Manchester City vs. Celtic: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info for UCL
Manchester City will have nothing left to play for when they host Celtic in their final match of the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League group stage on Tuesday, having already locked up a spot in the next round.
Celtic can no longer qualify for the UEFA Europa League, meaning Tuesday's fixture will likely be played with some back-ups and youngsters getting a taste of playing in Europe's biggest club tournament.
The two teams faced each other on Matchday 2—a spectacular 3-3 draw in Scotland—and fans will be hoping for a similar showpiece this time around. Here's everything you need to know about the match.
Date: Tuesday, December 6
Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
TV Info: BT Sport 3 (UK), Fox Sports 1 (U.S.)
Live Stream: BT Sport app, Fox Soccer 2Go
Team News
According to City's official website, Raheem Sterling is a doubt after picking up a knock, while Vincent Kompany remains injured. Fernandinho was sent off in the match against Borussia Monchengladbach and is suspended.
Scott Sinclair and Kieran Tierney will be absent for the visitors, who are free of suspensions.
Possible City Starting XI: Willy Caballero, John Stones, Aleksandar Kolarov, Nicolas Otamendi, Bacary Sagna, Leroy Sane, Fernando, Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito, Jesus Navas, Kelechi Iheanacho
Possible Celtic Starting XI: Craig Gordon, Emilio Izaguirre, Erik Sviatchenko, Jozo Simunovic, Mikael Lustig, Scott Brown, Patrick Roberts, Stuart Armstrong, Tomas Rogic, James Forrest, Moussa Dembele
Preview
City will look to bounce back from Saturday's disappointing defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the Premier League, which saw both Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero receive late red cards. Both will be suspended in domestic competitions, forcing manager Pep Guardiola to look elsewhere.
The match against Celtic will give him the opportunity to experiment with his side and see who is best suited to replace the two, with Kelechi Iheanacho expected to fill in up front. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a solid season so far, but with Gabriel Jesus' arrival on the horizon, he could use the opportunity to show his value once more.
Per City's official website, Tomas Rogic wants Celtic to use this campaign as a learning experience, and Tuesday will be a part of that:
"Our group has been very difficult. After not being in the competition for a couple of years, it's something that we're definitely learning from.
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We have to make sure we're back there next season playing at that level because that's where the club deserves to be.
Celtic survived a spectacular 4-3 thriller against Motherwell on Saturday, once again showing their penchant for dramatics and scoring. Here's a look at the highlights:
Moussa Dembele remains the team's standout attacking talent, but City fans will keep an eye on loanee Patrick Roberts.
The 19-year-old made a brief appearance on Matchday 2 and hasn't featured all that much in the Champions League, but he's been a regular in the Scottish top division and should get the chance to gain some experience at the highest level against his parent club.
Tuesday's result may not matter all that much, although the Citizens would love to regain some momentum ahead of the busy holiday season. A solid win over Celtic would do the trick, especially if some of the younger players perform well.
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