In terms of their respective quality, this match is a difficult one to call. Rangers are a Championship side full of players with top-flight experience – even if some have failed to show it over the past three years – who, after several false-starts, seem to be gathering some momentum. Motherwell, on the other hand, were terrible for the first half of the season and have made some improvements under new manager Ian Baraclough – winning four and drawing two of their last 10 – though their relative success has been built upon a fragile backline.
Of course, it is current Rangers manager Stuart McCall who is partially responsible for Motherwell’s plight, and, given the stats available, it is difficult to see past him finishing the job he started and relegating his former club for the first time since 1984. At the very least, the stats suggest that Motherwell will find it difficult to come away from Ibrox with anything on Thursday night.
The Lanarkshire side have not defeated Rangers since 2002 (39 matches, 30 defeats), have not won at Ibrox since 1997 (30 matches, 26 defeats) and haven’t even managed a goal in their last four visits there. It may be argued that this is a weaker Rangers side from the ones that chalked up those many victories. However, the previous meeting between these sides saw Rangers, then in the bottom tier, run out 2-0 victors and, further, the Ibrox club have taken care of both Inverness and St Johnstone, without conceding a goal, at Ibrox this season.
Rangers to win is 37/40* (this price has shortened from 21/20 since Monday)
Rangers to win to nil is 11/5*
It’s not just the head-to-head that makes grim reading for Motherwell. Rangers are unbeaten in nine matches at home, have scored in all of those nine and have scored more than two goals in six of their last seven at Ibrox – they have also scored twice in both first legs of the play-offs thus far. By contrast, Motherwell haven’t won any of their last three matches away from Fir Park and have lost an incredible 13 of their last 15 away. Home and away, they have conceded in five of their last six (the one game they didn’t was a dead-rubber v Partick Thistle last week) and have conceded in all of their last 10 away matches – they have conceded more than one goal in nine of those 10.
Rangers to score two or more goals in the match is 21/20*
WRITTEN BY CRAIG CAIRNS
*Prices taken from McBookie.co.uk at the time of writing
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