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Hibernian will welcome Celtic to Easter Road on Sunday, 3 May, in a match of real conflict for the home side.
While Hibs have a duty to go and perform at their best from a sporting fairness point of view, their supporters do not want to give Hearts any help in their quest for the title.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our free expert Scottish Premiership predictions.
Contents
Hibernian vs Celtic key stats
- Celtic have won their last four matches in all competitions.
- Hibernian have lost each of their last two matches.
- Both teams have scored in three of the last four clashes between Hibernian and Celtic
Hibernian vs Celtic preview: Can the visitors keep fate in their own hands?
| Hibernian | vs | Celtic |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | Position | 2nd |
| 51 | Points | 70 |
| 52 | Goals For | 62 |
| 39 | Goals Against | 36 |
| 111 | Clean Sheets | 13 |
| 5th | Home Rank | 2nd |
| 6th | Away Rank | 3rd |
After last week's brutal defeat to Hearts in the Edinburgh Derby, Hibernian will have to dust themselves down and go again this weekend, but it's difficult to get away from the feeling that a win against Celtic could effectively hand Hearts the title.
Many Hibs fans have expressed their desire for their club to roll over on Sunday, and that is bound to have an impact on the playing squad, just as it did with the Spurs squad last season when they faced Man City in similar circumstances at the back end of the Premier League campaign.
Manager David Gray has insisted that he believes the fans at Easter Road will be completely behind his team on Sunday, and they will need to be if Hibs are to pick up anything after losing consecutive matches for the first time in four months.
Gray will have to negotiate the fixture with some key players, though. Raphael Sallinger and Felix Passlack were both sent off last weekend, so they will miss out through suspension, while Josh Mulligan, Rudi Molotnikov and Munashe Garananga are all in the treatment room.
As for Celtic, they are now best placed to challenge Hearts for the title following Rangers' shock defeat to Motherwell last weekend.
With Gers and Hearts set to play each other on Monday evening, Martin O'Neill's side have a fantastic opportunity this weekend to not only put the pressure on the league leaders but also make that match a win-or-bust fixture for their bitter Old Firm rivals.
It's been a rocky season for the Bhoys, but if they can win their next three league matches, they will set up a final-day shootout for the league against Hearts at Celtic Park, while they also have another Scottish Cup final to look forward to.
For the match on Sunday, O'Neill is set to be without Kasper Schmeichel, Colby Donovan, Julian Araujo, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Adam Montgomery, Jota and Callum Osmand due to injuries.
Hibernian vs Celtic form guide & betting tips
| Hibernian | vs | Celtic |
|---|---|---|
| D-D-W-L-L | League Form | W-L-W-W-W |
| 5 | Points | 12 |
| 8th | Form Table | 2nd |
| 4 | Goals For | 9 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 9 |
| W-L-L | Form (all comps) | W-W-W |
Whispers predicts: Hibernian 1-2 Celtic
Celtic's form, combined with the fact that Hibs' own supporters want them to lose this game, makes it difficult to predict anything other than an away win here. Celtic to win has been priced at 4/6.
Celtic are usually reliable for both scoring and conceding goals, with goals going in at both ends in four of their last six matches. BTTS has been priced at 8/13.
Benjamin Nygren has scored 20 goals so far this season for Celtic. Nygren is priced at 6/5 to score anytime on Saturday.
> Celtic to win at 4/6 | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS at 8/13 | Likelihood: Probable
> Nygren to score anytime at 6/5 | Likelihood: Possible