Celtic play their third match at Celtic Park in just a week as they host Partick Thistle on Tuesday, where they hope to put on another confident display and earn easy home points against the rock-bottomed visitors, which you can back with a banker bet at 1/7 with bet365.
The Hoops’ last away day was at Partick Thistle less than two weeks ago where they came in strong and one goal from Partick’s Liam Lindsay wasn’t enough to make serious damage as Tomas Cerny let four past him. However, the goal was just enough for our Celtic to win and both teams to score bet back then! The Jags have indeed been scoring a lot of goals (failing to find the net in just one of their last ten matches played) and we do feel they could do the same on Tuesday.
Interestingly, the team looked somewhat better on the road this season and they’ve bagged nine goals in their eight away matches. Both teams to score can now be backed at 21/20 with Ladbrokes, which does seem good value although Celtic have been good defensively at home. We’ll stick our neck out for Celtic to win and Both teams to score here again at a good-looking 8/5 with the same bookie.
Celtic have earned the full 21 points in seven matches at home, conceding four goals in their seven matches there. Their Champions League campaign was less successful though as they’ve earned just one draw and suffered two losses with seven goals past Craig Gordon. We believe they shouldn’t have problems outclassing the opposition now, as Brendan Rodgers is well aware what consistency means for his outfit.
Scott Sinclair has been in fine form since coming from Aston Villa, leading the Hoops’ attacking line. He has now returned to the line-up against Dundee after almost a month on the sidelines and we feel Sinclair can take back the league’s top goalscorer’s spot as soon as Tuesday and, at 5/6 to score anytime with William Hill, he could be best value in the goalscoring market.
Team News – Celtic
The Hoops picked up their 15th win of the season when beating Dundee at the weekend, but they didn’t look too convincing in doing so and critics have come out in the aftermath casting serious doubts over their chances of winning a memorable treble. Few at the club listens to bad press however and they boast an astonishing record of 15 wins against one draw.
The hosts took their time to get going vs Dundee at the weekend, but did go into the break with their noses in front thanks to an opening goal from Leigh Griffiths in first-half stoppage time courtesy of an inch-perfect free-kick. Nir Bitton made sure of the points when placing home a second on 57-minutes and although Marcus Haber replied on 69-minutes for Paul Hartley’s crew, it did little more than to set up a bit of a nervy ending.
Not the best performance they have put in so far, but they got the desired result and boss Brendan Rodgers seemed happy enough in his post-match chat with the press. The gaffer says it was a pleasing performance, despite not being perfect. He did give his men credit for controlling the ball and says that’s always difficult when coming up against a team with 11-men behind the ball.
Bookies aren’t in the habit of taking on Celtic domestically this season and they are true to form, pricing a home win no better than Ladbrokes 2/13. Griffiths to score first again is yours at 3/1 while a goal any time has been cast out there at 8/13, both priced at bet635. That’s sure to be popular in the betting tips
Team News – Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle aren’t given a chance in the betting but they will be desperate to get the three points needed to lift themselves off bottom of the league. A weekend draw with Hearts was an admirable result, and one that was not expected, but it wasn’t good enough and they are holding the rest of the pile up, a point worse off than nearest rivals Inverness.
A CV of three wins, six draws and eight defeats doesn’t inspire much confidence in the away dressing room and they haven’t bagged a win since beating Dundee and St Johnstone back-to-back at the tail-end of October. Since that brief spell of form the visitors have lost to Aberdeen, Motherwell, Rangers and Celtic while ending level vs Hamilton and, most recently, Hearts.
The Jags fell behind against The Jam Tarts in Edinburgh on Saturday, with in form Bjorn Johnson putting his side ahead on 17-minutes. The locals were caught napping at the start of the second-half, allowing Sean Welsh to fire in an equaliser. New Hearts boss Ian Cathro heard his side boo’d off at the conclusion after hanging on to scrape a point.
An away win has been laughed out of town and Betfair offer up a market best price of 22/1 while a draw isn’t too likely either, and punters who make a share the pick of their predictions can get 7/1 with most firms, including William Hill.
Head To Head
Celtic have won a huge 21 matches in a row against Partick.
Celtic vs Partick Stats
Partick have scored in 75% of their away days this season, whilst Celtic have conceded in 57% of their home matches but won 100% of them.
