Live on ESPN: Sat 12.00: Aberdeen are 9/4 with Partybets to take a draw from St Mirren where a goalless encounter is 7/1.
It doesn’t happen often, but Celtic can do their beleaguered Old Firm rivals Rangers a favour by beating third-placed Motherwell at Parkhead tomorrow, an outcome priced at 4/11 by Stan James. Were Motherwell to win, they would leap above Rangers, for 24 hours at least, though Skybet rates such a probability at 8/1.
Second in the SPL table on current form, Motherwell were unlucky to lose 2-1 to Celtic in November and punters who believe they could at least secure a point can get 100/30 (Blue Square) against it finishing with honours even. However, it’s worth noting that three of the pair’s last four league meetings at Parkhead have finished 4-0 in the home side’s favour: BetVictor.com offer 12/1 against Celtic winning by a similar margin again tomorrow.
Before this top-of-the-table duel, St Mirren welcome Aberdeen for what promises to be a very tight affair. Betfred chalks 6/4 about the Saints registering three points, while Ladbrokes offer the Dons at 2/1 to win, but there has been sustained support for the draw, priced at 9/4 by Partybets. This has much to do with Aberdeen’s recent form – they’ve conceded just four goals in their last eight games, hence the appeal of William Hill’s 7/1 odds for it to finish goalless.
Another close encounter is in prospect at Tynecastle where Hearts kick off as Paddy Power’s 11/8 favourites to beat Dundee United. On paper, it’s a fixture from which the Edinburgh side could expect to take maximum points and Blue Square post 6/1 about a 1-0 home win, but again, the draw, available at 23/10 with bet365, cannot be ignored.
Matters appear significantly more straight forward in Kilmarnock’s home match against Hibs, now joint bottom of the SPL table. William Hill consider Killie a generous-looking even money shot to secure three points, whereas Hibs travel from the capital priced as Betfred’s 7/2 underdogs. This is hardly surprising. The Easter Road men have conceded 22 goals in their last eight outings, a record which adds to the appeal of bet365’s attractive 3/1 odds for Kilmarnock to score more than 2.5 goals tomorrow.
Although Skybet’s 5/2 marked against a stalemate may act as a decent back-up for punters, BetVictor’s 8/1 for Killie to win 2-0 undoubtedly catches the eye.
St Johnstone go into tomorrow’s encounter with the SPL’s bottom club Dunfermline as Betfred’s 4/6 favourites. The Pars are priced as Boylesports’ 5/1 outsiders, but on closer examination, those odds look a tad too frothy.
The Saints have not beaten Dunfermline at home since November 1995, drawing seven and losing six of their subsequent league duels. It’s a remarkable record which adds to the Pars’ status as St Johnstone’s bogey team and to the appeal of William Hill’s 11/4 for it to finish all square.
Rangers are not in action until Sunday, when they head north to Inverness as Stan James’s 8/11 jollies to register their third win over Thistle this term. But the ‘Gers have rarely had matters their own way when facing the Highland team. Only one of the pair’s last five meetings has been settled by more than a single goal and at 9/2 to win (Partybets), an Inverness victory cannot be discounted.
More likely is either a draw or an away win. Ladbrokes’ 3/1 for it to finish with honours even and Paddy Power’s 7/1 for it to end 1-1 have both attracted punters’ attention, as has Boylesports’ 6/1 for Rangers to register a 1-0 win.
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