Celtic vs Rangers predictions and betting tips – Must-win game for both teams

It has been a turbulent season so far for Celtic and Rangers, neither of whom are top of the Scottish Premiership at the start of 2026. That honour goes to Heart of Midlothian, who have been excellent up to now.

The Old Firm derby is always a big occasion, but this one feels particularly important. Who will triumph at Celtic Park?

• Celtic to win – 17/20 with Midnite
• Over 1.5 goals for Celtic – 8/11 with Tote
• Benjamin Nygren to score anytime – 15/8 with Sky Bet

Celtic vs Rangers odds

Find the latest Celtic vs Rangers betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Celtic vs Rangers predictions

For the first time since 1993/94, a team other than Celtic or Rangers was top of the Scottish Premiership on New Year’s Day.

Aberdeen were the leaders when the midnight fireworks went off on 1 January 1994, with the Old Firm clubs cast in the role of chasers. 

Unfortunately for most neutrals, that campaign ended with Rangers as champions and Aberdeen as runners-up. 

You have to go all the way back to Aberdeen in 1984/85 to find the last time a team from outside Glasgow won the title north of the border.

Might things be different this time around? Heart of Midlothian lead the way heading into the first weekend of 2026. They have had a wonderful first half of the season, collecting 41 points from their first 19 games. That is three more than second-placed Celtic and six more than Rangers in third.

To say that both Old Firm clubs have had turbulent campaigns to date would be an understatement. 

Rangers were forced into a managerial change in early October after their dismal start under Russell Martin, who was never particularly popular with the Ibrox faithful. The situation has improved under Danny Rohl, but Rangers remain a flawed side.

Celtic also lost a coach in October as Brendan Rodgers brought his second spell at Parkhead to an end. Martin O’Neill did a fine job as caretaker boss, but the jury is still out on his successor Wilfried Nancy.

A left-field pick given his lack of managerial experience outside MLS, Nancy has been guilty of trying to change too much, too quickly at Celtic.

The Frenchman has lost five of his first seven matches at the helm, including a 2-0 defeat by Motherwell in midweek. Whereas Celtic have been wasteful in other recent losses, they were comprehensively outplayed by their opponents on Tuesday night.

For all their many shortcomings in the first half of the season, Celtic and Rangers are still in the title race. Neither the former’s three-point deficit or the latter’s six-point shortfall is unbridgeable. Hearts may get jittery as the conclusion of the campaign draws closer. 

Saturday’s showdown is massive for both clubs. Success would give the victors renewed belief that they can win the championship. 

A defeat, on the other hand, would leave Celtic or Rangers feeling glum at the start of the new year. The stakes could not be much higher.

Celtic vs Rangers betting tips

Celtic and Rangers are ready to renew hostilities on the first weekend of the new year.

Celtic to triumph

Since Rohl’s arrival as Rangers boss, no team in the Premiership has accumulated more points. 

After the nightmare that was Martin’s stint in the Ibrox dugout, the Gers have grown more consistent under the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach.

However, they have continued to struggle in the biggest games. Rohl’s side lost to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup and to Hearts in the league. Rangers have taken one point from a possible 18th in the Europa League.

Celtic also have home advantage behind them in the first Old Firm derby of 2026, and theirs is still the more talented squad. The Bhoys will be buoyant at 2.30pm on Saturday.

Go for a Celtic win at 17/20 with Midnite

Celtic can score twice

Derby games are often low-scoring affairs. The fear of losing is often stronger than the lure of winning, which in turn breeds caution.

That has not necessarily been the case in the Old Firm in recent years, though. Since December 2023, these two teams have locked horns 11 times. There have been over 2.5 goals in all but three of those matches.

Celtic’s games under Nancy have not been dull. That has often been to the detriment of the Hoops, but they have at least had little trouble creating chances, even if they have frequently been wasteful in converting them.

Rangers’s defence will be put under pressure at Celtic Park, where there is a good chance the hosts will score at least twice.

Tip over 1.5 goals for Celtic at 8/11 with Tote

Nygren a threat to Rangers

Nancy has alternated between Johnny Kelly and Reo Hatate up front in recent weeks, but the two supporting attackers have always been Daezen Maeda and Benjamin Nygren.

Those two players have contributed 14 of the 33 Premiership goals Celtic have scored this season.

Nygren in particular has looked sharp of late, scoring three goals in his last three appearances.

Do not bet against the Sweden international notching his first strike against Rangers in this weekend’s must-watch game in Scotland.

Choose Benjamin Nygren to score any time at 15/8 with Sky Bet

Celtic vs Rangers predicted lineups

• Celtic expected lineup: Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Tierney; Hyun-Jun, Engels, McGregor, McCowan; Nygren, Maeda; Kenny.
• Rangers expected lineup: Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Fernandez, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Raskin, Diomande; Gassama, Y. Chermiti, Moore.

Where to watch Celtic vs Rangers

• Location: Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland.
• Date and time: Saturday 3rd January, 12.30pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.

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About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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