Rangers vs Celtic: Preview, Free tip & Prediction
28.08.2021 12:00
The Old Firm derby is here. On Sunday afternoon, the two Glasgow rivals will clash for the first time in the 2021/22 season. Last year, the two teams met five times and Steven Gerrard's charges didn't lose even once, so Celtic have a lot to make up for.
Basic information, news and team form
The title fight in Scotland was straightforward last year, with Rangers not losing a single game all season and claiming the championship trophy for the first time since 2010/11. They ended nine years of domination by rivals Celtic, who finished second with a huge 25 points gap behind the winners. Rangers did not make any major changes before this season. Steven Gerrard stayed on the bench and the squad was only slightly modified. The league opener turned out to be a smooth win over Livingston, but then came a stumble at Dundee United, where the defending champions lost 0-1. Just a few days later, Rangers were eliminated from the Champions League by Malmo. However, they managed to recover from the disappointment pretty quickly, knocking out Alashkert in the play-off round of the Europa League and winning 4-2 at Ross County in the last league round.
While Rangers didn't have to change the established order over the summer, the situation was different for their rivals from Celtic. The club had signed a new manager in Ange Postecoglou, a former coach of the Australian national team or Japanese side Yokohama. Changes were also made in the squad, with key centre-back Ajer moving to Brentford. The club invested the money from his sale in reinforcements, bringing in goalkeeper Joe Hart from Tottenham, defender Josip Juranovic from Legia Warsaw and winger Kyogo Furuhashi from Vissel Kobe. In total, Celtic spent almost €20 million. The Bhoys have six points in the league after three rounds, losing 1-2 to Hearts in the season opener and then winning twice in a row 6-0. They also managed to qualify for the Europa League group stage, knocking out Jablonec among others along the way.
Betdoin's view of the match
The 1x2 odds for the game are quite even, which is not a major suprise. Celtic should be able to trouble Rangers more than last season. That's why goals could be an interesting betting option, with both teams scoring freely this season. Betdoin's algorithm found value in the over 2.5 with odds around 1.90.
Absentees and estimated line-ups
Both teams played in the Europa League on Thursday, so they will have to deal with fatigue and travel. At the same time, the Rangers are dealing with several positive Covid cases in the squad, so they may have to do without McGregor, Tavernier or McLaughlin. Celtic have significantly fewer problems, with only the start of Jullien and Forrest uncertain.
Rangers - estimated line-up:
McCrorie - Patterson, Goldson, Helander, Barisic - Aribo, Davis, Kamara - Arfield, Morelos, Hagi
Celtic - estimated line-up:
Hart - Ralston, Welsh, Starfelt, Taylor - Turnbull, McGregor, Rogic - Abada, Furuhashi, Christie
Free tip for Rangers vs Celtic - Over 2,5 (1,91)
Rangers vs Celtic FAQ:
Where to watch Rangers vs Celtic live on TV? The match will be live on Premier Sport 1.
What players to watch during the match? Alfredo Morelos, Tomas Rogic, Kyogo Furuhashi.
Who is the favourite? Rangers is the favourite according to the bookmakers (2.55).
How did the last match between the two teams end? Rangers 4-1 Celtic, 2/5/2021.
What time does the match start? Opening kick-off at 13:00.
What stadium will the match be played in? Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow.
Where can I find the match at Betdoin? Full statistics can be found here.
About the author
Štěpán Touma
Je jedno, jestli jde o fotbal, formuli 1 nebo stolní tenis: pokud je to sport a dá se na něj vsadit, Štěpán o něm velmi pravděpodobně bude něco vědět. Na Betdoinu uplatňuje svoji celoživotní lásku k fotbalu a bohaté sázkařské zkušenosti, v článcích se tak věnuje čemukoliv, co s těmito oblastmi alespoň trochu souvisí.