Hibernian v Celtic
Saturday 2nd March 1715rs
Football – Scotland – Scottish Cup
Pick Over 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Marathon Bet
Odds: 19/25 (odds taken 19.30 GMT, Friday 1st March)
Scottish football is rarely dull, and this week has been no different. The latest drama has resulted in Neil Lennon returning to Easter Road – just weeks after leaving his old club – as Celtic’s interim boss. There’s a small matter of a Scottish Cup semi-final place up for grabs, too.
Scottish Cup Betting at Marathon Bet
Hibernian Preview
Since Lennon left Hibs at the beginning of February, the club have begun to get back on the winning trail and climbing the league. The situation between the former manager and his players became unworkable in the latter part of his reign and it appears to have benefited both them and the man who used to lead them. Paul Heckingbottom took his winning streak to three games as Hibs came from behind to defeat St Johnstone 2-1. The significance of the result is increased because of the fact it was away from home and they done so even down to 10 men. It keeps the club in the top six and puts them in an excellent frame of mind for this crunch clash with Celtic on Saturday. It’s been a relatively routine passaged to the quarter finals for the 2016 Scottish Cup winners, having seen off lower league teams in Elgin City and Raith Rovers in previous rounds. It’s certainly a step up in challenge but they’ll take confidence from their recent form as well as having beaten Celtic on the past two occasions when at home. Granted, the man who masterminded those wins will be in the other dugout on Saturday but there’s no doubting that these players know how to make life difficult for the Glasgow club.
Key-Facts – Hibernian v Celtic
- Neil Lennon returns to Easter Road just a month after leaving – this time in charge of Celtic
- The Scottish Cup tie pits together the two teams who are responsible for the last three winners of the competition
- Over 2.5 goals has been a winner in six of the last nine meetings between these clubs
Celtic Preview
To say it’s been a dramatic week for Celtic would be something of an understatement but despite the sudden departure of Brendan Rodgers to Leicester, and Neil Lennon stepping into the head coach’s position until the end of the season, the Hoops were able to secure three points away to Hearts on Wednesday. In keeping with events of the week, the winning goal was dramatic with Odsonne Edouard scoring in injury time to ensure Celtic maintain an eight-point lead at the top of the table. Attention now switches to the Scottish Cup, a competition that Celtic have won more than any other team in Scotland – including the last two. Two thumping home wins against Airdrie and St Johnstone in the previous rounds, both of which are at home, have seen Celtic ease through but this is bound to be a much more difficult game at a venue where they have struggled in the recent past. There has been plenty of criticism for Rodgers leaving the club when, and as, he did, due to the opportunity to win a treble for a third consecutive season, which would be a unique achievement. The biggest and best way of responding to these events is for the squad and new management team to go on and do just that.
Hibernian v Celtic Betting Preview
There’s no getting away from just how much anticipation surrounds this game. Even before this week it stood out as being a potential blockbuster with Celtic putting their domestic dominance on the table at a ground where they have lost on their last two visits and not won at since 2014 – granted Hibs were only promoted back to the Scottish Premiership last season. Now, however, it has escalated tenfold with Lennon returning to the club he left just a matter of weeks ago. It hardly needed any more spotlight, but it certainly has it now.
Neither team have been troubled in this year’s Scottish Cup but that should change come tomorrow. Hibs have started really well under their new manager who will have to try and combat the fact that this is still very much Lennon’s team and players. Celtic have to perform much better at Easter Road than in previous attempts and are also short of midfielders for this. Six of the last nine meetings have had three or more goals scored in them. Five of the last seven Hibs games have also went over 2.5 goals and with both teams very dangerous going forward, this could well be a Scottish Cup cracker.
