Rangers vs Celtic Prediction: 18/5 is a good price for Holders to retain the Scottish League Cup

Followers of Scottish football have an early Christmas treat this weekend as Rangers play Celtic at Hampden in the final of the League Cup. The Old Firm rivals meet for the second time this season, with the Bhoys hoping to continue their winning ways in this fixture. Rangers seek revenge after losing 3-0 at the home of their rivals in September. Premier Sports 1 will broadcast the game live from 15:30 on Sunday afternoon.

Philippe Clement’s team are the current trophy holders after beating Aberdeen at the national stadium 12 months ago. Will they win back-to-back titles, or will Celtic reclaim the prize? You can have your say using the Betfred app or site after reading the thoughts of our in-form tipster, Frank Monkhouse as he takes us through his Rangers vs Celtic Predictions...

It has already been a tense week for both clubs, with Celtic drawing 0-0 in Zagreb on Tuesday in the UEFA Champions League and Rangers ending 1-1 with Tottenham at Ibrox on Thursday in the Europa League. But temperatures are about to soar at Hampden with the renewal of one of world football’s most famous derbies. Fans are guaranteed a thrilling encounter as Rodgers hopes for more of the same after beating Rangers here in the final of the Scottish Cup.

Clement has never beaten Celtic, with a stunning 3-3 draw at Ibrox the best the Belgian has to show for his efforts so far. Question marks remain over the boss and his long-term future as Rangers manager, but a win over the Hoops and defending the first piece of silverware of the season would go some way to easing the pressure. The Gers fans can’t face another derby mauling but know anything is possible in this game, and there was a lot to like about Thursday’s performance.

Rangers vs Celtic Odds

Rangers haven’t beaten Celtic since May 2023 when former manager Michael Beale was in the hot seat. They are currently third in the Premiership, sitting 11 points off the pace set by an unbeaten champion. Winning the league already looks beyond this young Gers side as they continue to suffer teething problems, but they do boast solid stats this month. Fancy an upset win for the holders? You can back Rangers at an eye-catching 18/5 with Betfred.

Celtic are top of the Premiership, well clear of a chasing pack headed by Aberdeen. They’re also performing well in the Champions League and hold hopes of securing a playoff finish and involvement in knockout football. Adding another cup win would help them tighten the club’s grip on Scottish football, and their unbeaten domestic form means it’s no surprise to see Betfred traders side with the Hoops. Back Celtic to win at 7/10 or try the draw at 3/1.

Both teams to score

With a fascinating final in store, we pick both teams to score for our first bet. Rangers have played three domestic games this month already, scoring in each of those outings. They netted one in a narrow win over St Johnstone before smashing six past Kilmarnock at Ibrox and another three when visiting Dingwall last weekend.

Celtic have played twice this month, scoring four goals. They snatched a vital 1-0 win at Pittodrie before finding the net three times against Hibs.

Backing both teams to score would’ve resulted in a profit in three of the last five derbies, including that stunning six-goal draw at Ibrox in April. Neither manager will throw caution to the wind and go all-out attack in this show-piece game, respecting the danger of losing a goal on the counter.

Both teams are frightening going forward but remain nervy in defence. Back Rangers and Celtic to score at least once and hope the game lives up to expectations.

Rangers win

I thought long and hard about avoiding picking a winner here and sticking with the specials in such an unpredictable game. The Old Firm derbies are notoriously difficult to predict, but it would be foolish to ignore the generous odds offered by Betfred on Rangers.

Yes, Clement’s team are the underdogs and are on a poor run against Celtic, but that price is just too high. We can’t pass up value like that in a match that will be much closer than the betting suggests. Back the over-priced team and enjoy the game.

Rangers have blown hot and cold under Clement, who has continually promised good times are coming. Is the experienced Belgian correct? Will we see his team finally gel to defend the trophy they won last season?

They looked like a squad that’s improving fast when scoring nine goals in their previous two. They’ll need to be at their best to stand any chance, but the prize is worth the risk.

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...