Saturday 30th September 2017 Kickoff:1630hrs Celtic v Hibernian Football – Scotland – Scottish Premiership Match of the weekend up in Scotland is a battle of the green and whites as Celtic host Hibernian in the east end of Scotland. Celtic are coming off the back of one of their best ever results in the Champions League in midweek but Hibs may see this as an opportunity to halt the champions undefeated domestic record having been rested whilst they have not only played in Europe on Wednesday, but also had to contend with the travelling either side of that. The fact that Neil Lennon will be in the opposition dugout just adds to the intrigue of this one.
Having been thumped 5-0 by PSG in matchday one of the Champions League, there were doubts as to whether Celtic could make any sort of impact on the competition. Those doubts have been erased somewhat with a 3-0 success against the Belgian champions. That result looks sure to give Celtic European football for after Christmas at least which was the goal coming into the group stages. The Hoops will park thoughts of any further European action for three weeks and come into the last game before the international break looking to continue what has been an excellent run of form since losing to PSG. The Anderlecht came only four days after the champions brushed aside rivals Rangers 2-0 at Ibrox to confirm that they remain very much top dogs in Scotland. They’ve got the chance to cap off a brilliant week with a win over Hibs.
Hibs got their season back on track last Saturday as they won their first league game since August with a narrow 1-0 success away to Ross County. Neil Lennon’s men got the campaign off to a flying start when taking six points from their first two games, defeating Partick Thistle at home and Rangers away. With it being their first season in the top flight since 2014, it was a great start for them but the wheels came off slightly in the matches between the win at Ibrox and Saturday’s success. Lennon was highly critical of his team’s defending in those games so the fact they were able to keep their first clean sheet of the season will have pleased him immensely. Should they achieve the same again on Saturday it will please him even more.
Celtic v Hibernian Betting Tip
It will be a reunion for more than just Neil Lennon this Saturday as he returns to the club where he was so successful as both a player and manager. It will also be a poignant moment for Leigh Griffiths who enjoyed two very successful spells on loan, and will be facing the club he supports for the first time since. That aside, the match itself looks to be a very attractive one on paper, and will also serve as a rehearsal for when the two meet next month in the semi final of the League Cup. Both a Celtic and Hibs are teams who like to get numbers forward and attempt to dominate the ball. If Celtic are on their game then you would expect them to come out on top due to the better standard of players but it’s never easy coming back off of a European game in midweek, and that may level this slightly. Hibs have scored in every game this season and although they kept a clean sheet last week, Saturday presents a different challenge. It’s an attractive game on paper and one I think will live up to expectation. Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is the selection in this one.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals 23/20 @ Boylesports
