Ross County vs Rangers: Betting Odds & Prediction

(Featured image: Alamy Images)

Written by: Scott Ennis

Rangers look to pile the pressure on league leaders Celtic when they travel to Ross County on Sunday afternoon. 

Kick-off is set for 12pm UK time at Dingwall. 

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Ross County

The home side come into the fixture looking to bounce back from a 1-0 away defeat at Kilmarnock last weekend. The result meant they've picked up just one win in their last five, leaving them in 11th place and four points behind tenth-placed St Johnstone.

Ross County have scored just 29 goals in the league this season, averaging an expected goals (xG) tally of 1.03 per match. 15 of those goals have occurred on home soil, where they've picked up 19 of their 27 points. However, they have failed to score in seven of their home matches this season.

Conceding goals has been the main issue, with 54 already shipped so far (an average of 1.69 per match). They've conceded only 18 at home though, keeping four clean sheets in the process. Their improved performance in home fixtures has seen them average 1.27 points per game at Dingwall, compared to a dismal 0.47 in away games. 

Rangers

Rangers will be looking to claim their twelfth win in 14 games at Dingwall, and head into the match in a buoyant mood after a pulsating 3-3 home draw with rivals Celtic last weekend. They currently find themselves in second place, one point behind their bitter rivals with a game in hand. 

Rangers boast the best away record in the division, with just eight points dropped on the road so far. They are also the second-highest scorers in the division with 70, while also averaging an xG of 2.17. 

Only 28 of these goals have came on the road though, where their xG drops to 1.9. Nevertheless, they have scored in all but one of their away fixtures, the only blemish being a 1-0 loss at Kilmarnock on the opening day of the season.

Rangers have particularly excelled in defensive quarters; only 20 goals conceded stands as the division's best, averaging an impressive expected goals against (xGA) of just 0.93. Only five of these goals have been shipped in away fixtures, with ten of their ten clean sheets coming on their travels. 

Prediction

To the surpise of nobody, Rangers predictably come in as heavy favourites, with little value on offer in backing the away win on the moneyline. However, their superb defensive record coupled with County's goalscoring troubles suggest Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland could be about to bag his eleventh away clean sheet of the season as his side look to continue their push for another Scottish title.

OddsNow's Pick: Rangers to win 'to nil' (Evens @ bet365)