Scottish Premiership: Plenty of punch in Edinburgh Derby Boxing day clash

AFTER three quiet days, football is back with a bang as always on Boxing day with a full English card and six games from the Scottish Premiership.

I hope everyone had a terrific Christmas day and spent it with those who are important but I trust they fully understand Boxing Day is for watching the football, haha.

Selectabet and I recorded a special Boxing Day edition of the Gambla Betting Podcast where you can listen to our thoughts on the Edinburgh Derby , Motherwell's trip to Ross County and we also discuss the EPL and lower-league  matches in England. Give it a listen whilst you munch on your Christmas day leftovers.

Hearts vs Hibs (12.30pm)

The Edinburgh Derby kicks us off on Boxing day as Hearts host city rivals Hibs at Tynecastle in what should be a fiercely-contested match.

The Jambos are a laughing stock at the moment, bottom of the league, one point from their last 7 games and after a long wait for a new manager, Daniel Stendel has come in and in his three games they've lost all three, the latest a dismal 2-1 defeat to seasonal strugglers Hamilton.

You can't fault the players effort since Stendel was appointed but to be bottom of the league at Christmas for a club the size of Hearts with the budget they have is an embarrassment.

Really can't see where the goals are going to come from and they welcome a Hibs side who prior to a showing up from Rangers and Celtic have improved significantly since Paul Heckingbottom left.

It's a really tough game to call given it's a derby and with neither side coming in with any form best looking at the cards market.

Plenty of candidates from both sides for a card and with Don Robertson the man in the middle there's a good chance we'll see some.

Robertson incredibly has sent off a player in seven of his last eight games and eight in his 17 matches this season which is some going. It's a derby, it's at Tynecastle, both sides need the win, should be a bruising encounter.

Recommended Bet

• Red card to be shown
• 5/2 (bet365)

Ross County vs Motherwell (3pm)

What a season Motherwell are having, third top, 34 points accumulated, 22 points ahead of bottom club Hearts and look like they will battle it out with Aberdeen for best of the rest place come May.

Ross County will be delighted to be back on home turf, the Staggies have collected 15 of their 20 points at home, and they really do hate an away day.

At home they are much tougher to beat and certainly see plenty of goals  – eight of their nine home games have seen at least 3 goals with 8 of those seeing both sides score.

Would fancy them to score again here and if they do it should lead us to three goals given how impressive Motherwell have been.

Recommended Bet

• Over 2.5 goals
• 10/11 (Bet365) (NAP)

Stockport vs Halifax (3pm)

English National League action between two sides pushing to get into the play-offs and a match between two sides who love a goal.

Stockport have seen both sides score in eight of their last nine with their last five games delivering an incredible 26 goals (5.2 goals per game).

Halifax haven't been shy either in front of goal with 19 scored in their last five games and the good thing about these two sides is they are shipping as many goals as they are  scoring.

Recommended Bet

• Over 2.5 match goals
• 47/50 (Marathonbet)

English National League Total Goals  – 12 matches

I mentioned on the podcast the volume of goals we see in the National League and Sky Bet are offering total goals as well as first half and over 1.5 goals markets too.

Some cracking teams for goals and we should see plenty on Boxing Day/

Recommended Bet

• 35+ goals to be scored 5/4
• All 12 games over 0.5 first half goals 50/1
• All 12 games over 1.5 match goals 16/1

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