Rangers target repeat over revenge

Old Firm rivals meet in Scottish Cup semi-finals

Feuding Glasgow neighbours Rangers and Celtic renew rivalries at Hampden on Sunday afternoon in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup. Rangers knocked Celtic out at this stage last year, and go in unbeaten under new manager Pedro Caixinha, but haven’t been given a chance in the betting.

That will come as no surprise to followers of the Scottish game, with the head-to-head stats between the two this season reading Celtic 3 – 0 Rangers, and one draw. The aggregate score doesn’t look too rosy for the blue half of the city either, Celtic 9 – 3 Rangers.

Not all doom and gloom for Gers

Crumbs of comfort can be picked out by Rangers fans going into Sunday’s tussle however, a 1-1 finish at Parkhead in March when operating without a recognised manager, and the form of new boss Pedro Caixinha, who has shook things up in Govan since his arrival last month.

Starting with a 4-0 win over Hamilton, to get the attention of fans, the confident Portuguese gaffer followed that with a pair of draws vs Motherwell and Kilmarnock, before beating Aberdeen and Partick Thistle in the next two. A ropey defence, known throughout the Warburton era for giving away cheap goals – five against Celtic earlier in the season – will go into this match having kept a clean-sheet in each of their last three. Rangers to win to nil again is one for die-hards, at Coral’s 11/1.

Pedro can become an instant hit

Caixinha, joined by former Rangers and Norwich striker Jonathan Johansson in his backroom team, wasted no time in showing his group of misfiring bears that the winds of change were blowing through the Ibrox halls. Dropping Michael O’Halloran to the under-20s, he promoted two youth players to the first-team, a gamble which has paid off so far. Making three subs at half-time against Motherwell showed no player was safe.