RANGERS and Celtic meet on Thursday in the New Year’s Old Firm showdown to kick-off 2025.
It’s another mammoth occasion, so SunSport’s betting experts have previewed the festive contest and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.
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Rangers vs Celtic preview
This Old Firm clash is important for many reasons – of course they always are.
But in terms of the title race? It won’t mean an awful lot.
Heading into 2025, Celtic’s lead at the top is a remarkable 14 points and they’re favourites in this one to make it 17 ahead of the second half of the campaign.
December started brilliantly for Philippe Clement with three wins on the bounce – all with clean sheets – and 10 goals scored in the process.
Since then their only win was a 1-0 home victory over Dundee, they’ve lost a cup final, been beat at St Mirren and were thankful a refereeing howler gained them a point at Motherwell.
It’s probably unlikely that the sports scientists will pick Thursday’s team after the first half shocker the side had at Fir Park but the substitutes saved the day to earn a point at least.
But it’s hardly the sort of form they had hoped they’d be in after the start to December and now they welcome a Hoops side fresh off the back of successive 4-0 wins.
Celtic haven’t been wholly convincing themselves in December but the difference between the two sides is they always seem to find a way.
A poor draw in Zagreb was followed by the penalties win over Rangers at Hampden before another goalless draw at Tannadice.
The two 4-0 home wins that followed didn’t come without their challenges having struggled to create much in the first 30 minutes of both games, before blowing away their opponents in the second half.
Rangers failed to beat Celtic in any of their five meetings in 2024 – the last coming at Ibrox in May 2023. Clement really needs a derby win under his belt.
Rangers vs Celtic latest odds
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
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Rangers vs Celtic predictions
Nic of time
Nicolas Kuhn has scored in each of his last three appearances to continue what has been a stellar first half of the season.
Not sure if the sports scientists insisted Jefte sit out at Fir Park or if Ridvan Yilmaz will be preferred. Either way, Kuhn against either of those defensively could be quite the mismatch.
Much spoken about the battle between Daizen Maeda and James Tavernier down the other side but it’s down Celtic’s right that they can get the most joy.
Scored first Old Firm goal in December’s final.
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