SCOTTISH firm McBookie.com are offering 3-1 Celtic will beat their points total of last season – 92. That will mean Ronny Deila’s men must win their final eight games starting today with Hearts at home.
Winning all eight is a tall order but I'm on them to pick up a full haul against a side not playing with the same fluency as they showed at the start of the season.
Celtic are now 1-40 for the title after they beat Kilmarnock and Aberdeen were defeated by Motherwell last time out.
Hoops keeper Craig Gordon was back where he belongs as Scotland’s No.1 on Tuesday – and that must have evoked mixed emotions among Hearts fans.
Gordon pulled off a series of sharp saves in the 1-0 win over Denmark and will be all out to keep another clean sheet today against the club where he made his name.
He’s a legend down Tynecastle way but Jambos will be hoping he blunders at Celtic Park. Gordon was a busy man at Hampden but could face a quieter 90 minutes with his club as Robbie Neilson may park the bus as he did in a 0-0 draw in Glasgow back in September.
Hearts have netted just once on their last six visits to Parkhead and have lost nine of 11. Celtic will be desperate to return to action with three points to pile the pressure on Aberdeen who tackle Hamilton tomorrow.
They are a best 3-10 at Stan James and considering Hearts’ record it could be worth taking Ronny Deila’s men to win to nil at 11-10 with Ladbrokes and McBookie.
Leigh Griffiths hardly got a sniff against the Danes but the ex-Hibee loves scoring against Hearts and is 23-10 with Hills to net first and just 1-2 to score at any time.
Elsewhere in the Premiership today the games are tough to call. Dundee United travel to St Johnstone needing the points more than anyone as they try to close a seven-point gap on Kilmarnock.
Saints have beaten their Tayside rivals 2-1 twice this season and a third pays 17-2 with McBookie.
The Perth men are back on form after a blip and should be boosted by their 3-0 win at Hearts last time out.
I fancy them at 5-4 with McBookie and Hills to win but best bet of all could be over 2.5 goals in a match between two sides who rarely keep a clean sheet.
It’s a matter of time before Rangers win the Championship and it could be today if they win at Raith and Hibs don’t beat St Mirren. That double pays 11-5 at Paddy Power. Raith are in a rich of vein of form but will miss Ryan Hardie, on loan from Ibrox, and I fancy Rangers – a best 2-5 at Coral – to edge it after being handed the bulk of tickets.
Having conceded six in two outings the a better bet could be both to score at 5-6 with Coral.
Hibs will be desperate to end a run of four successive league defeats but I reckon the Buddies will take at least a point to hand Gers the glory.
In League One Brechin pushed Dunfermline all the way as the Pars clinched the title last week and I like the Glebe Park men at 23-20 to sink Stenhousmuir.
In League Two Clyde should bounce back from last week’s loss at home to Arbroath by beating Montrose and take both to score when Arbroath welcome East Fife.
Bets to Consider
Celtic to win to nil
Griffiths to score first
St Johnstone and btts
St Mirren not to lose
St Mirren v Hibs btts
Rangers and btts
Brechin
Arbroath v East Fife btts
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.
