Hoops seek cutting edge

Rodgers wants his Celts to raise their standards in front goal

Paul Pogba inspired Manchester United to a winning start to their Champions League campaign as Jose Mourinho’s men overcame Young Boys and their potentially problematic plastic pitch.

Brendan Rodgers wants his players to demand more of themselves in front of goal when Celtic take on Rosenborg in their opening Europa League Group B game tonight.

The Hoops drew a blank in their Premiership match with St Mirren on Friday and the normally freescoring treble champions have notched only five goals in five league games this season, as they sit five points behind leaders Hearts.

The Celtic boss is now looking for improvement from all his potential goalscorers as the focus turns to Europe.

“On paper we have lots of players who can score

With tough assignments against Valencia and Juventus to come, United knew just how important it would be to get three points in their Group H opener on the Stade de Suisse’s synthetic surface.

United were not at their best in Berne but emerged victorious from this tricky encounter, with Pogba following his classy opener with but you don’t win the game on paper,” said the Northern Irishman, who revealed Kristoffer Ajer is a big doubt with a virus while fellow defender Jozo Simunovic remains out with a knee injury.

“You have to win it on the field. We have to take those opportunities.

“I have always said possession is no good on its own. We have to have a superb spot kick and assist for Anthony Martial in the 3-0 win.

It was a comprehensive, if not always convincing, start to their Champions League campaign – and all the more satisfying as Mourinho’s players appeared to avoid injury on the Swiss champions’ controversial surface.

Cristiano Ronaldo could miss that penetration. But we have to be more demanding of ourselves now. That is our message.

“My trust in the players is 100%, they have been brilliant in the time I have been here. But we need to improve in the final third of the pitch. Defensively we have been solid in our last four games, keeping a clean sheet, but we need to do more in the attacking third of the pitch.

“It is ensuring we have that energy and quality and being clinical to take opportunities.”

Celtic knocked the Norwegian club out of the Champions League qualifiers last month with a 3-1 aggregate success, before themselves losing an expected return to Old Trafford with Juventus after being sent off for the first time in his Champions League career. The Portuguese was making his first appearance for Juventus in the competition but saw red in the 29th minute of the Group H tie away to Valencia for an off-the-ball incident in the penalty area as the Italian side won 2-0. out to AEK Athens in the next round.

Looking forward to a group that also includes Salzburg and RB Leipzig, Rodgers said: “There is always excitement going into the European competitions. It is a good group we are in. The dynamics are slightly different in terms of playing Rosenborg. Previously it has been knockout and maybe the first leg has been a little bit cagey. But the difficulty of the game is still there.”

Celtic chairman Ian Bankier, meanwhile, yesterday surveyed “a financial year in which everything went well” after the Hoops posted results up until June 30 2018 which included a pre-tax profit of £17.3 million.

The Parkhead club revealed record sales revenue of £101.6m, up from £90.6m from the previous year with the profit before taxation up from £6.9m in 2017.

Those headline -grabbing figures are from a summer where Celtic made history by clinching an unprecedented double domestic treble while winning their seventh successive league title.

Bankier believes the club’s stable financial position will also help the absorb the blow of failing to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the Champions League for the first time in three years. Steven Gerrard insists Rangers can spring a few surprises and qualify for the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

The Ibrox men make their return to the group stages of a European competition for the first time in eight years when they take on Villarreal tonight.

Making it this far can be regarded as a major achievement for the Light Blues boss and his new-look side.

But the former Champions League winner has bigger ambitions than that and insists the LIght Blues have not fought their way through four qualifiers just to make up the numbers.

Now, on the eve of their Group G opener against the La Liga big guns, Gerrard declared his players are out to cause a shock at El Madrigal.

“We are the underdogs in the group in terms of the opinions from outside, but in the dressingroom we have a quiet confidence and belief we can cause a shock and get out of the group.

“We are not here to make up the numbers. We want to challenge in the group and see where we end up.

“We all believe this is where this club should be after difficult times and not many people gave us a chance of making this stage.

“If people want to underestimate us or write us off that’s fine.

“I can see a togetherness and a team growing. I’m happy where we are at this moment.”

Brendan Rodgers: Eyeing a vast improvement