Rangers go into the new Scottish Premiership season as champions for the first time since 2011 and bookmakers make Steven Gerrard’s side red-hot favourites to retain their crown in 2021/22.
Rangers odds are 11/25 in Grosvenor Sport’s Scottish Premier League betting list, with arch-rivals Celtic priced up at 7/4. As with most Scottish Premier League seasons, it’s a two horse race.
It shouldn’t come as any great surprise that Rangers odds are so skinny given they won the 2020/21 title by 25pts from a Celtic side that are clearly operating at a lower level than in recent years.
And there should be extra motivation in 2021/22 because whoever comes out on top in the Scottish Premiership will be guaranteed a spot in the group stages of the Champions League, thanks to Rangers exploits in the Europa League last season.
Rangers still have that prize in their sights this time around but they face a tricky tie against Malmo in the third qualifying round and if they can negotiate their past the Swedish side, there is then a two-legged play-off tie to determine whether they will play in the group stages of Europe’s premier competition for the first time since 2010.
Get Champions League betting with Grosvenor Sport here
Getting Rangers into the Champions League this season would obviously mean extra kudos for Gerrard but the carrot of guaranteed qualification for 2022 will focus Gerrard and his players on the domestic scene.
And, while Celtic stutter under their new manager, the Gers head into the new season in great shape having come from behind to beat Real Madrid in their final pre-season friendly.
Summer signing Fashion Sakala, who scored a second-half equaliser against Madrid and impressed with his all-round performance, looks a strong addition to Gerrard’s array attacking options.
Rangers odds might be cramped for the title, but they are slightly more generous to lift the Scottish League Cup for the first time since 2011.
Rangers odds are 5/4 with Grosvenor Sport despite crashing out to St Mirren at the quarter-final stage in 2020.
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