FRESH off the back of a Pittodire title party, Celtic head to Ibrox on Sunday for a high noon showdown in the fourth and final Old Firm of the season.
The previous three battles were closely fought encounters, with only one goal separating the sides on each occasion.
Rangers beat Brendan Rodgers Celtic 1-0 to end 2018 on a high and are 2/1 (Bet 365) to beat their rivals for a second time this season.
A first derby draw of the season is available at 5/2 (William Hill) meanwhile, Celtic, who have already defeated Steven Gerrard's side twice this season, are 11/8 (Bet 365) to leave Ibrox with all three points on Sunday afternoon.
Celtic make the short trip across the city after celebrating their eighth successive league title last weekend. The Hoops support appear to be split on whether or not Neil Lennon is the man to lead to them to nine in a row, and even though Lennon has oversaw some unconvincing performances, he remains undefeated.
Despite those dull displays against the likes of Dundee and Livingston, the interim Celtic boss has impressively guided his side to victory in the more essential examinations he has faced during his second spell in the Celtic Park hot seat.
That was illustrated last weekend when Lennon ticked off the first part of his mission statement by landing the first of the two trophies he was brought in to deliver.
Being crowned champions may have taken slightly longer than expected, but eight in a row was all but sealed when Lennon conquered Rangers in his Old Firm homecoming.
However, that 2-1 success for Celtic at the end of March was the last time Rangers suffered defeat.
The Ibrox side have been flawless since then and have been finding the net with fluency. Consequently, Rangers run of five wins on the spin marks their most consistent spell under Steven Gerrard's stewardship.
However, the Gers boss will have his hand forced when it comes to his team selection after Old Firm veteran Allan McGregor was foolishly sent off in last Sunday's narrow 1-0 victory over Hibs.
Ill discipline can be attributed to Rangers shortcomings this season and seeing red was very much the Gers downfall the last time these two fierce rivals went to war.
Another moment of madness from Alfredo Morelos saw the controversial Colombian get his marching orders at Celtic park. Andy Halliday also saw red after the full time whistle when a fiery melee broke out at the conclusion of the recent game in Glasgow's east end.
Cards, whatever the colour, are common practice when Glasgow's big two collide, and if you fancy Kevin Clancy to produce a red one, then a sending off is on offer at 2/1 (Bet 365)
Whether or not a red card is brandished remains to be seen, but an alternative angle to consider with cards is to ponder what players could provide profit from being booked. Scott Brown is the bookmakers favourite to be booked and the Celtic skipper looks like a shrewd bet to me for a card at 11/10 (Bet 365)
The aforementioned Morelos is unsurprisingly the most likely Rangers player to be carded at 6/4 (BetVictor) but for once that may be a bet to bypass – so long as Jermain Defoe gets the nod for this derby.
Defoe has revelled in Rangers recent resurgence, both by scoring and providing goals for the Gers, so the seasoned striker will be expecting to be selected to face Celtic.
However, if given a start Defoe will come up against a formidable Celtic defence that has only conceded one goal in their last 10 games.
Be that as it may, Aberdeen passed up a number of chances to breach the Bhoys backline last Saturday and the deadly Defoe won't be so wasteful. As such, I fancy the Rangers number nine to continue his fine form by finding the net against Celtic at 2/1 (Unibet)
Even in the event of a Defoe goal, a Glasgow goal fest is unlikely. Only five goals have been scored in this seasons three Old Firms games and I suspect that another closely fought contest lies ahead on Sunday. Furthermore, Rangers have only conceded once since being turned over at Parkhead.
Neil Lennon will also be conscious of the fact that Ibrox is one of the final settings of his audition to be the next permanent Celtic manager.
However, Steven Gerrard has turned Ibrox into a fortress, so much so that Aberdeen have been the only side to get out of Govan with three points this season.
Therefore, Lennon's undefeated streak is at risk on Sunday, as Rangers at Ibrox should represent the Hoops toughest test to date under Lennon mark 2.
The Old Firm derby is notoriously difficult to predict, but if pushed I would look to find a way of siding with Steven Gerrard's men on Sunday. One such option to consider – with the benefit of a safety net, is to back Rangers Draw No Bet at 11/10 (Bet 365)
This Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic will be played on May 12, 2019 and kick off at 12:00. Check below for our tipsters best Rangers vs Celtic prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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