Live on Skysports 1: Sun 12.45 & 15.00: Celtic are 2/5 (Skybet) to see off Hibs in the SPL and Scott Brown could notch against his old club.
Celtic have effectively had the title handed to them by Rangers’ financial meltdown but Neil Lennon won’t be allowing his players to take their collective foot off the gas and the Hoops are a banker at 2/5 with Skybet to heap more misery on their rivals by making it 18 domestic wins in a row, as they visit Hibs.
Pat Fenlon’s strugglers, Blue Square’s 9/1 outsiders, have managed just one win in thirteen league matches and it’s hard to see them improving on that record given their dismal showing at home this term. By contrast, the Hoops have a decent, recent record at Easter Road having won on their last five visits and they’re worth taking on in the handicaps, where they’re even money via Partybets when kicking-off a goal in arrears.
No team has bagged fewer goals on their own patch than the Hibees while Celtic have conceded, on average, less than a goal a game on their travels so William Hill’s 11/10 for Lennon’s charges to combine victory with a clean sheet is something of a no-brainer. Alternatively, punters wanting to make a few more quid can back the Hoops at 6/1 with Ladbrokes to notch twice without reply and Coral make Celtic evens to dominate by holding a lead at the end of each half.
Having flown out of the blocks in their last couple, Lennon’s side can help themselves to an early goal and Stan James offer 10/11 for the opening strike to occur before the game is 27 minutes old. Gary Hooper meanwhile, is BetVictor’s 10/3 favourite to fire that opener but with four goals in his last five, Scott Brown is in a rich vein of form and he could be worth a small flutter at 8/1 in Betfred’s first scorer betting. Brown is also 11/4 via Blue Square to notch at any point against his former club.
Up at Pittodrie, St Johnstone’s decent away record will prompt one or two to risk the odd pound on the Perth outfit at 23/10 (bet365) to overcome hosts Aberdeen. The Dons however, are unbeaten in nine in all competitions and that’s enough to suggest they will justify the 13/10 favouritism given to them by Boylesports.
Recommended Bets:
Celtic to win ‘to nil’ – 11/10 (William Hill)
Scott Brown to score at any time – 11/4 (Blue Square)
Aberdeen to beat St Johnstone – 13/10 (Boylesports)
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