Jim Delahunt reveals his Celtic vs Rangers verdict, Premiership predictions and gives his weekend acca

WOLVES have roared to new heights in beating Chelsea and Brentford over Christmas and Gary O’Neil’s players can complete a hat-trick of wins by beating Everton at a standout 13/8.

The visiting Toffees have only lost out to in-form Spurs and Manchester City in their last two games and while they’ve won 5 of their 8 road matches this season, Wolves have hit form with a vengeance.

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Goals from Mario Lemina and Hwang Hee-chan saw Wolves race into a 2-0 lead after 14 minutes at Brentford midweek and the subsequent 4-1 win followed a superb home performance to beat Chelsea last Sunday.

Wolves have already beaten Spurs and Manchester City in their 4-3-2 league record at Molineux during this campaign and for all that Everton would be a point ahead of today’s hosts without their 10 points deduction, I think the home side’s current form has been under-rated.

The visitors are only slightly bigger at 17/10 to take the points home to Merseyside but I’d have happily backed Wolves at 11/10 to keep them in the Black Country and 13/8 looks a late Christmas gift.

ASTON VILLA at 4/11 will help multiples backers to get slightly richer than they would do backing MANCHESTER CITY at 1/12 to beat Sheffield United but the Saturday Single vote goes to LUTON at home to Chelsea.

I couldn’t see any fluke about the Hatters’ win over Newcastle and while the 3-2 success against Sheffield United could have gone either way, Rob Edwards’ players were superb in single goal defeats to Manchester City (1-2) and Arsenal (3-4). 

Chelsea are 1/2 despite failing just about every big test they’ve been set this season but Luton look superb single value at 5/1 with both teams to score a reasonable saver at 4/5.

Nottingham Forest excelled themselves with a 3-1 win at Newcastle this week but MANCHESTER UNITED produced a magnificent second half showing to come from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa and can win again tonight.

Rasmus Hojlund’s goal could open the floodgates for the Danish striker and victory tonight at 23/20 would ease any United worries about a potential banana skin away to Wigan in the FA Cup next Monday.

I’ve tipped CELTIC, ABERDEEN, HEARTS and KILMARNOCK here today and I’m keen to add MOTHERWELL to the mix after a decent showing against Rangers last weekend.

The Steelmen host Livingston at Fir Park after a fruitless trip to Aberdeen midweek for a game which was called off but this looks a gilt-edged chance to end their 15 match run without a win.

Stuart Kettlewell’s side have actually drawn 2 of their last 3 and 5 of their last 8, including a 1-1 draw at Celtic and they can end the year on a win at 19/20 to cast Davie Martindale’s strugglers further adrift.

The 5-team Scottish Premiership acca pays out at 23/1 with a saver on the four 3 o’clock kick-offs paying out at over 10/1.

Saturday SINGLE

LUTON and Chelsea go head-to-head with Celtic and Rangers at lunchtime today and the Hatters look way over-priced at 5/1 against the visiting under-achievers.

CELTIC V RANGERS   12.30pm  Sky Sports

Rangers fans will be desperate to back their side at 21/10 today and even the 5/2 draw would mean they’re still unbeaten under Philippe Clement with a trophy already tucked away.

Celtic’s lead has dwindled to 5 points after losing to Kilmarnock and Hearts as Rangers’ winning run continued but they looked back to something like their early season form against Dundee midweek and look value to build on their 1-0 win at Ibrox in September.

The champions dodged a bullet with Rangers’ game against Ross County being called off and that denial of Rangers’ chance to go top with a win today could hand a significant psychological advantage to 23/20 Celtic.

ABERDEEN V ST MIRREN

I was hoping to cash in on Aberdeen at Dens last week but they’re back at Pittodrie after losing their last two games to the weather and look a good bet to beat St Mirren.

St Mirren have failed to score in SIX of their last seven games after the midweek home defeat by Kilmarnock and there’s plenty of 3/1 about the Saints if anyone fancies that drought to end at Pittodrie.

Bojan Miovski is in better form than various Saints front two combinations in recent matches and the general 10/11 about the Dons can prove to be good value.

HEARTS V ROSS COUNTY

Tynecastle should be rocking after Hearts’ midweek win at Hibs and the Jambos have to be a solid bet for 4 in a row after their win at Celtic and last week’s 2-0 victory over St Mirren.

The Staggies arrive after an enforced rest since their added-time defeat at home to Dundee but they’ve still only won once on the road between Derek Adams and Malky Mackay and they’re 4/1 chances to double that tally.

The draw’s ben nibbled at 13/5 after Hearts’ tough night at Easter Road but the home side look a fair price at a general 7/10 and can make it 12 points from their last 4 games. 

KILMARNOCK V DUNDEE

Dundee’s last 4 points have come on the road at Motherwell (3-3) and Ross County (1-0) but I fancy they’ll have to give best to a Killie side on a roll after winning at St Mirren.

That single goal victory thanks to Marley Watkins made it 4 wins in 5 unbeaten matches for Derek McInnes’ side with wins over Celtic and Aberdeen the highlights.

Dundee kept Celtic out for 52 minutes on Tuesday but I’m struggling to spot potential goals for the visitors here and the home  fans can roar their side to another 3 points at 4/5. 

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