Scottish FA Cup final tips: Celtic vs Rangers best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Scottish FA Cup final
2pts Matt O'Riley to score or assist at 6/4 (Betfair, Paddy Power)
1pt Callum McGregor to be shown a card at 3/1 (Sky Bet)
*All bets 90 minutes
BuildABet @ 70/1
- Celtic to win
- Matt O'Riley to score or assist
- Callum McGregor to be shown a card
- Joe Hart to be shown a card
This will be the fifth Old Firm of the season but the first time Celtic and Rangers meet in the Scottish Cup final for 22 years, in what is the 150th anniversary edition of the competition.
Glasgow’s Green and Whites are gunning for a league and cup double; Gers for a domestic cup double.
Rangers saw off Hearts to seal their place at Hampden Park while their Glaswegian rivals were involved in a classic against Aberdeen in the other semi-final. Six goals, a last gasp equaliser and 11 penalties were needed to split the pair.
Domestically, Brendan Rodgers side have had the better of Rangers this term taking ten points from the 12 on offer. Will that have much bearing on this clash? At 4/5, the bookies think so.
What are the best bets?
MATT O’RILEY has 31 goal involvements this season (18 goals, 13 assists) and comes into this clash in red hot form netting five goals and contributed a further two assists in his last four appearances.
With a goals and assists per 90 average of 0.56, the 6/4 for Celtic's player of the season TO SCORE OR ASSIST is simply too big.
This bet has clicked in each of his four appearances against Gers this term and despite him missing a penalty in the sides last meeting, he should resume spot kick duties.
Nick Walsh is the referee, a man who dished out ten bookings and a red card in the last Old Firm he took charge of. So, although I really wanted to side with a lack of cards (0 cards is 275/1 with Betfair, Paddy Power) it would be ludicrous.
Factor in the context of the match, a cup final, both sides gunning for a double and with fans of both sides allowed in the ground, Hampden should be raucous.
🗣️'I try to get the players to understand when you play for this football club, it demands success'
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) May 24, 2024
Callum McGregor says he is drilling the importance of relentlessly pursing silverware into this Celtic team-mates ahead of the Scottish Cup final ⤵️#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/9TYZZQfHXs
CALLUM MCGREGOR looks a great price TO BE SHOWN A CARD at 3/1.
Someone had to pick up the gauntlet when Scott Brown left and Celtic’s current second-longest serving player appears to have done that.
McGregor has notched up five cards in his last six Old Firm starts. Although he is not the most prolific, this is clearly an occasion he relishes.
Team news
Celtic have no fresh injury concerns for Saturday, however, Rodgers is expected to make changes from the side which beat St Mirren last weekend.
Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales and Daizen Maeda are all expected to return.
37-year-old Joe Hart is also expected to start the final game of his professional career.
Rangers will have John Lundstram back available after serving a two game suspension.
Abdallah Sima and Ridvan Yilmaz also made substitute appearances in the draw with Hearts and could be fit to start on Saturday.
Fabio Silva netted from the bench last time out and will be hopeful of leading the line.
Predicted line-ups
Celtic: Hart; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor; McGregor, Hatate, O'Riley; Forrest, Furuhashi, Maeda
Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, King, Davies, Yilmaz; Diomande, Raskin; McCausland, Cantwell, Silva; Dessers
Odds correct at 1530 BST (24/05/24)
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