Brilliant Bhoys battle Dundee for further Scottish cup success
Ronny Deila’s Celtic, odds-on 10/11 favourites to win the Scottish FA Cup, will be aiming for further season success against Dundee after their League Cup triumph over Old Firm rivals Rangers set up a final meeting with Dundee United.
It was the first match between the sides since April 2012, but the Bhoys’ attention will now turn to Scotland’s FA Cup as they prepare for a fifth round encounter with former player Paul Hartley’s Premiership side, who are 8/1 outsiders to triumph.
Dundee have not defeated the Scottish League leaders since May 2011, and have lost seven of the side’s previous eight meetings in all competitions. Deila’s dominant outfit are 6/5 to win to nil, having done so in the last four outings, including a recent 4-0 thrashing of Motherwell.
The Glasgow giants have lost on just one occasion in 14 Scottish Premiership fixtures, climbing to the top-flight summit, a massive 18 points ahead of their cup opponents Dundee.
Superb Swedish striker John Guidetti has been in fine form this season during his loan spell form Premier League champions Manchester City, striking 11 times in 20 appearances.
The former Feyenoord and Stoke City loanee brilliantly bagged the winner in the Bhoys’ previous meeting with this opposition last November, in a 2-1 home victory, and is available at 4/1 to net the last goal again away.
Kris Commons recently signed a new two-year contract with Celtic, finally securing his immediate future with the club after much speculation, and is 4/1 to open proceedings following his superb Old Firm strike.
Dundee are pushing for a place in the top six in this season’s Scottish top-flight, and have shown encouraging form in recent weeks as they climbed to seventh, five points ahead of Kilmarnock in eighth.
Hartley’s men are unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions, including three wins and a hat-trick of draws, and could look to capitalise on a possible Hoops hangover after a historic Old Firm clash.
European hopefuls Dundee have an appalling record against the brilliant Bhoys, but will take confidence from their recent domestic form.
Greg Stewart is the club’s star man and top scorer this term, firing 12 goals in 23 league appearances, including five in his previous seven. The prolific poacher is 11/4 to net anytime in his latest outing.
Celtic once hammered their Scottish rivals 11-0 in a domestic league encounter, and more recently thrashed their hapless opponents 5-0 in 2013. Deila’s sensational side are 33/1 to overcome Dundee with the same rampant scoreline in their latest meeting.