Celtic v Inverness CT Scottish Cup final predictions and odds: Celtic to seal treble in style

Where to watch the Scottish Cup final

BBC Scotland, 5.30pm Saturday

Best bets for the Scottish Cup final

Celtic to win both halves
2pts 5-6 Hills

Over 4.5 goals
1pt 7-4 Power

Scottish Cup final odds

To lift the trophy
Celtic 1-25
Inverness CT 18-1

90 minutes
Celtic 1-11
Inverness 25-1
Draw 11-1

Odds correct at time of publishing

Scottish Cup final team news

Celtic
Daizen Maeda is back from a ban,  Sead Haksabanovic returns from injury and Alistair Johnston has recovered from a knock suffered against Aberdeen last weekend. Celtic are sweating on the fitness of top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi and Cameron Carter-Vickers is out.

Inverness
Inverness haven't played a competitive fixture for nearly a month and Roddy MacGregor and Max Ram have a chance to make the squad on Saturday.  Tom Walsh and Shane Sutherland are out.

Scottish Cup final predictions

Celtic are 1-11 to win in 90 minutes and land an eighth domestic treble with victory over Inverness in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park on Saturday.

The Bhoys have already secured the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Premiership title was wrapped up in comfortable fashion, and it’s difficult to see how Caley Thistle can stop the relentless Celtic winning machine. 

Inverness do have some history on their side after famously beating Celtic 3-1 in the third-round of this competition in 2000, but it’s unlikely that super Caley will be going ballistic this weekend. 

Celtic are clearly a vastly superior side and while dominance isn’t guaranteed to be reflected by a wide-margin victory, Ange Postecoglou’s side aren’t a team who let up when hitting the front.

The Bhoys have inflicted a number of heavy defeats on their rivals this season and the majority of those sides have been better than a Caley Thistle outfit who finished only sixth in a below-par second-tier this term. 

Postecoglou’s men put nine goals past Dundee United, scored six against Hibs, and five against both Kilmarnock and St Mirren and they also scored four against Old Firm rival Rangers. 

The Bhoys have found the net 14 times in their four Scottish Cup matches this term and they have hit five in matches against St Mirren and Morton in this competition. 

Celtic have won seven of the eight halves of football that they have played in this competition, with the exception being the second half of their semi-final clash with Rangers, and offers of 5-6 about the Bhoys winning both halves at Hampden seem more than fair. 

Supporting Postecoglou’s side on the handicap is also of interest, but at the prices it could pay to take a flyer on an alternative total goal line. Inverness have kept only four clean sheets in their last 15 matches, in games against opposition nowhere near the level of Celtic, and Caley Thistle have conceded 16 goals in those last 15 contests. 

Billy Dodds has had nearly a month without any action to prepare his side for the cup final, but that planning may go awry if Celtic, who have scored in the first half of all their Scottish Cup matches this season and before the 19th minute in three of them, take an early lead. 

Inverness have done well to reach the Hampden showdown, with a little help from Queen’s Park’s ineligible player in the fourth round, but it could end in a heavy defeat for an outclassed Caley Thistle. 

Key stat

There have been 15 goals in Celtic’s four Scottish Cup matches this season

Probable teams

Celtic (4-3-3): Hart; Johnston, Iwata, Starfelt, Taylor; O'Riley, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Furuhashi, Jota.
Subs: Ralston, Hyeon-Gyu, Haksabanovic, Bernabei, Forrest, Welsh, Turnball 

Inverness (4-4-1-1): Ridgers; Carson, Devine, Deas, Harper; Henderson, Allardice, Welsh, Mackay; Shaw; Mckay.
Subs: Hyde, Duffy, Delaney, Boyd, Dorran, Woods, Samuels 

Inside info

Celtic

Penalty taker Jota
Assist ace Matt O'Riley
Set-piece aerial threat Carl Starfelt
Card magnet Callum McGregor

Inverness

Penalty taker Billy McKay
Assist ace Billy McKay
Set-piece aerial threat Cameron Harper
Card magnet David Carson

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