WILLIE COLLUM must have looked at the weekend Premiership card and thought, “Dundee v Killie, maybe Partick Thistle v St Johnstone. No dramas there.”
Instead he's being thrown into the cauldron that's Celtic Park to take charge of the first Old Firm league game for five years.
Collum is probably the best known whistler on the site after handing out some high-profile red cards and awarding penalties in live TV games.
Even before Collum was revealed as the man in the middle I was thinking about cards at Celtic Park – yellow and red.
With a Scott Brown-Joey Barton bust-up highly likely I'm more convinced now but with Collum in there the odds are of course shorter.
Scots firm McBookie.com are offering 2-1 on a red in the lunchtime showdown and 5-2 a penalty will be awarded.
Spokesman Paul Petrie said: “The 2-1 is a lot shorter than you would normally expect for a league match but we expect it to be a hugely popular bet – especially now that Collum has got the gig.”
Celtic are boosted by the news Leigh Griffiths and Kieran Tierney will be fit after missing Scotland's World Cup demolition of Malta and are 4-6 favourites for the game, with the draw 16-5 and Rangers 9-2.
Petrie added: “There is no doubt Rangers supporters will back their team but the rest of the nation is expecting an easy win for Celtic. Celtic -2 goals at 4-1 is proving popular and people are even going for -3 at 10-1.”
I'll post a full preview of the big game on Friday night.
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.
i would like to play the game with a both team to score and over 2.5 goals for a very huge odd
Celtic should win,but anything can happen in football.
I think we will have plenty of goals,as both teams are not the greatest at keeping clean sheets.
Joey has said too much,and I feel he may let the occasion get to him.I feel he maybe the one that gets the red card,but I would rather have 11 v 11.
Over 3.5 goals looks like my bet.But I would never predict a winner. Good luck.COYBIG.
Celtic -1 9/5
Sviatchenko 1st goal 33/1
Sviatchenko anytime 12/1
All at Coral
I fancy a red card also but the 2/1 on offer is too short for me. In going to wait and see if you can bet on a specific player to be sent off and if that’s the case I’ll be all over Joey Barton. I think Scott Brown will receive a yellow card but I don’t believe he will get sent off as he’s used to the old firm games and has become more disciplined. If Celtic go 2-0 up I can see Rangers losing the rag to be honest. I think Celtic will win 3-1 or 4-1. I can see Rangers scoring. I had looked at Sviatchenko also Alves but concerned about his match fitness. I don’t know if he’d play the full match or if he’d only last like an hour. He may also
Be on the bench. I’ll be backing him if he starts too but if not my money will be on Lustig. I’ll wait until I see the team line up. I have no doubt Celtic will win comfortably however I do think Rangers will score. James Tavernier scored 10 goals last season and he’s already got a goal this season. He’s a threat with set pieces and is not shy to take a pop from outside the box. He’s a best price of 16/1 to score first goal and 6/1 anytime but you can back him at 888sport who offer 33/1 for first Goalscorer and 12/1 for anytime. Those are great prices and are worth taking a punt on.
Recommended Bets
JAMES TAVERNIER FIRST GOALSCORER @ 33/1
JAMES TAVERNIER ANYTIME GOALSCORER @ 12/1
Good luck everyone
Yeah 2-1 is short but we know why. Pretty sure someone will do specific players’ red cards or at least Brown and Barton.
Unibet/888sport do player cards but markets for them will probably be late in the week. Brown and Barton obvious choices but i reckon Senderos(likely to be put under a lot of pressure) and Barry Mackay gave celtics defence no peace in the cup sf so Lustig/Toure at probably decent prices.
Celtic will probably win +btts, MW still doesn’t know his best midfield combo and will Senderos plug the leaks!
Half the players could be booked – it’s likely to be mayhem.
Having seen Barton in every game he’s played for Rangers there has been nothing to suggest that he’ll get sent off. He’s been on the end of two really bad tackles which have resulted in a red and he’s not reacted to either player. Scott Brown will probably go looking for a fight as he usually does but I don’t think it will affect Barton.
In terms of the game Celtic are rightly favourites as they started well and Rangers have been poor. Defensively both teams are weak and strong going forward so there will be goals.
I never expect Rangers to win at Parkhead as I’ve been nearly 20 times and only seen us win 3 however regardless of the final outcome I think we’ll score. I think Rangers to score 2 or more at 12/5 bet 365 is pretty big considering Celtic have conceded in every competitive game excluding Red Imps at home which isn’t anything to shout about. Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 21/20 bet365 is also another bet I would suggest.
You’re right there but he came to Scotland for games against Celtic.
The atmosphere will be electric – nothing like what he’s witnessed yet with Rangers.
He’s not experienced anything like it however he’s not as much of loose cannon as he used to be. I think it will be a different type of game from normal as both teams try to play football.
I’ve tried to get a requestabet for Miller and Sviatchenko to score and Brown & Barton to be carded, hopefully get 50/1+
100/1 now on site ?
@chris-guy 200/1 for Brown and Barton to be sent off in the requestabets, worth a quid
Some prices for old firm game.
Barton to be booked @ 17/10
Brown to be booked @ 2/1
Barton red card @ 17/1
Brown red card @ 17/1
All prices are from 888 sport. I also like the looks of Tavernier to be booked @ 6/1. Tavernier was booked in the April game.
When you comment with so many links it won’t appear.
I think 7 or 8 is maximum.