Bet of the day: Back the Bhoys
Celtic’s incredible form to continue
Scottish Premiership champions, and runaway leaders, Celtic welcome Hearts to Glasgow for a Sunday afternoon start, live on Sky Sports from 1.00pm. Unbeaten in the top-flight so far this term, Coral’s traders have them as 2/7 favs to add another three points.
With a CV showing 20 wins and one draw from 21 starts this season, punters won’t be surprised by such a price. Ex-Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has made The Hoops a real force, not only taking control of things domestically – they’ve already won the League Cup – but also improving their fortunes in the Champions League, drawing home and away with Man City.
In Moussa Dembele they have an exciting attacker who attracted the attention of West Ham earlier this month, with a £20m offer said to be in the pipeline. That remains to be seen, but the Frenchman has rattled in nine goals for his club so far, including a brace against The Citizens back in September, and one at Ibrox in a fiery Old Firm Derby.
Celtic beat Hearts in Edinburgh earlier this season
Jambos in a sticky spell
Compare that to the form of Hearts, who travel to Parkhead fourth in the table, having won just one league game since Ian Cathro took over from former boss Robbie Neilson, who packed his bags for the challenge of MK Dons. The Jambos were beaten 1-0 by Aberdeen in their last league start and forced into a replay with Championship side Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup.
Regulars at Tynecastle have been unhappy with the way Cathro has conducted his business so far, and Hearts have been seen staggering down the tunnel to a chorus of boos, both at full-time and even going into the break. That can’t do their confidence any good as they look to steady the ship.
This will be the second meeting of the season between these sides, with Celtic banking a 2-1 win in Edinburgh back in the summer. Hearts were a better team at that point and enjoyed home advantage, meaning fans are quite right to fear the worst here.
Celtic at a canter
We can’t look past a Celtic win in Glasgow. They are rampant this season and have every chance of going unbeaten on-route to another league title, made all the sweeter now Rangers are back in the big league, and powerless to stop them.
The 2/7 will do a job in Sunday accumulators, but I am confident enough Celtic will win that we’ll push our luck a bit and take The Bhoys to win to nil at 13/10 with Coral. That looks a treat of a price, all things considered.
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