Falkirk vs Rangers Prediction: Gers heading for the split with a 21/10 shut-out win
Rangers return to the scene of their season nadir on Sunday when they face Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership (12:00 BST, Sky Sports Football), with their last trip to the Falkirk Stadium best remembered for the toxic departure of Russell Martin.
The Gers left Stirlingshire in October in eighth spot, but they return right in the middle of a compelling title race. My Falkirk vs Rangers predictions, full team news and Betfred’s match odds are all below.
Falkirk vs Rangers Betting Tips
*odds correct at time of publication
Team News
Falkirk celebrated reaching the top six cut-off last week, and manager John McGlynn has insisted his team will play their full part despite the distraction of next Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline.
The Bairns know four of their remaining six matches will be against the three sides competing for the title, but McGlynn’s message suggests they’ll stick to a full-strength team for the visit of the Gers.
That means another opportunity for Barney Stewart, who was this week named the Premiership Player of the Month for March having scored six goals in five games.
Rangers have received a blow with the news that Ryan Naderi could miss the remainder of the season with a muscle injury.
The German striker had to be withdrawn at half-time against Dundee United having opened the scoring, and the Gers’ best hope is that another scan in two weeks could give a rosier outlook.
That will likely force Danny Rohl to again resist the urge to play with a 4-2-2-2 formation, with either Youssef Chermiti or Bojan Miovski leading the line and Thelo Aasgaard playing as a number 10.
Elsewhere, Tuur Rommens had already been ruled out until the post-split visit of Motherwell on April 26 at the very least, so Jayden Meghoma should continue at left-back.
Falkirk vs Rangers Predicted Lineups
- Falkirk: Bain; Adams, Lissah, Henderson, McCann; Tait, Spencer; Broggio, Stewart, Yeats; Miller
- Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, Djiga, Fernandez, Meghoma; Raskin, Chukwuani; Skov Olsen, Aasgaard, Moore; Chermiti
Rangers are the favourites to win at 4/5, with Falkirk a 16/5 chance. That implies a 23.8% probability of a home victory.
Both meetings so far this term have ended in a draw, with the 1-1 tie here in October being followed by a 0-0 stalemate at Ibrox at the end of November. It’s 11/4 for this one to finish with a point apiece yet again.
You can get 8/11 with Betfred about both teams finding the net, or it’s 21/10 for Rangers to win without conceding.
Falkirk vs Rangers Stats
- The Bairns have scored just 1 goal in their 8 matches this season against the Premiership’s top 3 sides (Hearts, Rangers and Celtic)
- Rangers dropped 15 of 24 available points prior to Rohl’s appointment, but have since dropped only 15 of 72
- 9 of the Gers’ 17 wins under Rohl have been earned to nil
- Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez have started 8 league games together at centre-back, with Rangers recording 5 clean sheets in those matches (4 conceded)
Rangers to Win to Nil @ 21/10
There’s a bit of a new edge to Rangers judging by the last few games.
After a stumble during February and March which saw them draw with Hibernian, Motherwell, Livingston and Celtic, Rohl has fostered a ‘just win’ mentality among his squad.
They were more professional than polished in a dour 1-0 win at St Mirren, and followed that up with 4-1 and 4-2 home successes against Aberdeen and Dundee United respectively.
Those nine goals in three games have come from nine different scorers. And while Naderi’s injury is a setback, Rohl has plenty of players sticking their hands up.
Add that to the potential reuniting of Nasser Djiga and Manny Fernandez at the back, and we should see a Rangers side hungry to maintain their title form both offensively and defensively.
Given the record when the two centre-backs are fit and available, and Falkirk’s lack of goals against the top three – they have one in eight games – that 21/10 price looks pretty huge.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Headed Goal – Yes @ 13/10
The most noticeable thing about the 0-0 draw between these two at Ibrox before Christmas was the way Falkirk took the game to Rangers at times.
But this is a different Gers side, and they are a huge threat from set-pieces and crosses from wide alike.
Chermiti might only have scored once outside of fixtures against Hearts and Celtic (v Kilmarnock in October), but he provides an aerial presence. And there’s also Nico Raskin, Miovski, Aasgard and Fernandez to consider when it comes to potential goalscorers in the air.
I think there’s something in this for the Gers, with only Hearts (18) having scored more than their 12 from headers this season.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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