Celtic vs Rangers prediction, betting tips and odds: Rangers can star in high-scoring final

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Where to watch Celtic vs Rangers

You can watch Celtic vs Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at 3pm on May 25, live on BBC One Scotland & Premier Sports 1

Match prediction & best bet

Over 2.5 goals
2pts 4-5 Hills

Rangers
1pt 16-5 BoyleSports

You can bet on Celtic vs Rangers here and get £40 in free bets with BetMGM

Celtic vs Rangers odds

Celtic 10-11
Rangers 16-5
Draw 11-4

Odds correct at time of publishing

Celtic vs Rangers predictions

Celtic and Rangers head to Hampden Park for the Scottish Cup final and we look be set for an entertaining Old Firm clash where a high-scoring upset could be on the cards. 

The Bhoys will be buoyant after retaining the Scottish Premiership title and they have certainly ended the campaign in good form. 

Celtic have won nine of their last 11 matches (one of the two draws was the Scottish Cup semi-final penalty shootout victory over Aberdeen), and Brendan Rodgers’ men have hit 44 goals in their last 13 games. However, an eight-point gap between Celtic and Rangers in the table is flattering to the Hoops and there isn’t as much between the sides as that would suggest. 

Rangers blew their chance of toppling Celtic when losing at Ross County and drawing with Dundee in April, but the Gers had the title in their hands up until that point. Philippe Clement’s men also failed to win a single Old Firm contest this season, losing twice at Parkhead and once at Ibrox, but all three of those defeats came by a single-goal margin and there was a fair amount of misfortune thrown in too. 

The Light Blues put up double the expected goals of Celtic when losing 1-0 in the first Old Firm contest of the season at Ibrox and the Gers again came out on top on the xG numbers when having Leon Balogun sent off and going down 2-1 at Parkhead in December. The latest 2-1 defeat in the East End of Glasgow saw John Lundstram dismissed and it was a contest where Rangers were chasing faded title dreams. 

A lengthy injury list hasn’t helped Clement’s side, with Connor Goldson, Balogun, John Souttar, Borna Barisic, Tom Lawrence, Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Danilo all missing Rangers’ 3-3 draw at Hearts last weekend, but there is hope that defenders Balogun and Souttar will be fit to return at Hampden Park. 

Defensive reinforcements would be a huge boost for the Gers, who have conceded nine goals in their last five games and kept only two clean sheets in their previous 11 matches. League Cup winners Rangers will be keen to salvage a cup double from the season and look a value bet to go alongside the stronger fancy of goals.

Eleven of the last 14 Old Firm games have gone over 2.5 goals and Rangers can be backed to edge a high-scoring Hampden clash. 

Key stat

There have been at least three goals in 11 of the last 14 Old Firm matches

Celtic vs Rangers team news

Celtic
Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales are all set to return to the Celtic defence in front of goalkeeper Joe Hart, who plays his final competitive match before retirement. Yang Hyun-Jun looks set to miss out.

Rangers
Philippe Clement has a lengthy injury list with Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun, John Souttar, Borna Barisic, Tom Lawrence, Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Danilo all missing Rangers' final league game of the season. The Belgian was coy when asked if any of those players would be fit to return at Hampden Park, but John Lundstram is back from suspension and Abdallah Sima and Ridvan Yilmaz are fit to play.

Probable teams

Celtic (4-3-3):  Hart; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; Hatate, McGregor, O'Riley; Forrest, Furuhashi, Maeda
Subs: Palma, Kuhn, Welsh, Iwata, Idah, Ralston, Nawrocki

Rangers (4-3-3): Butland; Tavernier, Balogun, Davies, Yilmaz; Diomande, Lundstram, Sterling; McCausland, Dessers, Silva
Subs: Sima, Wright, King, Fraser, Cantwell, Jack, Dowell

Inside info

Celtic

Star man Kyogo Furuhashi
Top scorer Matt O'Riley
Penalty taker Matt O''Riley/Adam Idah
Card magnet Callum McGregor
Assist ace Matt O'Riley
Set-piece aerial threat Cameron Carter-Vickers

Rangers

Star man Cyriel Dessers
Top scorer James Tavernier
Penalty taker James Tavernier
Card magnet Todd Cantwell
Assist ace James Tavernier
Set-piece aerial threat Cyriel Dessers

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