Celtic v Rangers: Final roll of the dice for Beale and his Bears

• Celtic are unbeaten against Rangers this season

• The leaders are nine points clear of the Gers in second

• Rangers are unbeaten in the league under Michael Beale

Celtic v Rangers
Saturday, 12:30
Live on Sky Sports

All to play for at Parkhead

Scottish footballing giants Celtic and Rangers clash in the fourth Old Firm derby of the season. The Bhoys hold the home advantage, boast a nine-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and remain unbeaten in four renewals of this world-famous derby.

Gers boss Michael Beale takes his side across the city, knowing the odds are against him. If he wins, the exciting young coach will be the first manager to win their first trip to Celtic Park since Walter Smith in 1991. But anything less than three points and an impressive away win would all but hand the title to the Hoops.

It's a must-win for all connected to the away dressing room. Few in the ranks will admit it, but fans and the media know the truth. It's one final roll of the dice for Beale and his Bears, but will it work out for the blue half of the city?

Hosts have dropped just four points all season

Scottish Premiership champions Celtic have been nothing short of impressive during the defence of their title. Under the leadership of former Australian national team boss Ange Postecoglou, the Bhoys won the trophy back from Gers as part of a Premiership and League Cup double.

And after retaining the League Cup with a 2-1 win over Rangers at Hamden in February, they're now eyeing a domestic clean-sweep.

Celtic's stats show they lead the division on merit with a nine-point cushion enhanced by a sizeable goal difference gap. In reality, Celtic must drop 10 points from here, and Rangers must keep winning if the champions are to lose their crown.

Most pundits and football fans north of the border think that's unlikely. The hosts enjoy a long winning streak and know another victory this weekend will move them closer to the ultimate prize.

In their previous five matches, Celtic have enjoyed success in both the Premiership and Scottish Cup. They scored five goals in Paisley, put six past Hearts in a league and cup double header, then finished March by notching three more against Hibs.

Ange's Bhoys warmed up for the Old Firm derby with a comfortable but not entirely convincing win over Ross County less than a week ago.

Beale has barely put a foot wrong

Rangers boss has wholly transformed his team's fortunes since replacing former boss Giovanni van Bronkhorst. When Steven Gerrard's assistant at Ibrox returned as boss, his team was nine points off the pace.

That buffer remains, despite Rangers' unbeaten record under Beale, winning all but one of their games. The spare was a 2-2 draw with Celtic at Ibrox.

Many Rangers fans felt their team conceded the league when held to a four-goal draw in Govan two months ago. The light blues enjoyed a 2-1 lead heading into the later stages, but a goal from Kyogo Furuhashi leveled on 88 minutes.

Missing the chance to cut the deficit by three points at home could prove the deciding factor. But nothing is in stone, and it's never worth calling a champion early in this competition.

Over the years, we've witnessed some memorable comebacks in the Scottish top flight, including the Helicopter Sundays and winning a 55th league championship behind closed doors during the pandemic. Could Rangers turn things around this season with a grandstand finish? They must leave Celtic Park with a win to stand any chance.

Hoops are hot favourites

Celtic are miles clear of Rangers in the 2022/23 title battle, but that doesn't mean they'll win on Saturday. Celtic can afford to draw this game, but Rangers know they must win. The visitors will come to attack, leaving gaps at the back. Celtic have the pace and strength in attack to take full advantage.

This game will be played before a capacity Celtic Park with no Rangers fans in attendance. The remaining two league Old Firm derbies will have home fans only, a measure introduced by Police Scotland to help tackle violence.

That hands another advantage to the home team, and they'll be challenging to beat. Celtic are 7/5 at the Betfair Sportsbook for victory, with Rangers at 17/5 and the draw 3/1.

No more than one goal has separated the rivals in their last two and five of six. During that period, we've seen three games end 2-1. With that in mind, why not add both teams to score to your bet slip at 6/10 or over 2.5 goals at 13/20?