Race For The Scottish Premier League: Rangers Vs Dundee United

Kick Off:- 19:45 BST, Tuesday 10 May 2011
Ibrox Park, Glasgow

You would never know there was any pressure on Rangers moving into the climatic last few weeks of the season. They have hammered in 9 goals and conceded none in their last two games, both of which, theoretically anyway, were potential pitfalls.

Rangers just now are looking supremely confident, supremely competent, and all but invincible in front of their new owner Craig Whyte, who took over from David Murray in time to watch the 4-0 demolition of Hearts on Saturday.

Scottish Premier League Table
Last updated: 22:25, May 08, 2011
Team    P    W    D    L    Pts    F    A
1    Rangers    36    28    3    5    87    81    28
2    Celtic    36    27    5    4    86    78    22

Dundee United have got precious little incentive to win this beyond pride and a win bonus. That said, they were in a very similar situation when they won 3-2 here on their last visit back on 2nd April and we can be sure that manager Peter Houston will be looking for a repeat, at part at least, in revenge for the 4-0 mauling they suffered at Rangers’ hand little over a fortnight after the 3-2 game.

Rangers’ last 5 game record reads…
[Rangers’ score first]
7 May        Home        4-0    vs    Heart of Midlothian (SPL)
30 April    Away        5-0    vs    Motherwell (SPL)
24 April    Home        0-0    vs    Celtic (SPL)
19 April    Away        4-0    vs    Dundee United (SPL)
16 April    Home        2-1    vs    St Mirren (SPL)

Dundee United’s last 5 game record reads…
[Dundee United’s score first]
7 May        Home        4-0    vs    Motherwell (SPL)
1 May        Away        1-4    vs    Celtic (SPL)
23 April    Home        4-2    vs    Kilmarnock (SPL)
9 April        Home        2-0    vs    St Johnstone (SPL)
6 April        Away        1-2    vs    Motherwell (SPL)
10 March    Home        2-1    vs    Hamilton Academical (SPL)

Rangers know a win in this fixture will ensure that one last push on Sunday at Kilmarnock will deliver their 3rd title in succession. It might not even come to that if Celtic fail away to Hearts on Wednesday – a very, very tough game for them.

Rangers’ run-in…
Tuesday    10 May 2011    Home    Dundee United
Saturday    14 May 2011    Away    Kilmarnock

Celtic’s run-in…
Wednesday    11 May 2011    Away    Heart of Midlothian
Sunday    15 May 2011    Home    Motherwell

It’s almost impossible to see Rangers beaten at home by Dundee United twice in the space of just over a month. Rangers will win this with goals to spare and march on to their final game of the season at Kilmarnock with a worst case scenario of only having to match Celtic’s final day result.

Tags: Celtic, Dundee, Hearts, Kick off, Murray, Rangers, Result

Category: Football, Scottish Football