Weekend tips: Celtic momentum, Fulham goal machine and relentless Rovers | OneFootball

Another week, another round of exciting fixtures.

Relentless Pressure

Celtic must keep their winning ways on track should they have any ideas of wrestling the Scottish Premiership back off neighbours and old enemy Rangers come May.

The next head-to-head between the two SPL giants comes in early February, but before then Ange Postecoglou’s side must fully concentrate on the month at hand.

A midweek trip to the Heart of Midlothian saw The Bhoys extend their unbeaten run to 16 games and the visit of Dundee United offers the chance to increase that feat, against a side with an overall poor record of late.

Celtic have never lost at home to The Terrors in the Scottish Premiership, out of the 23 games played in the league between the two sides at Celtic Park, the hosts have won 15 times – drawing the other eight and scoring 61 times in the process.

The visitors come into this fixture having recently been beaten 3-0 by Celtic at their own ground, on Matchday 17 in early December, and their form in Glasgow is dreadful.

However, a late Nicky Clark header ensured a 2-1 victory on Wednesday against Ross County, as Tam Courts’ side picked up their first SPL victory since late November.

Celtic to win both halves sits at 2.00 and the hosts to be leading after 10 minutes sees a return of 4.33.

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Can the Goal Machine Continue?

To say Fulham have hit top gear would be a slight understatement, the Craven Cottage side have been unstoppable of late. Hitting 19 goals in just three games, they equalled an 89-year-old record of scoring six times or more in three consecutive fixtures.

Marco Silva guided the West London club to the top of the EFL Championship on Matchday Two, and they’ve pretty much stayed at the summit since August. Losing three matches out of the six played in late September has been their only real wobble, amassing 57 points from 27 league games marks them out as real promotion favourites.

Last weekend Stoke City ran them close, taking an early lead then pegging Fulham back to 2-2, but as seen on numerous occasions this season already, The Cottagers found a late goal to snatch all three points as Bobby Reid made sure it was four wins from all four played so far in 2022.

Visitors Blackpool sit 13th in the table and have only won twice in their last five games, not the best preparation for a trip to the league leaders. The alternative total goals of over 3.5 sits at 2.62, and Fulham to score in both halves sees a return of 2.00.

Rovers’ Decade Itch

Blackburn travel to Bedfordshire early Sunday morning looking to keep in contention for a return to the Premier League for the first time in 10 years.

Tony Mowbray has overseen a tremendous turnaround in fortune this campaign after finishing the last three in 15th, 11th and 15th place respectively. Now the Lancashire side find themselves in a battle with AFC Bournemouth for that all-important second automatic promotion slot.

Two hard-fought 1-0 victories against Cardiff and Middlesbrough saw Rovers return to winning ways after an early New Year draw against Huddersfield Town, the trip to Luton allows Mowbray’s side to lay down a marker for what will be a very challenging February.

Luton find themselves in 10th place in the Championship and are on track to finish in a higher placing than any other season under current boss Nathan Jones.

A 2-0 loss away to Sheffield United last weekend ended an unbeaten run of five games which stretched back to November and included a dramatic 3-2 win against Bournemouth, where Kal Naismith struck a 97th minute added time winner.

Blackburn to win on the scorecast of 1-2 sees a return of 11.00, but if you fancy the hosts to get a result, the double chance of Luton or Draw sits at 1.36.