Celtic will end Deila’s reign as boss with Motherwell massacre
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Celtic may be without 40-goal striker Leigh Griffiths for their final game of the Scottish Premiership season at home to Motherwell, but history suggests that this won’t prevent Ronny Deila’s men opening the floodgates at Parkhead.
This is Deila’s last outing in charge of the Bhoys after lifting three trophies in two seasons, while this will be a fitting farewell as Celtic prepare to lift the Premiership title for the fifth campaign in a row.
Griffiths isn’t the only high-profile absentee though, as captain Scott Brown and defender Dedryck Boyata are both out with hamstring injuries.
Yet despite Deila’s depleted side, Celtic should still be fancied at 7/2 to overcome a three-goal handicap against Motherwell.
On first impression this may seem an optimistic bet, given the previous Parkhead performance of Mark McGhee’s men this season when returning to North Lanarkshire with a 2-1 victory courtesy of a Louis Moult double.
The other two clashes this term have both been won by Celtic, but again each has been settled by the odd goal.
However, Well have been known to capitulate on the road this season, most emphatically against Celtic’s nearest title pursuers Aberdeen and Hearts. They have been beaten 4-1 and 6-0 in away games by these clubs earlier in the campaign.
But the main reason for the show of Celtic confidence is because of the display they have put on in the previous four title-winning seasons.
Back in 2012, Gary Hooper helped himself to all five goals in a 5-0 rout of Hearts at Parkhead, Dundee United were swatted aside 4-0 at the end of the following season and then last term it was Inverness that left Celtic on the wrong end of a 5-0 demolition.
The only instance when Celtic failed to overcome a three-goal handicap on the final day in their current title-winning run was in 2014 when only seeing off Dundee United 3-1.
The Celtic win to nil also looks generously priced this time at 11/10, although a word of warning comes from the fact they have yet to beat any of the current top five in the Scottish Premiership in this fashion at home all season.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
