Celtic vs Hibernian Prediction: Visitors to earn a crucial point at Parkhead

Round 36 of the Scottish Premiership has five matches in the much-loved Saturday 15:00 kick-off, including a Glasgow vs Edinburgh showdown at Parkhead. Celtic won the Premiership title with plenty to spare and battled to a 1-1 draw at Ibrox in last weekend’s Old Firm derby. How much hunger does Brendan Rodgers’ team have for the final three games?

Hibs arrive at Parkhead sitting in third place, determined to hold their position and finish as the best of the rest. The points are more important to Hibs than Celtic, but will that show in the final result? Betfred’s Frank Monkhouse offers his preview and predictions.

Celtic hold the home advantage for the visit of Hibs, and the champions have a golden opportunity to show they’re worthy champions by beating a team vying for the bronze medal finish. They came from behind to earn a share of the spoils in a two-goal draw across the city in Govan last week, with Adam Idah netting after Cyriel Dessers gave the Gers a deserved lead. Celtic didn’t need to win the game, but they certainly didn’t want to lose it, and Rodgers was satisfied with the efforts of his squad.

Hibs are third in the pecking order with 56 points on the board, thanks to a 3-1 win over Dundee United at Easter Road last time. They are miles off the top two, but have Aberdeen and Dundee United pushing for third. Hibs know their best chance of cementing third place comes from taking at least a point from Glasgow. That’s easier said than done at the home of the champions and runaway Premiership leaders.

Celtic vs Hibernian Odds

Celtic have been relentless at home and consistent on the road during another title-winning season. They’ve dominated Scottish football and are expected to complete another domestic clean sweep by adding the Scottish Cup to the Premiership and League Cup medals. That form means it’s no surprise to see the home win as favourite at Betfred. Do you expect the locals to claim a 28th win in 36 league games? You can back Celtic at 2/7 and I expect that to be popular with accumulator players.

Hibs were at the bottom of the Premiership earlier in the season before an incredible run took them from 12th to third. The visitors have done well to get into third, but must defend their position in the final three games. The Hibees arrive in high spirits, and already boast a win over Saturday’s opponents, battling to a 2-1 at Easter Road in February. Will David Gray’s men repeat the feat to claim a memorable win at Celtic Park? You can support Hibs at 10/1 or try the draw at 5/1 on the Betfred app and site.

Both teams to score @ 10/11

If you value the stats and trends, there’s plenty to go on here. Saturday’s meeting between Celtic and Hibs in Glasgow is the sixth time these rivals have met this season. The head-to-head stats makes for interesting reading, with Celtic currently on four wins against one defeat. Followers may remember these clubs served up four goals at this venue back in August in the early rounds of the League Cup.

Looking closely at the form, both teams have scored in two of the last four meetings and have been on target in four of the previous seven. With Hibs in desperate need of at least a point from this game and the locals having nothing to play for other than pride, I expect more goals. Add both teams to score to your Saturday multiples and hope this game lives up to the hype. Hibs will go on the attack early, but Celtic are frightening on the counter.

Draw @ 5/1

Our second bet at Parkhead is for this game to end in a draw. The home team are already across the line, meaning Rodgers can rest some of his regular starters with the Scottish Cup final in mind. He has the luxury of calling on an excellent squad and will also give minutes on the pitch to the best of the emerging talent. But Hibs aren’t a side to be taken lightly. They’re confident, hard-working and determined.

A draw would suit both clubs, keeping Hibs in the race for that all-important third-place finish. Celtic battled back from 1-0 down to finish 1-1 at Ibrox in last weekend’s Old Firm derby. It’s never easy to predict the outcome of games played late in the season, as we try to second-guess the manager and predict how strong a starting 11 he’ll send out. We do know Hibs still have plenty to play for and, with that in mind, the draw is a worthwhile bet at a decent price.

Frank Monkhouse covers Scottish Football for us here at Betfred Insights. You can check out all of his work along with that of the rest of our Football Betting Tips desk on our main Football page...