Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
With the drama surrounding Celtic manager Neil Lennon finally beginning to fade, we can concentrate on what really matters here: football. Nonetheless, there’s little doubt how much of a mountain to climb this will be for the home team, who suffered their last loss to Celtic a month ago.
Aside from that though, much of the pessimism surrounding Hibernian heading into this match has more to do with Celtic’s strength rather than their weakness. That’s because the underdogs have been on good form throughout most of 2019, with that loss being their only failure since the start of February.
That being said, Celtic are simply on fire at the moment. They are running away with the top spot in the Scottish Premiership, having won every game in Scotland since a loss to Rangers back in December 2018. Still, each side has proven to be very tough to beat.
Hibernian vs Celtic Prediction: Hibernian 0-1 Celtic
Celtic have proven the toughest to beat out of the two though. No matter which way you look at this match, a Celtic victory just seems like the most likely outcome here. To put it simply, Hibernian have been good – very good – but Celtic have been better. Their season has been more consistent. In fact, they have been virtually untouchable in Scottish football throughout 2019. With that in mind, alongside the psychological advantage of holding Hibernian’s last defeat over their heads, we think it will simply be too much for the home team. Therefore, our scoreline prediction is 1-0 to Celtic.
Our recommended tip: Celtic win to nil
Considering they sit atop the SPL standings – four places and 25 points ahead of their opponents – it’s no surprise that Celtic are the favourites here. At Ladbrokes, they have safe 4/9 match odds, while Hibernian fans will have to settle for much higher risk 13/2 odds on a win. However, considering that the away side have won three out of their last five matches without conceding a goal, we recommend that you wager they win to nil here too. You’ll find 13/10 odds on this result at Ladbrokes for a low-risk wager that offers a higher potential ROI.
Previous matches
We’ve already mentioned that last loss to Celtic and how much of a psychological weight that could place on Hibernian. But to make matters worse for the home team, that was their second loss to Celtic in as many months, with Celtic holding back-to-back 2-0 victories over them in March and February. The home side did manage a 2-0 win of their own back in December but when you look throughout their history, Celtic come away with a fairly sizeable stat advantage. Even so, we imagine it’s those last couple of outings that will sting the most.
Top 3 SPL Bookies
Players to watch: Daryl Horgan & Odsonne Edouard
Hibernian: Daryl Horgan
His performance against Hibernian’s Edinburgh neighbours Hearts not only saw his team come from behind – with thanks to Horgan’s two goals – but also pushed Hibernian into fifth in the Scottish Premiership standings. Unfortunately, issues with missiles from the crowd, including smoke bombs and a coconut, have undermined the efforts of the players. Despite this, Daryl Horgan’s contributions should not be overlooked in this game, nor from throughout the season.
Celtic: Odsonne Edouard
There are few players in all of Scottish football with a future as bright as 21-year-old striker Odsonne Edouard. He proved his brilliance once again in a 3-0 win over Aberdeen, although that has been the case ever since he came over to the club from Paris Saint-Germain. Now one of the most devastating offensive weapons in Celtic’s arsenal, we’re sure that Hibernian will be acutely aware of the danger he poses to their defence.
