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Scottish Premiership Wednesday preview: Old Firm duo face stern Edinburgh tests

There are a trio of matches to enjoy in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday, with Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers both facing potential banana-skin contests against opposition from Edinburgh.

Leaders Celtic will be hoping, at the very least, to preserve their nine-point advantage at the top of the standings by beating Hearts at Parkhead, while second-place Rangers will head to the Scottish capital to face Hibernian at Easter Road.

Those sides occupy the top-four positions in the Premiership, but Wednesday's other match focuses on matters at the wrong end of the standings, with bottom-of-the-table Dundee United facing a tricky-looking trip to Livingston.

Bhoys aim to maintain Parkhead perfection

WhatCeltic v Hearts
WhereParkhead, Glasgow
When19:45, Wednesday 8th March 
How to watchCeltic TV
OddsCeltic 2/11, Draw 7/1, Hearts 12/1

Celtic appear unstoppable in the defence of their Premiership title, as Ange Postecoglou's side have dropped points in just two of their 27 league fixtures to date this term, winning 11 matches in a row across all competitions since being held by Rangers at the turn of the year.

The Bhoys' form becomes even more imperious when you focus solely on their home record, as they have won all 13 of their league matches at Parkhead this season, with the only visitors to leave the venue with all three points in 2022/23 being Real Madrid and RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

Those statistics make for ominous reading for those of a Hearts persuasion, although Wednesday's visitors to the East End of Glasgow will head into the fixture on the back of Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 win over St Johnstone.

Hearts have sat best-of-the-rest in third position for much of the season, but there is a considerable gap between the Jambos and the two teams above them, emphasised by the five defeats Robbie Neilson's side have suffered in five matches against the Old Firm this season.

Another loss seems likely for Hearts this midweek, with Celtic 2/11 in the Full Time Result market, while the visitors are 12/1 to become the first team to beat the leaders in a league fixture at Parkhead since St Mirren in January 2021 - a run of 38 matches.

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Beale's men cannot afford any slips

WhatHibernian v Rangers
WhereEaster Road, Leith, Edinburgh 
When19:45, Wednesday 8th March 
How to watchHibs TV
OddsHibernian 5/1, Draw 10/3, Rangers 11/20

Such has been the relentless pace set by Celtic this season, second-place Rangers remain nine points behind the league leaders, despite winning 14 of their 16 matches since appointing Michael Beale as manager in late November.

The only matches the Gers have failed to win under the former QPR boss have come against Celtic - a draw in the league and a defeat in last month's League Cup final - with their otherwise perfect sequence including a 3-2 success over Hibernian at Ibrox before Christmas.

Hibs were struggling for form back then, with many supporters calling for manager Lee Johnson to be sacked, but things have since turned around at Easter Road, with the Edinburgh outfit unbeaten in their last seven league fixtures, registering five wins during that time.

This improved form has lifted the Hibs up to fourth in the standings and they did claim a 2-2 draw with Rangers when the two sides last met at Easter Road in August.

A repeat of that result can be backed in the Correct Score market at 16/1, but draws aren't really enough for Rangers at this stage of the season - with the away win priced at 11/20 in the Full Time Result market.

Goodwin eyes first win

WhatLivingston v Dundee United
WhereTony Macaroni Arena, Livingston
When19:45, Wednesday 8th March 
OddsLivingston 6/5, Draw 23/10, Dundee Utd 12/5

This is turning into a season to forget for Dundee United, who currently prop up the standings and even a win at Livingston this midweek would not be enough to lift them off the foot of the table.

The Terrors are onto their third manager of the season after the appointment of Jim Goodwin at the start of the month, but his first game in charge ended in a 3-1 home loss against his former club Aberdeen.

That defeat was Dundee United's seventh in a row across all competitions, while it is over two months since they last recorded a league victory.

Mid-table Livingston will certainly fancy their chances of ending their own poor run of form - David Martindale's side have lost four matches on the spin - a sequence that has seen them slip into the bottom half of the standings.

Livingston have won the last three league meetings between these two sides and can be backed at 6/5 in the Full Time Result market, while Dundee United, who did win their most recent encounter with Livi in the League Cup back in August, are available at 12/5.

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