While not exactly David v Goliath, struggling Premiership side Dundee will definitely be big underdogs as they host champions-elect Celtic at Dens Park this Sunday.
Dundee Form
The Dark Blues have only St Mirren below them in the table having lost their last three league games. Dundee have won just one of their 15 home Scottish Premiership games this season and that is fewer than any other side in the Premiership. Only St Mirren have lost more home games this term which underlines the enormity of the task facing Jim McIntyre’s side. But the manager wasn’t downhearted by last week’s narrow loss to a much-improved Hearts, though accepts Celtic will play a different game to the more direct Jam Tarts. Dundee are expected to be without striker Andrew Nelson but Craig Curran is fit again and on-loan winger Andy Dales and Scott Wright are also expected to play after recovering from minor knocks. Wright has been directly involved in five of Dundee’s last seven league goals, assisting three of their last four in the Scottish Premiership.
Celtic Form
For the Hoops, it’s just a matter of keeping the momentum going to secure a seventh straight title. Going into the weekend they were eight points clear of second-placed Rangers with only nine games remaining, though there are still two Glasgow derbies to be played out. Neil Lennon’s men were frustrated by Aberdeen last week but didn’t surrender any ground to their immediate pursuers and will be confident of getting back on track at Dundee. They are still without Ryan Christie, however, and Tom Rogic has only just returned to training. But Callum McGregor and Filip Benkovic should be available for selection and a late decision will be made on Olivier Ntcham. Celtic still haven’t lost a domestic fixture since the end of December.
Dundee v Celtic Head-to-Heads
Dundee have won just one of their 43 Scottish Premiership games against Celtic since the 1998-99 season and that was back in 2001. Celtic are unbeaten in their last 20 trips to Dens Park, winning each of the last four by a 10-1 aggregate.
Dundee v Celtic Current Match Odds
Dundee 18/1, Draw 13/2, Celtic 2/11 (Odds correct at 11.45am March 16)
Dundee v Celtic Predictions
Realistically, there will only be one outcome to this if Celtic are anywhere near their best. Dundee may have only conceded once against Hearts last week but conceded four against Hibernian and Rangers in their previous two games. Their mini-revival appears to be well and truly over and they have lost both matches against Celtic this season by an aggregate of 8-0. Celtic to Win to Nil has to be a decent bet at 3/4 with BetVictor and the 7/2 at Boylesports for Celtic to win by four or more goals is also tempting give the gulf between the sides. The away team to be winning at Half Time/Full Time is 4/6 with Coral.
