A LOT has already been said about this match and whatever happens I think it will be tense and tight with the play-off final spot on the line until the sides meet again in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Rangers will be hoping home advantage, a huge crowd and feelgood factor after the news chairman in waiting Dave King has been passed fit and proper to take over the club helps them to a first-leg advantage.
King will take his seat in the director's box after flying in from his home in South Africa but I'm not sure he'll be smiling at the end of 90 minutes and believe the prices are weighted too much in favour of the Ibrox men.
Rangers edged into the semi-finals with a 3-2 aggregate win over Queen of the South and they were pushed all the way while Hibs players sunned themselves on a six-day training trip to La Manga.
Both teams are 5-6 to qualify for the final and that makes Hibs look big at 2-1 with bet365 to win tonight – and that's dropped from 3-1 – while Hibs draw no bet is 5-4 with McBookie and BetVictor.
In parts of both ties with Queens there were good moments for Rangers but at other times they looked vulnerable and Easter Road gaffer Alan Stubbs won't have seen anything to fear.
Hibs have beaten the Ibrox men three times this season but lost the last time they met – and the one thing about them that's questioned is bottle or the lack of it.
Stubbs's men recovered to win six of their last seven games and pip Gers to runners-up spot. Crucially that meant missing the Queens games so while Hibs will be refreshed will they be able to hit the ground running?
I'm sure it will be tight and tense tonight and can't see either side winning by more than one goal.
To win Gers are 13-10 at McBookie and BetVictor but I'm eyeing up a draw at 13-5 with boylesports.
Under 2.5 goals looks a decent shout at 19-20 with McBookie and bet365 and as an edgy start is expected consider time of the first goal after 28 minutes at 19-20 with McBookie.
Unless you're looking at Haris Vuckic at 6-1 with McBookie and Ladbrokes picking a Rangers first scorer is tough. For Hibs the man to look at is Jason Cummings at 15-2 with boylesports.
Against Rangers he grabbed two at Ibrox back in September and finished the season with eight goals in 10 games.
Meanwhile, here are some specials based on stats sent in by William Hill's Owen Scott. These are not tips but may help when making your selections.
Lee Wallace scored the opener when
Rangers won at Easter Road in March.
WALLACE TO SCORE AND RANGERS WIN 17-2
Jason Cummings scored a double when
Hibs won at Ibrox in September.
CUMMINGS TO SCORE 2 OR MORE 11-1
Rangers scored in both halves against
Hibs in March.
RANGERS TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES 13-8
Hibs scored in both halves when
defeating Rangers in February.
HIBERNIAN TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES 3-1
Nicky Law scored in Rangers' last home
win which was against Raith in April
LAW TO SCORE AND RANGERS WIN 6-1
Jason Cummings has scored in each of
Hibs' last four away victories.
CUMMINGS TO SCORE AND HIBS WIN (price to come)
Mr Fixit's Recommended Bets
Cummings to score (7.45pm)
(9-4, Betway)
1st goal after 28mins
(19-20, McBookie)
Hibs draw no bet
(5-4, McBookie)
Motherwell to win promotion
(11-8, Betfred, Ladbrokes)
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
Motherwell to qualify is Macdonald suspended ? If he is I have doubts about that bet.
A don’t know why u bother with previews for rangers games, u are only happy when they get beat or draw or even more if u think u can make money backing against them but what ever floats your boat a suppose
Tony, you’re reading the previews through blue-stinted spectacles. For starters I tipped Rangers to qualify against Queens and they almost didn’t. I’ve said in the preview nothing would surprise me – it’s really tough to call. As a Clydebank season-ticket holder I don’t care who wins. As a Daily Record employee a Rangers win and promotion would sell more papers so from that point of view I’d like to see them promoted.
Raal said a while back that hibs basically bottle it when it comes to the really big games.
Rangers should be match fit and I can’t see hibs
winning today.
bad jasper, I reckon Hibs can get a draw at least tonight but will bottle it on Saturday at home mate. Rangers to qualify and Motherwell to stay up.
Hibs have beat rangers 3/4 in the league including both game at Ibrox and all by at least 2 goals.
I don’t understand the logic of some saying it suits Rangers they had to play an extra tie by finishing below hibs, all these games in a short space of time.
When Rangers beat hibs at Easter road they played on the counter, with them being at ibrox the fans will demand they attack and Hibs have players capable of hurting them on the break.
Macdonald is suspended until the 2nd play off game supposidly.. if his ban doesnt get overturned
jamesy, the appeal is today so we’ll know soon enough – if he loses it he will miss first leg of the final and that would be a serious blow to Well. From what I’ve seen he should get off with it but you never know.
Won’t let me post my bets
Hibs -2
Hibs to score 4+ goals
His to score first half
His to win playoffs NAP
On Hibs to score 2 or more at 17/10 John with Hills. 365 are 4/6 for Hibs +1, a steal.
like it John B…..nobody knows in competive sport what will happen until you put your toe to the line….
Keep hearing a lot about bottle or lack of it in big games from a few people which confuses me
Unless I am mistaken hibs have been playing in Scotland’s second league so there havnt really been many big games
You can call the 4 derby games big games but our results there were fine
We lost 2-1 had two 1-1 draws and won 2-0
The Rangers games wernt really big games but we still did better against them than they did against us
Yes they won the last one but we were already resting players for the playoffs
The semi final was an obvious big game but we didn’t exactly bottle it as we were the better team but just didn’t get any luck
We are also unbeaten against premier league teams over 90 mins
If Rangers and Motherwell is the best the playoffs have to offer then I am going to enjoy our return
johnb, the lack of bottle is a tag Hibs have in the eyes of some neutrals – not necessarily this season but in cup finals and obviously last season’s play-off final when they lost from 2-0 in front. It’s a perception people have of the club and they need to try to lose it.
Green tinted specs?????????
Hibs have beat rangers 3/4 in the league including both game at Ibrox and all by at least 2 goals.
I don’t understand the logic of some saying it suits Rangers they had to play an extra tie by finishing below hibs, all these games in a short space of time.
When Rangers beat hibs at Easter road they played on the counter, with them being at ibrox the fans will demand they attack and Hibs have players capable of hurting them on the break.
Whilst I i think johnb may be slightly ambitious with the 4+ Hibs are capable in my opinion to to the fact I think Rangers will really go for it and this will suit hibs playing on the counter.
If hibs get 1 or 2 then they will have to commit even more men forward and they’re not very good at the back at the best of times.
Scott, it should be through now
Raaljaca I just don’t understand the odds 17/10 & 4/6 are a steal because we will go for this tonight from the start
Ladbrokes had Hibs priced up at evens if Queen of the South had got through yet 3/1 was available against Rangers
Hibs are a long way off from being the finished article but this is the best team I have seen since John Collins was manager
Totally agree John and if Hibs can take the game to Rangers they are going to score without doubt.
Mr f I know what people mean from previous years like the two finals against Hearts and Celtic but we surprised even our own fans getting to the final as we did it with probably our worst teams in our history except Leigh Griffiths who pleasure to watch.
Our bottle would also be questioned last season when we lost all those games at the end to get relegated but this is a totally different team, this is a team that wants to play football and a team that will dig deep to fight for a win, this is a team that can’t wait for tonight and a team full of players that can hurt Rangers
We could have bottled it this season after the start we had because of all the new players but they came through it and even at the end when we were beat 3 games in a row by Rangers Raith and Queens but we came back to win our last 5 league games scoring 14 goals and as a Hibee I have seen a lot of bottlers in my time but trust me this team are not like that and if Rangers or Motherwell want to beat us then they are going to have to play better than they have this season
I am looking forward to tonight Mr f
johnb, I’m happy to be proved wrong. I hope it’s a good game but often they’re scrappy when so much is at stake. Are you going on Saturday?
I see Gers winning by at least 2 goals tonight. Ibrox will be rocking & it’s the coronation of the king. Little Hivs wee bottle will crash.
Watp
Rangers win under 10 corners and under 4 cards 11/1 from interested Jags fan with W.Hill.Ref to wear white!!
Hibs + 1 Handicap – 3/4 @ Ladbrokes (Nap)
John b have u forgot the last game we didn’t let your play an look what happend
Tony, let’s just see what happens. Off to walk the dug.
A c what u are saying paul. A think rangers should be able to beat hibs and motherwell over 2 legs whiter they do or not is a different story. Any neutral that doesn’t want to c rangers go up must be anti rangers.
Tony, firstly you’re on the wrong forum if you want to get into a Rangers/Celtic debate. You know the score in this country so no point in getting into it on a betting site. Plenty of people are anti-Rangers and an equal number are anti-Celtic. Would you be supporting Celtic if they were in the play-offs?
Hibs over 1.5 is 2/1 at b365.
No a prob wouldnt, but if they wer out the top league for so long then yes a would like to c them back in top division.
For those backing hibs to score 2+ betfair have it at 21/10
Mr f yes going to travel up Saturday
Wanted to go tonight but with only 950 tickets allocated to Hibs fans it was going to be hard to get one
My tip is 3-1 hibs Cummings to score first and to be honest rangers are not ready for top flight football just yet maybe a season or 2 more in the lower league will benifit the club and maybe in next 4 yrs challenge celtic again for title but Aberdeen may also have something to say about it hibs to win promotion motherwell are pants
Tony if you manage to sneak up through playoffs you’ll probably be odds on for relegation :)
Hibs 3-1 Cummings f/g.. Nailed on
Well I already lumped on the 11/4 for Rangers to win the play-offs, before the QOS games. I’m astonished to see you can still get 9/4 on Rangers with the hard tie (QOS) out the way. So I’ve put even more on at 9/4. I’m convinced Hibs will bottle it, they always do. And as for Motherwell, you couldn’t have hand picked better opponents for Rangers. Check the stats, it’s one of the most one-sides fixtures in Scottish football.
HIBS 5+ CORNERS 8/11
Don’t think rangers are ready for premier league return, but think mccall has instilled a bit of belief in them again,
Hibs are a good footballing side, just feel rangers will out work them tonight and take slim lead to easter road, rangers are better away from home and should win through.
Anything can happen in a match just hope the officials are up to the task to making sure it’s a game everyone can enjoy without incident.
Looks like a draw to me as I think it will be so cagey but both teams to score and a 1-1 draw.
Enjoy the match anyone that’s going.
Av been a hibs fan for nearly 50 yrs and the only time we bottled a game was the 1971 scottish cup final when we got hammered 6-1 by celtic. The other cup finals we were just not good enough. Simply as that . But tonite we will not bottle it as this rangers team is just not good enough to give hibs a hammering. Ok they might eat us but no hammering. I will be happy with a draw so going for 2-2 draw. 12-1.
Baldy45. What stats are you on about with rangers v motherwell. They have not played a league game against each other for nearly 3 seasons. Get a grip man. You lot amaze me.
Rangers will try to make it a scrappy game and try to stop Hibs from playing the fast attacking football they have all season
Rangers have to do this because they cant afford to make this a game of football
So who will score for Hibs, well it could be any of these players
Gray, Stevenson, Robertson, Craig, Allan, Fyvie or the 36 goal partnership of Malonga & Cummings
Alves. Well said.
Check the H2H stats for Rangers v Motherwell. You won’t believe how one-sided it is.
baldy45, who was in charge for Motherwell for the recent ones?
Its all gone quiet on here.
Houstay, I’m happy enough – Record Super Single up but Red Bull killing me. If they beat me I’m banning myself from their product in protest.
Alex, don’t want that argument here please.
Its not a dig at you MrF
Houstay, I didn’t say it was – I assume it’s a dig at Hibs fans of which I’m not one.
McCall was in charge of Motherwell last time they played Rangers (in the cup). We all remember what happened there.
baldy45, yeah but that wasn’t the question. Let’s be honest the final’s going to be close and while Rangers scored two good goals tonight they weren’t great overall and Hibs will be kicking themselves for not at least scoring.
http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae46/supershaunic/Kickback%20Random/F2FC8730-E27F-4652-8E79-E69432DC5164_zpsrdx9b71u.jpg
Hibs passed them off the park but did nothing at the business end. Rangers created 2 chances whole match and score with both. Same old. Same old. And now it looks like Motherwell will be without their only decent player for the final.
Well done to rangers winning 2-0 great result its nailed on now for rangers to get promoted now they will destroy motherwell I think they could end up top 4 next season behind hearts Aberdeen and celtic I think celtic will possibly get to title 6 in a row before rangers stop them getting 7
Looking through your piece about Rangers v Hibs I went with Rangers to score in Both halves and plucked up a tidy sum! Rangers also beat Hibs 2-0 away last time so I thought that a likely result. I also put a smaller wager on Rangers to qualify as Motherwell are in a mess. Anyone else think similar?
Really sorry to see willie thorne on the telly this week owning up to massive gambling debts. He just looked a distraught figure and watching him break down was very sad. His wife has been a great support to him. Hope he gets his life sorted out. Shows how it can be easy to let gambling get out of control. Self discipline is key to this game. Never let it take control. Bet for fun and sensibly.