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There’s no doubt about it, Celtic must raise their game in order beat Manchester City on Tuesday evening.

On paper, Brendan Rodgers’ side are no match for Pep Guardiola’s multi-million-pound superstars.

At Celtic Park, the Bhoys can go some way to redressing that balance with the incredible support of their home fans, yet at the Etihad Stadium they have no such luxury.

Rodgers’ side have performed admirably in the toughest group they possibly could have drawn and we reckon they’re due a win in Group C.

Outside of demoralising defeats against a great Barcelona side, the Hoops have performed well against City and Monchengladbach earning draws against both sides so far.

So can they possibly go one step further and sign off the European campaign with a win? That’s the question every Celtic fan is asking themselves today.

Here are THREE ways we think Brendan Rodgers’ can win against Manchester City…

Capitalise on complacency and rotation

Manchester City are already through to the Champions League’s Last 16 and as such have even less stake in Tuesday’s game at Celtic. The Bhoys are at least playing for pride and looking to prove themselves, to Guardiola it’s just a distraction.

We’re expecting the Spanish manager to name a heavily rotated XI against the Hoops, especially after taking a title race blow to Chelsea on Saturday.

With a massive away fixture to last season’s Premier League champions to come on Saturday, Guardiola can ill afford tired legs and injuries right now.

Rodgers’ team are likely to be up for it to a greater extent with a commanding lead in the Scottish Premiership and the squad depth to deal with most teams domestically. If Celtic can take advantage of this then it could go a long way to securing victory.

Unleash Dembele

What’s been clear with Moussa Dembele this season is that, while perhaps he’s not the most consistent of performers, he turns up in the big games.

The striker actually hasn’t scored a goal in open play since 26th October and is due a big performance with his levels dropping in recent weeks.

This would be the night to do that and we’ve already seen how Dembele can be used to devastating effect against Manchester City. The goals that fired the Hoops ahead at Celtic Park were a joy for every home supporter and we reckon he can turn it on in front of another big crowd to raise his reputation even higher than it is right now.

He may have an isolated evening at the tip of the Celtic attack, so Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and company will need to work hard to close the gap from midfield and support his strength in holding up the ball.

Defend like never before

Unfortunately for Celtic, their key deficiency in the Champions League this season has been their inability to defend against elite opposition.

Incredibly they’ve conceded 15 goals in the competition with almost half of them coming in the away match to Barcelona alone. We’ve seen this season that on their night the City attack can be as deadly as Barca’s so it will require an almighty performance from the Celtic backline to keep Guardiola’s team out.

If Celtic are to win, it will likely be led by an incredible defensive performance. The likes of Lustig and Izaguirre need to be disciplined in wide areas while Simunovic will have to have a career-defining performance in opposing City’s central striker.

As reported by South Korean outlet The Chosun Ilbo, Swansea City could be set to lose one of their first team midfielders with two Chinese clubs ready to offer big bucks to bring him back to Asia.

What’s the word?

In a trend that is becoming increasingly common, another big name player could be heading to China where big money is allowing clubs there to attract some of Europe’s top talent to the country.

According to The Chosun Ilbo, Andre Villas-Boas’ Shanghai IPG side are one of two clubs ready to offer “astronomical figures” to attract Sung-yueng back to Asian football. Another, Hebei, are said to also be very keen in his signature.

The Korean midfielder only has 18 months left on his contract and Swansea could face the dilemma of cashing in on the 27-year old they signed from Celtic or have him continue in the first team while running the risk that he leaves on a free transfer.

Boas’ Shanghai side already have foreign talent at the club, breaking records to sign Brazilian striker Hulk from Zenit for a reported £45m.

Last week we discussed the possibility of John Terry making a move to China when his contract at Chelsea runs out in the summer.

Ki Sung-yueng is a national icon in his homeland of South Korea and a move back to Asia would undoubtedly increase the profile of Chinese football in the region.

Would Swansea miss him?

Since joining from Celtic in 2012, Sung-yueng has shown he has what it takes to compete as a Premier League midfielder.

His passing ability is exceptional and he has the attributes to dictate the tempo of a match on his day. However he hasn’t featured much for Swansea this season, making just five starts.

Three of those have come in October under new boss Bob Bradley so there may be hope for the midfielder yet in Wales, who is currently out of action with a toe injury.

With The Swans set for a hard fought relegation battle over the next 6 months, they’ll likely need player they have to play a part at some point and Ki is no different.

Still, money talks and if one of China’s big teams come in splashing the cash then it could be the right move for all parties.

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Arsene Wenger’s future at Arsenal remains up in the air and with there being no word of a contract extension coming his way in North London, the Gunners may have a new man leading them next season for the first time in over two decades.

With Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho already in the Premier League, whilst Carlo Ancelotti only took charge of Bayern Munich last summer and it seems inevitable that Diego Simeone will join Inter Milan after his time at Atletico Madrid comes to an end, there’s limited top-class options out there for the Gunners.

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However, one man potentially in the frame is Juventus’ 49-year-old boss Massimiliano Allegri, who has led the Turin giants to two consecutive domestic doubles. Whilst many Arsenal fans may want him to take charge at the Emirates, Allegri hasn’t got the Premier League in his sights.

Whilst confirming he is taking English lessons, he said after yesterday’s win against Bologna that it had nothing to do with Arsenal.

“It is true, that I am studying English, but not because I am going to Arsenal, I am happy here at Juventus. I am very happy at Juventus and until they kick me out, I’m content to stay.”

That’s bad news for Arsenal but he may find an offer from the Gunners more appealing if it was genuine, rather than tabloid rumours.

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Manchester City have arguably been the greatest underachievers of this Premier League season. While expectations were inflated by their strong start to the campaign, their performances during the winter months have underwhelmed with far greater frequency than they have impressed. The cherry on top of it all was the 4-0 defeat to Everton last weekend. A result that would have seen other managers’ jobs under threat, in fact.

They were Champions-elect in September, now Manchester City are having to keep pace with Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool to have a chance of finishing in the top four. Pep Guardiola needs time, which is fair enough considering the squad he inherited, but finishing outside of the Champions League places would be an utter disaster.

On Saturday evening they host Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium. Mauricio Pochettino out-manoeuvred Guardiola in their meeting at White Hart Lane earlier this season, a victory to go along with the two Pochettino notched over the two-time Premier League champions last season.

Playing at home on this occasion, City cannot afford another defeat. Their city rivals are now only two points behind them, ready to pounce on any points dropped, too. The manner of defeat to Everton can only be forgotten if Guardiola’s team can prove that it was as close to rock-bottom as they get. Another poor showing, even against a very strong Spurs side, would only see the criticism amplified.

The Everton result, even more than the performance, changes what this match means to Manchester City in the short term. Victory over the Toffees would have made this clash with Tottenham a chance to really put pressure on Chelsea. Instead, City need a result to avoid slipping into sixth place. Sixth place, in this Premier League season at least, is last place in the first mini-league. A position occupied by Manchester United for the majority of the season, falling down that solitary league position would present a significant psychological blow to City.

With players struggling for form, City need one of their stars to drag them away from this rut. Having lost four of their last eight, they are barely treading water at the moment. Whether it be a Sergio Aguero finishing masterclass or Yaya Toure rolling back the years to dominate the midfield like his best days in 2012, Guardiola needs one of his stars to produce the goods against Tottenham. For all Spurs’ excellent form of late, Manchester City have all the talent to produce an emphatic victory, however unlikely it may seem.

These are the sort of matches that make a team. They are the performances that can live long in the memory and prove pivotal come the end of the campaign. Manchester City could not have a tougher visitor than Spurs this weekend, but that is exactly why it is a chance to make a statement. There is a good chance that, however their season finishes, this match will be reflected on as a turning point or a missed opportunity.

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Manchester United’s ‘Galactico’ approach to summer transfers could see them move for Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid. Yahoo have already claimed that a move has been all-but-agreed between the club and the player, while RMC in France have gone as far as to say that the Red Devils are willing to match his £100m (£86m) release clause to get a deal done.

But even Man United don’t have the financial muscle to fund another Paul Pogba-esque transfer without consequences, and the Independent have revealed that those consequences may well be the sale of Wayne Rooney, Marouane Fellaini and… Anthony Martial!

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The former duo are understandable potential departures, but letting the Frenchman head away seems a bit short-sighted. It wasn’t long ago the club made him the most expensive teenager in the history of the game to snap him up from Monaco and even though he seems to be a player Jose Mourinho doesn’t truly appreciate, selling could come back to bite the club on the bottom.

Would letting Martial go, even if it is to fund a Griezmann swoop, be a mistake? Tell us what you think…

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may leave Adam Lallana out of his starting XI for this Saturday’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, according to talkSPORT.

The midfielder has been a pivotal part of the Reds’ attack, but the whole team are struggling at the moment following a dismal start to 2017.

In 10 matches in all competitions, the Reds have claimed just one victory, and that was a 1-0 win over Plymouth in the FA Cup, which they were later knocked out of by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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Klopp’s men are yet to win a league game since the turn of the year, and the pressure is on ahead of this weekend’s encounter at Anfield following last Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Hull City.

According to talkSPORT’s co-host Micky Quinn, Lallana may not start against Spurs after missing some training sessions this week.

The ex-Newcastle United player said on air:

“Since the defeat against Hull they have been on the training ground every day working to a pattern to beat Spurs. By all accounts that didn’t involve Adam Lallana, so whether he’s going to dropped, I’m not too sure.”

The news comes following a report in The Telegraph, which claims that Lallana is on the verge of signing a new four-year contract worth £150,000 per week.

The England international has scored seven goals and produced as many assists in the top flight this season.

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When Raheem Sterling swapped Liverpool for Manchester City in the summer of 2015 many Kopites were not worried. Granted, the former QPR trainee shone at Anfield, but the widely-held belief was that Jordon Ibe was just as talented and had more potential than his (slightly) senior team-mate.

However, those thoughts seem a lifetime away now, with the 21-year-old plying his trade at Bournemouth after failing to make the grade under Jurgen Klopp. The Merseysiders sold the pacey wide-man to the Cherries for a whopping £15m last summer, with the English-player-premium a real factor in the deal.

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Again, Ibe was expected to flourish with regular game time and the attention of an up-and-coming coach in Eddie Howe, but the story hasn’t had a happy ending just yet…

As the numbers show, Ibe has struggled at the Vitality Stadium, with his 930 minutes of action equating to just over 40% of Bournemouth’s total across the season, which is a concern given that he’s made 19 league appearances (12 starts) in total. The winger’s shot accuracy is also worryingly low at 20% from 15 efforts, while he’s yet to score or make an assist.

There’s talent there in Ibe, but, as things stand, Liverpool got the better end of the £15m deal.

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Arsenal are in dire need of improvements in the summer, regardless of whether Arsene Wenger stays or not, and one particularly area of focus is likely to be the left-side of defence.

Nacho Monreal, now the wrong side of 30, has looked shaky for large stages of the season and seems to be the weak link in the Gunners defence- as the left-side has regularly been exploited this season.

As such, a new long-term left-back should be pursued by Arsenal and Europe 1 Sports has revealed the Gunners are keeping tabs on Paris Saint-Germain left-back Layvin Kurzawa. The 24-year-old may cost a pretty figure but the stats show he’d be a worthwhile recruit.

Making 24 Ligue 1 appearances this season, Kurzawa has created 12 opportunities from his left-back position and boasts an 89% passing accuracy- which is higher than Monreal’s passing accuracy of 84% and more than the nine openings the Spaniard has provided for his team-mates.

Defensively, Kurzawa has committed 12 fouls, made 11 tackles and 29 interceptions, whilst making two defensive errors- none of which have led to a goal. In comparison, Monreal has committed 17 fouls and has also made two defensive errors.

However, the Spaniard does boast more tackles (34) and interceptions (64) but Kurzawa’s numbers could definitely be improved in the Premier League.

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According to reports on Milannews24 via Sport Witness, Southampton and Everton continue to be linked with Sporting Lisbon defender Ruben Semedo.

What’s the word, then?

Well, this weekend Italian giants AC Milan were linked with a move for the 22-year-old, who has previously been linked with Premier League duo Southampton and Everton.

Saints were said to be keen on the centre-back last summer, but no move came to fruition as Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte both remained at St Mary’s.

The two English clubs continue to regularly send scouts to watch players in Portugal, and it would be no surprise if they were still both interested in Semedo – although the reported release clause of €45m would need to be signifcantly reduced.

How has he done this season?

Semedo started off the campaign as a regular in the starting XI under manager Jorge Jesus, but following two red cards he has found himself on the substitutes’ bench in recent weeks.

That will have raised some concerns from any interested parties who might be looking to take the 22-year-old to a higher league during the summer.

Would he be a starter at Southampton?

It depends.

If Virgil van Dijk does leave St Mary’s this summer then Semedo would probably be his like-for-like replacement – and would therefore find a spot in the starting XI.

However, if Van Dijk stays then it could be more difficult. If Martin Caceres impresses over the next couple of months then the former Barcelona and Juventus man will surely be first choice, meaning first team minutes would again be hard to come by for the Portuguese defender next term.

What about at Everton?

Again, possibly.

With Phil Jagielka seemingly on his way out of Goodison Park at the end of the season and Ashley Williams getting no younger, Ronald Koeman is sure to be looking to strengthen his centre-back options.

Whether he would look for a more experienced head than Semedo’s remains to be seen, but if he has shown Everton scouts that he is good enough, then he will start – similarly to young January signing Ademola Lookman.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce says that defender Neil Taylor is “desperately sorry” for the tackle that caused Seamus Coleman to suffer a double leg break last weekend.

The challenge happened in the second half of the crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier between the Republic of Ireland and Wales on Sunday – which ended in a goalless draw – and the 28-year-old was red-carded as a result.

Everton full-back Coleman is likely to be out for the rest of 2017 after having surgery on his fibula and tibia this week, and while Taylor will be banned for his nation’s next competitive match against Serbia, it could be extended after FIFA opened proceedings against the defender.

Football fans were quick to have their say on Bruce’s comments via social media, with many condemning him for protecting his player after such a controversial tackle.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction to the story…

Not everyone believed it was an intentional challenge though…