Rangers vs Celtic Predictions

Rangers vs Celtic predictions for this Old Firm showdown at Ibrox. Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday for the first Old Firm derby of the 2025-26 season, renewing their fierce rivalry in a crucial early Premiership clash. Read on for our free betting tips and match previews.

Scottish Premiership | Aug 31 2025 at 12:00 pm UK at Ibrox Stadium

Rangers vs Celtic Predictions

Can Rangers Rise to the Occasion or Will Celtic’s Composure Prevail at Ibrox?

• Celtic’s flawless start: The Bhoys have won all three of their league matches so far, scoring freely while keeping three consecutive clean sheets, a balance Rangers have not managed.
• Rangers’ disastrous form: The Gers are yet to win a Premiership match this season, drawing all three so far, while suffering a humiliating 9-1 European aggregate defeat.
• Celtic’s domestic resilience: Despite their Champions League exit, Celtic are unbeaten in their last 11 domestic matches inside 90 minutes, a record that underlines their stability heading into this derby.

Best Bet for Rangers vs Celtic

The first Old Firm derby of the 2025/26 season comes with more baggage than an airport carousel. Rangers and Celtic both stumbled embarrassingly out of the Champions League in midweek, leaving their fans frustrated and their managers under the microscope. The Gers endured humiliation at the hands of Club Brugge, crushed 9-1 on aggregate with a calamitous 6-0 collapse in the second leg, while Celtic fared little better, held to two goalless draws by Kairat Almaty before bowing out on penalties.

If the European exploits were deflating, then Sunday at Ibrox offers the perfect stage for redemption, or perhaps disaster. Rangers have stumbled through their league start, three successive draws leaving them already trailing their fiercest rivals. The atmosphere has turned edgy, and Russell Martin’s seat is warming up alarmingly quickly. Celtic, in contrast, have handled their Premiership duties with ruthless precision – three games, three wins, not a goal conceded. Yet their own fans are restless too, unimpressed by a summer transfer window that has seen more departures than arrivals, most notably the exit of Nicolas Kuhn.

All of this means that the upcoming derby is not just about three points. It’s about pride, survival, and sending a message to the other side of the city. And truth be told, nothing quite stirs emotions in Glasgow like an Old Firm showdown.

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Best Bet for Rangers v Celtic

After weighing up every possible angle, the standout betting pick for this contest is Celtic to win the match. At BettingTips4You we focus on just one tip per event – no clutter, no confusion, only the sharpest selection. We pride ourselves on quality over quantity, and in this instance, the Bhoys’ consistency, combined with Rangers’ alarming defensive frailties, makes this prediction the ultimate call.

Rangers are not just under pressure – they’re unravelling. Three Premiership draws already set the tone, but the humiliation in Brugge has ripped away any thin veil of confidence. Russell Martin may shuffle his pack, with James Tavernier, Nicolas Raskin, Mohammed Diomande, Cyriel Dessers and young Mikey Moore tipped to start, but the cracks run deeper than personnel changes. This defence has looked fragile and disorganised, and a Celtic side that has breezed through their league games without conceding will fancy themselves to exploit that vulnerability.

For all the talk of Celtic’s European disappointment, they are in a far stronger place domestically. The backline anchored by Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales has been watertight, and the return of Kieran Tierney adds both quality and emotion to the occasion. Further up the pitch, Daizen Maeda’s relentless running should stretch a Rangers defence already on edge, while James Forrest and Yang Hyun-jun offer outlets that can punish any lapses. Benjamin Nygren’s early Premiership goals also suggest that, even without star names of the past, Celtic still have plenty of firepower.

The weight of form leans heavily towards the visitors. Rangers are without a league win, Celtic have three in three. The Gers are wobbling under their manager, the Bhoys are not just winning but doing so with calm efficiency. And while Old Firm clashes can often defy logic, recent patterns hint at Celtic’s upward curve overpowering Rangers’ uncertainty.

As BettingTips4You.com expert Graham Hartshorn summarises:

“This feels like a defining derby for both clubs. Rangers are brittle, Celtic are balanced, and in these moments, organisation beats desperation every single time.”

Taking all this into account, the best bet is Celtic to come away with the three points. Rangers might keep it tight early on, but the gulf in composure, especially defensively, should eventually tell.

My predicted scoreline: Rangers 0-3 Celtic. Rangers’ vulnerabilities at the back, combined with Celtic’s growing confidence, point towards a comfortable victory for the visitors.

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