RANGERS will look to ensure they remain hot on the heels of Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic when they face Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
The Ibrox outfit have been reinvigorated since binning Michael Beale for Philippe Clement, with the new Ibrox chief swiftly setting the wheels in motion for an unexpected Teddy Bears title tilt.
Last time out, the Light Blues moved to within two points of Old Firm rivals Celtic with a 2-0 win over St Johnstone, on a night where our man Kevin Mac cashed in.
With Celtic hosting basement boys Livingston on Saturday, Rangers will look to fulfil their end of the bargain at the expense of second-bottom Motherwell on Sunday.
The Steelmen's bright start to the season must seem like a distant memory given their current run of 14 league games without a win.
Stuart Kettlewell's side have steadied the ship with a pair of stalemates against St Johnstone and St Mirren in recent weeks but they face a tall order if they are to snap their current winless streak when they host in-form Rangers this weekend.
Outright Betting
Motherwell's last league win came way back in September and the bookmakers' odds unsurprisingly suggest that wretched run will continue, with a home win trading at 9/1 (Ladbrokes) while share of the Fir Park spoils is as big as 9/2 (PaddyPower).
Rangers, who have yet to taste defeat in 15 matches under Philippe Clement, are odds-on 1/3 favourites at Bet 365.
Betting Angles
Given Rangers' obvious short odds, I'll get creative by making use of the Bet Builder feature and throw together Rangers to Win, Over Three Rangers Corners and Over 1 Motherwell Card at 10/11(BetVictor).
As already alluded to, Rangers have shown marked improvement under Philippe Clement's management but they will have to keep stringing victories together if they are to keep pace with perennial champions Celtic.
However, the Gers have developed a knack for grinding out wins of late and another solid if unspectacular success could be in store on Sunday when they meet a Motherwell side whose miserable run of form has seen them nosedive into the relegation playoff spot.
While Stuart Kettlewell's crew should be capable of keeping this Christmas Eve encounter competitive, they are likely to come up short against a Teddy Bears team who have the bit between their teeth and will want to to keep the heat on Celtic ahead of next weekend's Old Firm derby.
With Rangers excepted to dictate the tempo of the game, I'll give the 10/11 (BetVictor) Bet Builder a boost by backing the visitors to earn a minimum of four corners.
The Glasgow giants are averaging 6.64 flag kicks per 90 minutes in the Scottish top-flight this term, a tally that increases to 7.13 on their travels.
Given that Motherwell are officially the most ill-disciplined team in the Scottish Premiership this season so far, I'll wrap up the Bet Builder by backing the hosts to collect at least two cautions during this contest.
The Steelmen are averaging 2.56 yellow cards per game this season, picking up two bookings or more in 14 of their overall 18 league assignments this term to date.
One player who looks overpriced to have his name taken is Motherwell's Stephen O'Donnell who has been priced up at 5/1 with William Hill.
The Well defender is not exactly renowned for being a card magnet but he should have his hands full here given that his direct opponent is likely to be Gers livewire Abdallah Sima.
This Scottish Premiership match between Motherwell and Rangers will be played on Dec 24, 2023 and kick off at 12:00. Check below for our tipsters best Motherwell vs Rangers prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
