Scottish Football Betting: Rangers can't afford any more slip-ups but it's unlikely there will be one at the weekend

Scottish Football / John Girvan / 14 November 2008 / Leave a Comment

John Girvan on why Rangers are in last-chance saloon as regards winning the title as Celtic look invincible at the moment but this is football and you can't take anything for granted....

Rangers lost further ground on SPL leaders Celtic in mid-week after only managing a goalless draw at Motherwell. The third consecutive Fir Park draw between the sides opened up a four point gap between the top two and Rangers simply cannot afford to drop anything when St. Mirren visit Ibrox on Saturday.

Gus MacPherson's outfit are the only side to inflict a league defeat on Rangers this season. This was at Love Street however and, having dropped four points since, Rangers' need for the points is even greater now than it was six weeks ago given Celtic have been on a nine game winning streak.

Second bottom Saints went down 2-0 at Pittodrie on Tuesday night. It was their third defeat in four games and, more importantly where predictions for Saturday are concerned, was the fourth game in a row in which they have failed to score a single goal. Over 400 minutes without a goal is hardly ideal preparation for a trip to Ibrox to face a side desperate for three points and it is hard to foresee anything other than a comfortable home win.

Two draws and a defeat from the last six outings definitely isn't championship winning form but with five out of their next seven league fixtures at Ibrox, Rangers can start to put that right. They are very slim in the match odds on Saturday at just [1.18] but as always there is better value in other markets especially if, as expected, the side burst out of the traps and dish out a back lash.

Up until Wednesday's stalemate The Gers had been on a goal scoring spree netting 15 times in the previous four matches and if they can recapture this form it would be advisable to back Rangers -2.0 in the Asian Handicap at [2.1]. Any Unquoted in the correct score market could also appeal at [3.95].

Despite the injuries, Gordon Strachan's Celtic are holding firm and travel to New Douglas Park on Sunday for the live Setanta clash in search of ten consecutive league wins. Few will back against them given Hamilton are on a dismal run at present with just a single point to show from their last eight league fixtures.

They stopped a six match losing streak with a 1-1 draw at home to Falkirk last week but lost again in mid-week at Tynecastle and haven't won a home game since the opening day victory over Dundee United.

In short Celtic's rich vein of form looks set to continue on Sunday and they should be backed in the match odds at [1.3]. The layers are out to get Celtic having lost a lot of money on them recently but with three of Celtic's next five games away from home, they should have their day sometime soon, just not on Sunday. The visitors have been in front at the half way stage in three of their five SPL away days this term, going on to win all three, and Celtic/Celtic in the Half-Time / Full-Time Market pays out at odds of [1.82].

Accies did manage to find the net against Rangers of course and Celtic only have one clean sheet away from home this season but despite this the [1.84] on a repeat of their defensive show at Tynecastle appeals. Elsewhere -1.0 & -1.5 at [1.88] was an Asian Handicap Rangers were able to overcome four weeks ago, despite going a goal behind, and on current form you would expect Celtic to do the same.

There will be many tracking the progress of Dundee United this weekend. They are on a run of 10 games unbeaten in all competitions and it looks set to continue at Rugby Park on Saturday. In the league they have four wins and two draws from their last six fixtures compared to Killie's recent record of two wins and four defeats. On the face of this United look massive at [2.54] but in truth this is a reflection on their away form this term with only one win in six matches.

Recently however, a win at Pittodrie was followed by credible draws at The Falkirk Stadium and at Ibrox and the Tannadice outfit have also won their last five home games. The hosts' injury situation makes a strong case for an away win here but probability could throw a spanner in the works.

With three wins and three defeats from six home ties for Killie this season and no league draws since the opening day stalemate at Love Street, the law of averages are pointing at a share of the spoils. It would therefore be more sensible to lay Kilmarnock at [3.2] but this is a lot of liability for a small return and it might be worth taking the gamble on United.