Mr Fixit’s Best Weekend Bets

It’s a big weekend of New Year action north of the border with two cracking derbies in prospect. Here with his exclusive column in association with Scottish firm McBookie is tipping legend Mr Fixit’s take on the upcoming action.

ONCE bitten twice shy isn’t a phrase well known to the guys at McBookie.com.

This weekend the saying threatens to bite them where it hurts not once but three times. Firstly, they are revisiting their 0-0 cashback offer and promising to refund all bets on the respective games if it finishes scoreless between Celtic v Rangers and Hearts v Hibs. Both fixtures had 0-0s last season.

And secondly having paid out plenty on Kris Boyd to beat Henrik Larsson’s SPL goals record before the end of last year they have priced up another Boyd v Larsson cracker.This time they make Boyd 5-4 to overhaul Larsson’s mark of 35 league goals in a season and the Rangers star needs to hit the target at about the rate of a goal a game to achieve the feat. Having netted five in 90 minutes against Dundee United last week and 11 in his last six outings who’d bet against him.The only side Boyd has trouble against is Celtic and he is 5-1 to open the scoring in tomorrow’s Old Firm encounter at Parkhead.Boyd has only netted once against Celtic but is in the form of the life and must be considered.

McBookie.com have been forced to cut Rangers from 2-1 to 15-8 after their seven-goal demolition of Dundee United but victory came at a cost. Kenny Miller, who had netted six in three games, was sent off and is banned so Boyd will have a different partner up front and Rangers may pay the penalty of having to switch personnel. The absence of Madjid Bougherra is also a disaster for Walter Smith and the game could be closer than many expect. I’ll stick with Rangers while it’s 7-5 Celtic and 6-1 Scott McDonald of Georgios Samaras to net first.

There’s another big derby when Hibs entertain Hearts tomorrow. The Jambos have turned the corner with three wins in a row to move into the top six but I fancy Hibs, with deadly strike partners Anthony Stokes and Derek Riordan, to take the points. Hibs are 21-20 with Hearts 11-4.

If it goes ahead back St Johnstone (9-5) at Falkirk while the games between Dundee United and Aberdeen and St Mirren and Kilmarnock could be draws.

The only game guaranteed to go ahead in Division One is at Dundee where the leaders entertain struggling Airdrie. This game has been switched to Dens and even without key midfielder Gary Harkins Dundee should win. There are no games surviving in Division Two but in the Third the match between Queen’s Park and Albion Rovers will go ahead at Hampden and I reckon it’s a home win.

• Weekend treble: Rangers, Hibs, Dundee

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