, albeit one was overturned. Both will line-up tomorrow and be central in their team’s hopes of making it through into the semi-finals.
The record for the season currently stands at two wins for Aberdeen, one for Rangers and a draw – but there has never been more than a one-goal margin in any of the games. It suggests we’re in for another close game on Sunday but there’s no doubting it’s the visitors who come into this game in better form and with a lot of belief behind them. The game in January which Rangers won 4-2 appears to be very much an outlier as the last five before that all had two or fewer goals and that’s the route I’m suggest we go down in terms of a selection for tomorrow’s game.
