Lothar Matthaus: Pep Guardiola has changed Manchester City in just a few short weeks… and Joe Hart and Yaya Toure never stood a chance

Manchester City face Celtic on Wednesday night in the Battle of Britain Champions League clash.

Here, SunSport columnist Lothar Matthaus looks at where the game could be won and lost.

PEP'S LOT TOO HOT TO HANDLE

IT has only taken a few weeks but now we can all see the Pep Guardiola style.

He has changed things very quickly and the great thing for Manchester City is that, offensively, he has players who can understand what he wants — fast and technically good players.

Guardiola likes footballers who can pass the ball, who have eyes for the best position and the right runs. Pep could hardly ask for more from his players but he will know this is not the end.

He will expect and demand more from all of them.

I said in the Euros that Raheem Sterling was a fantastic prospect but he needed a manager to unlock his quality. Guardiola has done what Roy Hodgson couldn’t do but he has to continue to develop.

Kevin De Bruyne will be a miss for the next few weeks because he’s been Pep’s key player.

In the last 30 metres of the pitch he has great speed of thought and movement and the ability to make the killer pass or shoot. He has the ability to make the difference.

So what does he do? Well, Leroy Sane is a typical Guardiola player. But he hasn’t got the experience to be a starter yet.

He is one for the future and a Pep favourite — fast and smart, who must start wide but can come inside. He has the exact creativity Guardiola wants to see.

But, for now, David Silva and Ilkay Gundogan will be the two in the centre, with Sterling on the right and Nolito on the left. I can’t see Celtic being able to handle them.

SWEEPING CHANGES

I SAID in the summer I couldn’t see a place for Yaya Toure or Joe Hart in Pep Guardiola’s system.