Steve McManaman was taken aback when he learned that Aston Villa had quickly secured a 2-0 lead against Celtic in the Champions League match on Wednesday. The Villans went on to win 4-2, dominating the game for the most part.
During a live interview on TNT Sports 3, McManaman expressed his surprise at the Bhoys’ poor start under Brendan Rodgers, stating, “It’s an awful start for Brendan Rodgers and his men, 2-0 down in five minutes, wow.”
While Unai Emery’s team left Villa Park with a victory, the match was a closely contested affair with chances for both sides to score. Despite being a Premier League club vying for a top-four spot, Villa showed their quality on their home turf.
Although some players, like Morgan Rogers, performed well, there were tense moments at Villa Park. Villa could have capitalized on their early lead and extended their advantage, rather than allowing Celtic to claw their way back into the game.
With a place in the top eight secured, Villa now have a direct route to the last 16 of the tournament and can rest assured of their progress.
