Rangers did their utmost to make Celtic wait before clinching their ninth successive Scottish Premiership title and you can be assured the Light Blues will want to lay down a market for next season in the final Old Firm clash of the season, especially with home advantage. But the Hoops will be determined to end the campaign with their unbeaten run intact so we could be in for another spicy encounters at Ibrox.
Rangers Form and Team News
There will be no guard of honour for the newly-crowned champions from their arch-rivals and that indicates that this is a game that Steven Gerrard badly wants to win. Alfredo Morelos has only just returned from the suspension triggered by his fracas with Celtic captain Scott Brown and the Ger’s top scorer may feel he owes his team-mates something. But the Colombian hasn’t scored in eight Old Firm derbies and was only on the bench against Hibernian last week so the manager may decide to stick with Jermaine Defoe, who has scored three times and provided five assists during Morelos’ enforced break. This could be the final Ibrox appearance for on-loan Ryan Kent so he’ll be keen to sign off with a good performance and it shouldn’t be forgotten that his adopted team are the top scorers in Scotland this season. Since losing at Celtic Park at the end of March, Rangers have won all five matches and conceded just one goals so are finishing the season just as strongly as this Sunday’s opponents, though first-choice goalkeeper Allan McGregor is suspended.
Celtic Form and Team News
Celtic are undefeated since Neil Lennon took charge for a second time – winning eight and drawing three matches. They are hot favourites to complete the domestic treble again later this month when they take on Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final but Lennon, apparently, still has to prove to the Celtic board that he is the right man to take the team forward in search of a 10th straight title. It will be a summer of change at Celtic Park as Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig are among those set to leave while on-loan quartet Filip Benkovic, Jeremy Toljan, Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah will all be returning to their parent clubs. It’s possible their may be a lack of motivation for those players now that the job is done with regards to the league but captain and Celtic legend Scott Brown doesn’t look like one who will accept anything less than 100 per cent commitment to the cause. The Hoops have kept six clean sheets in a row so it will interesting to see how they react if they conceded at the home of their most fierce rivals.
Rangers v Celtic Head-to-Heads
Celtic’s defeat at Ibrox in December was their first in 13 matches against Rangers in all competitions. The fixture is never-less-than-competitive and has become closer recently with only one goal separating the teams in their last three meetings. Rangers have not won any of their five previous games in the Top Six Play-Offs.
Rangers v Celtic Current Best Odds
Rangers 2/1, Draw 5/2, Celtic 29/20 (Odds correct at 11.00am May 9)
Rangers v Celtic Predictions
Neither of these sides is giving much away at the back so a low-scoring encounter is expected, despite their being little at stake but local pride. Under 2.5 Total Goals Over/Under is 10/11 with bet365. Rangers in the Draw No Bet is value at 57/50 with Unibet with the home side at 3/5 on the Handicap with bet365 getting a goal start.
