BRENDAN’S BHOYS ARE BASHED BY SUPERSTARS
CELTIC were played off the park as PSG put down an early Champions League marker.
The game’s biggest spenders are the subject of a UEFA financial fair play probe into the jaw-dropping sums spent on Neymar and promised for Kylian Mbappe.
But there was no denying that as far as this performance on the pitch was concerned, they were right on the money.
Bhoys boss Brendan Rodgers gambled on handing teenager Tony Ralston a first Champions League start – and he was given the task of stopping Neymar.
The rookie began with two meaty challenges on the £200m man that could have been punished with yellows.
Celtic were relieved when Edinson Cavani swept the ball home early on but it was correctly ruled out for offside.
Stopped
A goal was coming though and it was Brazilian Neymar who netted it in the 19th minute.
Celtic claimed Scott Sinclair had been stopped illegally in the PSG half but the counter attack that followed was deadly.
Ralston was caught napping when Cavani sent Neymar away to fire past keeper Craig Gordon and into the roof of the net.
Leigh Griffiths tried for a repeat of his free-kick heroics for Scotland against England but PSG keeper Alphonse Areola had done his homework and tipped the striker’s long-range effort over.
It was to prove crucial as the big spenders doubled the lead through Mbappe in the 34th minute.
Neymar turned provider with a header across the box that Cavani completely missed.
That was just perfect for the Monaco man though and the controversial loan signing lashed the loose ball home.
Celtic caved in and were three down six minutes later. Jozo Simunovic hauled Cavani down in the box and the Uruguay striker made no mistake from the spot.
An idiotic Celtic fan came on to the pitch and aimed a kick at Mbappe but missed and was bundled away.
It was damage limitation time for Rodgers and Co. after the break and Ralston’s booking finally arrived for a late tackle on Thiago Motta.
PSG appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears when Mbappe’s shot seemed to hit Ralston on a hand and Neymar blasted a great chance wide soon after.
Celtic were wilting though and defender Mikael Lustig turned a cross into his own net to make it 4-0 in the 82nd minute.
Cavani took advantage two minutes later with a diving header across Gordon that doubled as the goal of a long night for the Scottish champions. MAROUANE FELLAINI showed just why he’s teacher’s pet.
Head boy Fellaini came on as sub and nodded Manchester United into the lead, showing just why boss Jose Mourinho rates him so highly.
The Belgian star got an early taste of the action because skipper Paul Pogba had to go off injured.
He struck in the 35th minute to finally give the Reds the reward their dominance deserved. He also made the third goal for Marcus Rashford.
Power
Ashley Young curled a beautiful ball across the face of the six-yard box and there was the mop-headed all-purpose man to power it home.
The goal was a long time coming after United missed a host of good chances but that did not matter when Romelu Lukaku added a second in the 53rd minute.
He glanced home a header from close range after leaping powerfully to make sure he got to Daley Blind’s cross.
United started brightly and were well in control when they were forced to make a change with 18 minutes gone. Skipper Pogba pulled up after stretching for a ball on the wet surface and it quickly became clear he was going to take no further part.
On came Fellaini – the man who had been praised to the hilt by boss Mourinho in the build-up to the game.
Young was thrown the armband and United continued to go at the Swiss champions.
They could have taken the lead after 90 seconds when Lukaku thumped a shot goalwards only to see it ricochet out after striking the powerfully-built Manuel Akanji.
While that was more of a speculative attempt from distance, Henrikh Mkhitaryan did not have the luxury of such an excuse when he missed a golden chance in the 12th minute.
He was perfectly placed when Juan Mata finished neat interplay with Lukaku with a deft chip towards the front post, but the Spaniard’s header missed the target.
Midway through the half, United missed another golden opportunity to make the