Celtic vs Kilmarnock Prediction: Celtic confident of being strong this time

Celtic is set to host Kilmarnock in an eagerly awaited Saturday Scottish Premiership match in Glasgow. The previous season's treble winners are favored to capitalize on their home advantage and secure all three points. However, they face the challenge of overcoming Kilmarnock, a team that has already defeated them twice this season in the League Cup and Premiership. Kilmarnock enters the match on a strong streak, having gone unbeaten in their last three games under the guidance of experienced manager Derek McInnis. With five points from the last nine available, they believe they have a chance to cause another upset against Brendan Rodgers' Bhoys.

Since defeating Livingston on December 23, Celtic has gathered an impressive 19 points out of a possible 21. However, their fierce rivals Rangers drew level on points with them at the top of the table midweek by defeating Ross County 3-1 at Ibrox. Currently, only goal difference separates the two Glasgow giants at the summit after 25 games, highlighting the significance of their remaining fixtures against each other in determining the title race.

Celtic is scheduled to visit Ibrox on April 6, followed by an unscheduled meeting after the league splits into two halves for the final five matchdays. Meanwhile, they have six league games to navigate and a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Livingston, following their victory over St Mirren last weekend. Unlike Rangers, who will resume Europa League action at the last-16 stage after topping their group, Brendan Rodgers's side is no longer involved in any European competitions after finishing at the bottom of their Champions League group.

Rodgers and his players aim to capitalize on this potential advantage as they focus on the Scottish Premiership. Anything less than securing all three points against Kilmarnock on Saturday would be a significant disappointment, especially considering it would put pressure back on Rangers, who will face St Johnstone on Sunday.

Kilmarnock, on the other hand, believes they have returned to their rightful place near the top of the Scottish Premiership table after facing challenging seasons. They faced relegation in the 2020-21 campaign but swiftly bounced back as champions. In the last season, they narrowly avoided finishing in the bottom two, securing the 10th position. However, the current season sees them in a different scenario, as they contend for a European qualification position, holding 36 points from 25 games and sitting in fourth place. Although they have a comfortable seven-point lead over sixth-placed Dundee, they are 12 points behind Hearts in third. Kilmarnock appears to be in a battle with St Mirren for the fourth position based on their current form.

Under Derek McInnes's management, the team is also in contention for the club's fourth Scottish Cup triumph, having secured a 2-0 victory against Cove Rangers at Rugby Park last weekend. Goals from Marley Watkins and Danny Armstrong propelled Killie into the quarter-finals, setting up a winnable away tie against Aberdeen in early March. While they face a challenging task to avoid defeat against Celtic on Saturday, they have already accomplished this feat once this season with a 2-1 win in December.

In the historical matchups between Celtic and Kilmarnock, there have been a total of 257 meetings. The hosts emerged victorious in 174 of those encounters, while the visitors secured wins 33 times. Additionally, 50 matches between the two teams ended in draws. Despite a winless streak in their previous 13 meetings, the visitors have managed to win two of their last three games in this fixture. However, the hosts have struggled to maintain a clean sheet in their most recent four matchups.

Celtic stands out as the highest-scoring team in the Scottish top-flight this season, with an impressive goal tally of 57. On the other hand, Kilmarnock has achieved only two of their nine league victories on the road this season.

Celtic is currently enjoying a streak of consecutive victories, remaining unbeaten in their last nine games across all competitions. Their formidable performance includes four consecutive wins at Celtic Park, making them the clear favorites for the upcoming weekend clash. Kilmarnock, on the other hand, has also secured victories in their last two matches and maintained an unbeaten record in the last five games. Despite their recent successes, Kilmarnock has struggled on the road, winning only twice this season and may face defeat in this encounter.

Although we anticipate Kilmarnock scoring in Glasgow and expect a competitive 90 minutes, our prediction leans towards Celtic securing a victory on their home ground. This adds pressure to Rangers, who are set to face McDiarmid Park on Sunday, aiming to maintain pace in the competition. While the home win appears close in the match-winner market, our preference is for both teams to score in a Celtic win, offering more attractive odds.