Manchester City 1, Celtic 1: On-loan City winger Patrick Roberts embarrasses parent club but Sergio Aguero stand-in Kelechi Iheanacho spares hosts blushes
Manchester City 1, Celtic 1
Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho showed that he is ready to fill the gap left by suspended top scorer Sergio Aguero by netting his fifth goal of the campaign on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old Nigeria hotshot equalised as City drew their final Champions League group fixture with Celtic, after the visitors had taken the lead through Patrick Roberts, who is on a season’s loan to them from the Manchester club.
Read more: Man City enter "critical new phase" with record revenues
Iheanacho, who is set for a prolonged run in the side while Aguero serves a four-game suspension, led the line with authority against Celtic and might have scored more than once.
Former Fulham winger Roberts reminded City chiefs of his talent after just four minutes by turning left-back Gael Clichy inside-out as he weaved in from the right flank before squeezing a low shot past goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
Pep Guardiola’s team, who were already certain of finishing second behind Barcelona in Group C, levelled moments later when Nolito fed Iheanacho and he ran clear to shoot high and through Craig Gordon.
Iheanacho saw a back-heeled effort scrambled away and Nolito had a second-half strike disallowed for offside.
Who could Man City face in last 16?
City could definitely face Atletico Madrid, Napoli or Monaco in the last 16, as well as either Juventus or Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid, depending on Wednesday’s results.