RANGERS return from cold storage with high hopes of boosting their title hopes at Kilmarnock on Wednesday.
Before the split I'd have jumped on 2018 team of the year Killie if offered around 5-1.
But the transfer window's been a nightmare for Steve Clarke who has lost hitman Greg Stewart to Aberdeen and Jordan Jones to Rangers although the latter will stay until the end of the season. How he performs against the side's he's signed for is anyone's guess if he's given a start.
By contrast Steven Gerrard has added quality and experience in the shape of Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe while Ryan Kent is back from injury and ready to play a part.
The manager would have been disappointed at being frozen out at Cowdenbeath last Friday while Killie beat Forfar in the Scottish Cup.
But Gerrard gave all his players a runout in the friendly victory against HJK on Sunday so they should be raring to go.
Defoe and Alfredo Morelos partnered each other for 45 minutes but it's not clear if one or both will start – although the on-loan Bournemouth man may be spared on the plastic.
Even if I fancy the away bookies ain't being generous with a best price of 7-10 with bet365 so let's consider Rangers and both to score at 13-5 with McBookie.
Don't back a first scorer until you see who lines up with Morelos 4-1 at bet365 and Defoe 7-2 with McBookie.
Eamonn Brophy will be tasked with scoring in the absence of Stewart and he is 9-1 at bet365.
There's a full Premiership card on Wednesday and Celtic are no bigger than 1-10 to beat St Mirren so forget that.
Brendan Rodgers's side hardly got out of first gear in beating Airdrie 3-0 and this could be a similar sort of result.
Bets to consider are Celtic -2 at evens with betfair, Celtic to win to nil at 1-2 with bet365 and Scott Sinclair to score first at 22-5 at McBookie.
Hearts look back on track and should see off Dundee with home advantage and again are short at 4-9 with McBookie.
Aberdeen are just 3-5 at Unibet to bounce back from being held 1-1 at home to Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Cup with a win at Hamilton whose fans have started to turn on manager Martin Canning. Accies have now lost five out of six and netted just twice during that spell.
At better prices St Johnstone (6-5, McBookie) can beat Livingston at home and back Hibs at the same price away to Motherwell.
Saints have won four in a row without conceding and while Livi are tough to beat most of their good work comes on home soil.
Motherwell have lost four out of five and despite Ross McCormack's debut they went down 2-1 at home to Championship Ross County in the Cup. If Hibs hit form they should win this.
Recommended Bets
- Rangers & Btts
- Sinclair to score first
- St Johnstone
- Hibs
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.
beware odds on for spfl teams. look what happened in scottish cup. hibs away very bad value . typical from odds compilers putting up rangers odds on . if 2 spfl teams had same number of points mid table or bottom half of league would the away team be odds on? NO CHANCE!
As I said if wasn’t for the January ins and outs I’d be laying Rangers at that price.