Celtic vs Rangers tips and predictions: Gers seek league revenge in Scottish Cup final showdown

Seb Sternik
24 May 2024

Hampden Park will be packed to the rafters as Celtic and Rangers battle for Scottish Cup glory this Saturday (1500 BST).

Believe it or not, these two goliaths haven’t met in a Scottish Cup final in 22 years. Though considering the vast number of times these two clubs meet, that may not make a big difference.

Despite regular fixtures between the two clubs, the dislike, animosity and hostility remains at an all-time high.

This is primarily down to this season’s title race which saw Celtic retain their foothold on the league crown.

Brendan Rodgers’ side won their last six Premiership games in order to win the league title – this includes a 2-1 victory over Rangers in the most recent Old Firm derby.

The Gers have a poor record in this fixture over recent years, winning just one of the last 11 meetings.

Question is, can they turn things around at Hampden Park? We’re not convinced.

The biggest problem for Rangers is their leaky defence. The Light Blues have conceded six goals across their last three matches and are without a clean sheet in five.

Celtic, on the other hand, are very goal happy. Rodgers’ side have bagged 30 goals across their last 10 matches in all competitions.

Looking at those numbers, we’re backing the Hoops to secure a season double by winning the Scottish Cup.

Celtic to win the match and both teams to score is the way to go. Over 3.5 goals is another top bet considering the last three meetings have produced 12 goals alone.

Team news

Celtic have a fully fit squad at their disposal, with Yang Hyun-Jun available for selection following his injury.

Rangers have a number of injury worries, including Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun, John Souttar, Borna Barisic, Tom Lawrence, Oscar Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Danilo.

Abdallah Sima and Ridvan Yilmaz returned to the team against Hearts and should be available for the Cup clash on Saturday.