Rangers will look to go top of the Scottish Premiership table on Saturday afternoon as they welcome bottom-side Kilmarnock to Ibrox.
Rangers couldn’t have headed into the international break on a bigger high, as they followed up their 3-0 League Cup quarter-final victory over Celtic at Ibrox by going to Celtic Park seven days later and winning 0-1 in the Premiership – on an afternoon I correctly backed Rangers+0.25 Asian Handicap at 37/40.
After picking up just a point from their opening two league games, Derek McInnes has seen his side win each of their next five – as well as each of their last six and eight of their past nine matches in all competitions – to move within two points of Celtic.
Kilmarnock endured a far worse start to their Premiership campaign, as they lost each of their opening four matches, shipping in a mammoth 14 goals in the process.
However, Neil McCann has managed to steady the ship, as the ex-Rangers man has seen his draw at home to Aberdeen and Hearts either side of a win away at Hibs.
Nevertheless, the Ayrshire outfit remains at the foot of the Premiership table, a point behind 11th-placed Falkirk and two adrift of automatic safety.
How the bookies view it: Gers clear favourites
It will come as no surprise that Rangers are such clear favourites for this clash, with bet365 pricing the Teddy Bears at just 1/8.
Killie are 14/1 underdogs to leave Govan with all three points, whilst the draw is also unfancied at 7/1 also at bet365.
Head to head: Gers dominance
This is a fixture Rangers tend to dominate, with Derek McInnes’ hosts winning 14 of their last 16 Premiership meetings with Kilmarnock (W14-D0-L2), winning all three last season by an aggregate score of 11-2.
The Teddy Bears are even more dominant at home, where they have won each of their past 10 and 12 of their previous 14 clashes with Kilmarnock (W12-D2-L0), with Killie’s last win in Govan coming in March 2018.
Players to watch: Czech out Naderi for a goal
Ryan Naderi was the hero last time out, as his solitary strike gave Rangers all three points at Celtic Park against Celtic.
Naderi – who made his Czechia debut against Spain and then his first start against England in the Nations League last week – has now scored four times this season for the Gers, and combining him to score alongside a Rangers win on Saturday pays 4/5 at bet365.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Predicted line-ups:
Rangers will once again be missing the injured Daisuke Yokota, Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti.
Kilmarnock are still expected to be without injured defender Robbie Deas, whilst Bailey Rice is unable to feature against his parent club.
Rangers: Pandur, Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice, Neil, Raskin, Kim, Gassama, Naderi, Kelsy
Kilmarnock: Ferrie, Brandon, McCarthy, Stanger, Schjonning-Larsen, Tshibola, Lowery, Ring, John-Jules, Kiltie, Hugill
Anything else catch the eye?
As alluded to, Rangers return from the international break off the back of six consecutive victories in league and cup, with their strong defensive record being the key to that winning run.
Derek McInnes’ hosts have recorded five clean sheets in that winning run, with the only goal they have conceded in that run being a Kosta Nedelkovic own goal away at Falkirk at the beginning of last month.
Despite their recent improvement, Killie have struck just twice across their last five league outings, meaning I like the look of the 10/11 on offer at bet365 for Rangers to Win to Nil.
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