WE’VE had enough of the appetisers – it’s time for the real thing, the bread and butter of a football punter.
League football is back and we’re hungry for winners after mixed results in the Betfred Cup and European qualifiers.
Backers of favourites have been handed an early lift with the fixtures computer pairing three of the Premiership’s top guns with three sides who have been awful this season.
Celtic, Rangers and Hibs face St Johnstone, Kilmarnock and St Mirren respectively and I flagged up the treble at 23-10 earlier in the week.
It’s flag day at Celtic Park and the visitors are a St Johnstone side who crashed out of the Betfred Cup after defeats to Montrose and Forfar – and boss Tommy Wright’s biggest setback was striker Stevie May U-turning on a move back to Perth.
Celtic are the shortest of the three favourites and after four Champions League qualifying wins I’d be happy to take them minus two at 6-4 with Ladbrokes. Also Ryan Christie has started the season well and worth a look at 13-2 with sportingbet to bag the opener on flag day.
Hibs tackle a St Mirren side who couldn’t beat Lowland League East Kilbride or League Two minnows Albion Rovers and boss Jim Goodwin has a massive rebuilding job on his hands.
The Leith men on the other hand are looking up under Paul Heckingbottom and his men are tipped to finish third or fourth. Hibs are 8-15 at McBookie and Hibs minus one for the more optimistic pays 7-5 at bet365.
Rangers aren’t in action until Sunday when they travel to Rugby Park with revenge on their men. Steven Gerrard’s side dropped 10 points to Killie last season – and remember they only finished nine adrift of Celtic.
Gers have started well with some of their new signings impressing in their first four Europa League qualifiers – Killie on the other hand crashed out red-faced to Connah’s Quay Nomads.
It’s impossible to say if new boss Angelo Alessio has managed to lift his troops because they haven’t played since.
Gerrard must have been relieved to see the back of Steve Clarke and Rangers should win this one at 3-4 with Marathonbet from closer to evens when prices were revealed.
So that treble pays 23-10 and it could be worth taking on a moneyback fivefold and adding Aberdeen and either Airdrie or Cove.
The Dons are also in action tomorrow against a Hearts side who have also made a stuttering start – edging into the last 16 of the Betfred Cup after a 1-1 draw at East Fife.
Aberdeen have beaten RoPS and Chikhura to progress in the Europa League and will be confident of picking up the points at evens with Marathonbet.
The Championship is going to tough to predict as usual but I fancy Partick Thistle away to an Alloa side who will struggle to stay up having lost Goodwin. Gary Caldwell’s Jags will be targeting a play-off place at least and are 10-11 at Ladbrokes and William Hill.
In League One Airdrie are one of the promotion favourites and are 7-5 at Marathonbet at home to Forfar. I also like Raith at 13-10 with betfair at Dumbarton.
Hot title favourites Falkirk face promoted Peterhead and I fancy goals here. If you think Falkirk will win the title back them at Balmoor – at 11-10 they’re bigger to triumph here than to lift the title.
In League Two Cove make their debut at home to promotion rivals Edinburgh City and I’m backing the Highlanders to make a winning start at 6-4 with McBookie.
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