Celtic vs Rangers Prediction 3 January 2026
🔊 The 21st round of the Scottish Premiership in the new year of 2026 kicks off with the classic "Old Firm Derby" in Glasgow, as Celtic and Rangers promise an enthralling encounter. Both teams sit at the top of the table, chasing down league leaders Hearts. Celtic, playing at home, hold strong odds for a win thanks to their attacking prowess. Meanwhile, Rangers are known for their solid defense, despite losing their last away match. Both squads are determined to improve their standings in the league, adding extra intrigue to this clash.
Head-to-Head
The last official clash between these teams took place on 02 November 2025, ending in a 3-1 victory. Here's a comparative breakdown of the stats from that encounter (Celtic were the home side):
- possession: 54% vs 46%;
- corners: 14 vs 5;
- fouls: 20 vs 10;
- yellow cards: 6 vs 3;
- shots on target: 9 vs 3.
📊 Statistical preview of the official encounters between Celtic and Rangers:
- 72 matches played;
- home victories - 37, away victories - 22, draws - 13;
- goals scored - 112 against 81;
- average total goals in the 1st half - 1.28, in the 2nd half - 1.4;
- average total goals per match - 2.68.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
Celtic Team Overview
The team's last official match took place on , as part of the 20th round of the Premier League, with Motherwell hosting Celtic. The match ended with a 2-0 victory.
Here's the match statistics (Celtic vs Motherwell):
- possession: 57% vs 43%;
- corners: 3 vs 1;
- fouls: 14 vs 7;
- yellow cards: 4 vs 0;
- shots on target: 3 vs 6.
🟢 Celtic recently traveled to face fourth-placed Motherwell, who have been impressive this season and are motivated to secure at least a top-four finish, as evidenced by their victory over the Hoops (2-0). Wilfried Nancy's side currently sit in second place, trailing Hearts by three points, and have shown inconsistent form throughout the season. They have claimed victory in 12 out of 19 matches, but recent performances have been mixed: three losses alongside two wins suggest a degree of instability. On average, they score 1.74 goals per game, while conceding about one goal per match. In their last head-to-head encounter with Rangers, Celtic emerged victorious with a 3-1 win, highlighting their strength on home turf.
Match Results: Celtic
Rangers Team Overview
The visitors last played an official match on during the 20th round of the Premier League, with Rangers hosting St. Mirren. The match concluded with a 2-1 victory for Rangers.
Here are the match statistics (Rangers vs St. Mirren):
- possession percentage: 59% vs 41%;
- corner kicks: 5 vs 4;
- fouls: 8 vs 14;
- yellow cards: 1 vs 2;
- shots on target: 5 vs 4.
🔵 Rangers secured a 2-1 victory over St. Mirren at Ibrox in the last round, marking their second consecutive win under Danny Röhl. This success places them third in the league standings. The Gers trail the Celts by just three points, making the upcoming clash at Celtic Park a prime, albeit challenging, opportunity to level on points. Their strength lies in a solid defense, as the team rarely concedes more than a single goal per match. On the road, the club has delivered impressive performances, remaining unbeaten in their first eight away fixtures. However, they suffered a setback in their latest away game, falling 2-1 to Hearts on December 21.
Match Results: Rangers
Latest news
Celtic
❌ Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston, Callum James Osmand, and João Filipe are confirmed absentees for the derby due to injuries.
Rangers
❌ Due to injuries, Danny Röhl will be unable to count on John Souttar, Bailey Rice, Derek Cornelius, and Oliver Antman.
Prediction for the 1st half
Head-to-head Matches:
- Total encounters - 72;
- First-half wins for the home team - 17; for the away team - 3; draws - 12;
- Average first-half total: 1.28;
- Today's home team averages 0.78 goals, while the visitors average 0.5.
First-half Statistics: Celtic (home) vs Rangers (away)
- Matches played in the tournament: 9 vs 9;
- Wins: 4 (44.44%) vs 6 (66.67%);
- Losses: 1 (11.11%) vs 2 (22.22%);
- Draws: 4 (44.44%) vs 1 (11.11%);
- Average goals scored: 0.89 vs 1.33;
- Average goals conceded: 0.22 vs 0.44.
Last 10 Matches (Overall):
- Wins: 6 vs 4;
- Losses: 3 vs 1;
- Draws: 1 vs 5;
- Average first-half total: 2.1 (scored - 1.2, conceded - 0.9) vs 1.2 (scored - 0.7, conceded - 0.5).
- Celtic have scored in the first half in 8 of the last 9 head-to-head meetings at home in the Premier League.
Outcome Prediction
Head-to-Head Matches:
- Total encounters - 72;
- Home wins - 37, Away wins - 22, Draws - 13.
Statistics: Celtic vs Rangers
- Matches played in the tournament: 19 vs 19;
- Wins: 12 vs 9;
- Win percentage: 63% vs 47%;
- Losses: 5 vs 2;
- Draws: 2 vs 8.
Last 10 Matches:
- Wins: 5 vs 5;
- Losses: 5 vs 2;
- Draws: 0 vs 3.
- Rangers cover a +1.5 spread in 15 of the last 17 head-to-head meetings.
- Rangers cover a +1.5 spread in 24 of their last 25 league matches.
- Rangers cover a +1.5 spread in 15 consecutive away league games.
- Rangers cover a +1.5 spread in 11 consecutive matches.
- Rangers cover a +1.5 spread in 9 of their last 10 away games.
Total Goals Prediction
Head-to-Head Matches:
- Today's home team average goals - 1.56, away team - 1.13;
- Average total goals in head-to-head matches - 2.68;
- Both teams scored: all-time - 34 times; at the home team's ground - 17 times.
Statistics: Celtic vs Rangers
- Average tournament total: 2.68 vs 2.26;
- Average goals scored: 1.74 vs 1.42;
- Average first-half total: 0.79 vs 0.68;
- Average second-half total: 0.95 vs 0.74;
- Celtic's average home total in the tournament - 2.22;
- Rangers' average away total in the tournament - 1.67;
- Last 10 matches (average total): 1.6 (home - 1.25) vs 1.4 (away - 1.75).
- Celtic score over 1.5 goals at home in 8 of the last 9 head-to-head meetings.
- Celtic score over 1.5 goals at home in 6 consecutive head-to-head league matches.
Both Teams to Score Prediction
Head-to-Head Matches:
- Total encounters - 72;
- Both teams scored all-time - 34 times;
- At the home team's ground - 17 times.
Statistics: Celtic vs Rangers
- Total matches played in the tournament: 19 vs 19;
- Matches this season where both teams scored (BTTS): Celtic - 8, Rangers - 11;
- Celtic's BTTS at home - 3 (33%);
- Rangers' BTTS away - 6 (67%).
Last 10 Matches:
- BTTS matches: Celtic - 7, Rangers - 6;
- Celtic's BTTS at home - 2 (50%);
- Rangers' BTTS away - 3 (75%).
Correct Score Prediction
Frequent Scorelines (Current Season):
- Most common scoreline in the tournament: 1-1 (14/116, 12.1%);
- Celtic's most frequent home scorelines: 1-0, 4-0 (2/9, 22.2%);
- Rangers' most frequent away scoreline: 1-1 (3/9, 33.3%).
The algorithm predicts the top three outcomes based on statistics and probability distribution:
1-1 - 11.51% (odds: 6.85)
2-1 - 9.96% (odds: 7.9)
1-0 - 9.89% (odds: 8.8)
⭐ Editorial Prediction
Considering the current form of both teams and their recent head-to-head encounter, we can anticipate a thrilling match with plenty of goals. Given the current home scoring statistics for the Celts, betting on Celtic's individual total over 1.5 goals seems the most reasonable choice here. This outcome is supported by both the clubs' history of meetings and this season's statistics: the Celts have scored more than 1.5 goals at home in six consecutive head-to-head matches against this team.
Betting Tips: Celtic - Rangers
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Other predictions
