The opening Scottish Premiership match of 2023 promises to be a cracker, with this Old Firm game of huge significance in the title race. Should Celtic win it, they will be well placed to go on and win the crown in a landslide manner. And the signs are that the Parkhead club are in position to pick up three more points, having won 18 of their 19 league matches this season.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have returned from the World Cup break in sparkling form. The 1-0 scoreline in Aberdeen hid the dominant nature of their performance, which was followed up by thumping successes at home to St Johnstone (4-1) and away to Hibernian (4-0).

The Hoops are also undefeated in their last five over 90 minutes against Rangers, including a 2-1 win on the occasion of their last visit to Ibrox. Perhaps more telling, though, was their 4-0 success over the Gers in September, which highlighted how quickly a significant gap has emerged between these clubs.

New Rangers manager Michael Beale will do well to close in this game. He may have picked up four wins from four in the Ibrox dugout, but it has certainly been a slog. Three one-goal wins against Hibs, Aberdeen and Ross County were followed by a more convincing success over Motherwell last time out, but the gulf to Celtic is a significant one.

This is the first real test of Beale’s management, and the odds on Celtic make it just too tempting to back it to be an examination that he and his side fail.

Monday’s Edinburgh derby should be a game that provides a great deal of entertainment, with Hearts and Hibs having both exited 2022 amid a flurry of goals.

Hearts’ last three games have produced an aggregate total of 13 goals, while six of their last eight in the league have seen over 2.5 scored. Their home fixtures this season have been particularly entertaining. All but one has seen at least three goals, while that other was a 1-1 draw with Livingston.

Meanwhile, both teams have scored in seven of their eight Tynecastle matches, which can be backed at 1.6 here. Given that all of the last three Edinburgh derbies have seen both sides hit the net, including a 1-1 draw back in August, this is a strong bet.

Hibs, meanwhile, have been a little more boom or bust, yet the Easter Road club have seen a large quantity of goals in their games, too. Their three matches since the return of hostilities have also seen a total of 13 goals, with Lee Johnson’s men coming off the back of a 4-0 loss to Celtic at the weekend. Seven of their last nine in the league have seen over 2.5 goals.

There is little doubt that Hearts hold the upper hand in this rivalry for now – they have lost only one of the last 10 – but the value going into this match is on backing over 2.5 goals, with the form of both sides suggesting a high-scoring match.

Look for Championship leaders Dundee to have far too much for struggling Arbroath when the sides meet at Dens Park on Monday. The Dark Blues have won their last six league matches and have picked up maximum points in three of their last four at home, and should be able to power past an opponent that is struggling under a weight of injuries currently.

Arbroath face a string of selection headaches prior to this match, with their midfield and defence adversely affected. Regular defender David Gold is the latest victim, having picked up a knock in the Red Lichties’ previous match that is likely to force yet another reshuffle to a very thin squad.

Having made the playoffs last season, Arbroath have come back to reality this time around and were beaten 4-0 at home by Queen’s Park two days prior to Christmas. They have made themselves tough to beat in recent times – they have lost only three of their last 10 league matches, only beating bottom club Hamilton in this run – but the depleted nature of their squad makes this short trip to the City of Discovery a hazardous one.

Indeed, there could be good value to be had backing Dundee on a -1 handicap given that Arbroath’s last four league defeats have all come by at least two goals. The Dees also won the previous fixture between these sides at Dens Park this season by a 4-2 margin, showing that they have it in their locker to win this game with some to spare. At 2.5, this is worth some consideration but the safer bet is on Dundee simply to get three points.

Monday’s second Glasgow derby of the day after the Old Firm game, will see two in-form teams face off, with Queen’s Park playing host to Partick Thistle at their temporary home of Ochilview. QP have rediscovered their best level lately, winning six successive matches. Partick, meanwhile, have come out of a truly sticky spell of form to go undefeated in six, winning four of these.

These teams are both most comfortable going forward. Queen’s Park, for instance, have scored 13 goals in their last three games, racking up impressive scores against Raith Rovers, Hamilton and Arbroath. They have already shown they have the capability to trouble Partick, too, having scored seven goals in their previous two fixtures with the Firhill side.

Partick have been in similarly prolific form. Their last four league fixtures have seen them score 12 goals, including three against erstwhile league leaders Ayr and then five last time out against an Inverness side that is typically tough to break down. There can be little doubt that after a miserable run of form in October and November, they are back.

Six of QP’s last seven league fixtures have seen over 2.5 goals, while eight of Partick’s last nine have fitted this bill. The odds of a continuation of this form are too good to pass up given that there have been nine goals in the two fixtures between these sides already this season, with the Hampden club surprisingly coming out on top on both occasions.

Dunfermline can take a big step towards the League One title on Monday if they can overcome rivals Falkirk. There is not only a local element to this match up, but it will be crucial in the title race, with the visitors somehow seeking to close a seven-point gap that has opened up between them and the Pars. It is a fixture that they cannot afford to lose.

Dunfermline are the form team in League One. They have gone nine undefeated in all competitions, winning seven of these, including their previous meeting against Falkirk. At home this season in the league, they are undefeated, though they have found goals hard to come by, which is why they have won four and drawn five. Indeed, they have won at East End Park by more than a single goal all season, with the nine games at the venue producing just 20 goals.

Falkirk, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency all season, particularly away from home. They have won only three of their eight away matches and have not won back-to-back games since early October. They are aiming to do so on Monday, having eased past Queen of the South 5-2 last time out.

Historically, this is a fixture that does not produce many goals. Eight of the last 10 meetings between these sides have produced two goals or fewer, and with so much on the line in Monday’s match, it would be surprising if this game did not go along the same lines.