Football betting tips: Scottish Premiership
2pts BTTS & both teams 1+ cards each at 20/21 (bet365)
It's been a mere blink of an eye since the World Cup finished and yet Friday welcomes in the start of the new domestic season. Dundee United host Rangers to kick off the Scottish Premiership campaign.
It's been all-change at Ibrox with the hosts also undergoing yet another summer of significant movement. We'll be seeing something new on both sides of the pitch.
Rangers poached Derek McInnes from Hearts to lead them to what they hope will be another title, with top scorer Lawrence Shankland also swapping Edinburgh for Glasgow.
Goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, right-back Ross McCrorie and Partizan Belgrade's Vanja Dragojević are among the others who commanded a fee in this transfer window and it does look a squad which again can be in the picture, although that's simply not good enough at a club like this. Anything less than top spot is failure.
Plenty of the Friday focus will be on the Rangers changes and yet Dundee United have seen plenty leave and plenty join in their place - the same approach as we've seen over the past few years.
Jim Goodwin needs to get this defence in order if they are to do anything this season. That's the biggest question of the Tannadice outfit. They now have an attack which looks like it can deliver a threat and, more importantly, goals.
It may be enough to simply outscore an opponent on occasions but they do need to work on a structure which limits chances in and around their own box. They will be aware of this.
A packed-out crowd awaits this one and entertainment should follow. While a different manager was in the Rangers dugout, both teams scored at least twice in all three of the meetings last season.
BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE is an expected short price with most firms floating around the 4/7 mark but coupling that with BOTH TEAMS 1+ CARDS bumps the odds up to just shy of even money. That feels the best approach for this one.
The Terrors saw both teams striking in home contests against Celtic, Hearts, Hibs and Rangers last season - four of the teams who finished in the top five.
Referee Nick Walsh showed himself to be card-happy on multiple occasions, including in games involving these two sides. Across all competitions, he averaged 4.55 cards per game in 25/26.
While plenty has changed for both teams, there's every chance of a repeat of last season to deliver a highly-entertaining contest to kick off the new campaign.
Odds correct at 11:45 BST (30/07/26)
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