Thursday’s briefing: Man City suffer in Paris while Battle of Britain approaches | OneFootball

Manchester City’s Champions League fate will be decided by a home match with Club Brugge next week after they let a 2-0 lead slip to lose 4-2 at Paris St Germain.

Arsenal are all-but through to the last 16 after they beat Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 while Celtic assured themselves of at least a play-off round after getting the better of Young Boys.

Manchester City in Champions League peril

Manchester City are in danger of crashing out of the Champions League after surrendering a 2-0 lead to lose 4-2 at Paris St Germain.

Jack Grealish looked to have put the 2023 winners on course for a crucial victory at the Parc des Princes after coming off the bench to score and set up another goal for Erling Haaland.

But the hosts quickly levelled through Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola before a Joao Neves header put PSG ahead 12 minutes from time and Goncalo Ramos had the final say in stoppage time.

The defeat leaves City outside the top 24 in the league phase of the competition and needing to beat Club Brugge in their last game next week to reach the play-off round.

City boss Pep Guardiola said: “The best team won and we have one last chance at home against Brugge. Hopefully we can qualify.”

Arsenal are on the brink

Declan Rice scored after just 104 seconds as Arsenal recorded a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb at the Emirates Stadium to put them on the brink of automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16.

Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s tally after 66 minutes with his 14th goal of the season before Martin Odegaard added a third in stoppage time.

The result took Arsenal back up to third in the 36-team table with the top eight assured of avoiding a two-legged knockout clash to reach the next phase.

Ruben Amorim accepts ‘worst team’ comments were too strong

Ruben Amorim admitted frustration got the better of him when he described his Manchester United side as perhaps the worst in the club’s history in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s 3-1 home defeat by Brighton.

The 39-year-old’s frustration was such that he reportedly broke a television in the home dressing room.

Ahead of his side’s clash with Rangers, Amorim said: “I understand I gave you that headline and I’m frustrated sometimes and sometimes I should not say that in those terms. But it is what it is and that’s it. Sometimes it’s really hard to hide the frustration in some moments.

“But the good thing is that I said the same things in a different way in the dressing room five minutes before. The response was quite normal because I’m really blunt with my players.”

Wolves insist Matheus Cunha is not for sale

Wolves are not expected to sell star player Matheus Cunha during the January transfer window, despite reported interest from a host of Premier League clubs.

The 25-year-old has been a standout performer for Wolves in a miserable season, scoring 10 goals and assisting four more in 21 Premier League appearances.

That has seen him attract interest from a number of Premier League clubs during the current transfer window, with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal said to be considering bids.

But Wolves have received no offers or official contact for Cunha and the PA news agency understands he is not for sale, with the club determined he will still be at Molineux after the window shuts on February 3.

What’s on today?

There is a fascinating ‘Battle of Britain’ at Old Trafford as Manchester United host Rangers in the Europa League. Both sides are currently in the top eight of the league phase and are eyeing automatic qualification to the last 16.

Manchester United’s troubles at Old Trafford have been laid bare in recent weeks and they will want to put a show on for their fans.

Tottenham are also in the hunt for automatic qualification but they are still depleted ahead of their visit to German club Hoffenheim, with boss Ange Postecoglou remaining under severe pressure.

And in League One there is the ‘Hollywood battle’ as Ryan Reynolds and Ryan McElhenney’s Wrexham travel to Birmingham, who have NFL great Tom Brady as a minority owner.