Chris Sutton Explains How Arsenal Performance Earns Celtic “Huge credit”

Chris Sutton thinks Celtic deserve ‘huge credit’ for drawing 0-0 with Atalanta, explaining that Arsenal’s performance adds testament to such a point.

The Gunners went to northern Italy on matchday one of the newly formatted UEFA Champions League league phase and, similarly to the Hoops, ground out a hard-fought goalless draw.

Mikel Arteta’s side put bodies on the line, and like the Bhoys with Kasper Schmeichel, they relied at times on the heroics of their goalkeeper, David Raya.

Arsenal were praised for their approach, and due to this, Sutton believes the Hoops deserve similar plaudits.

“Arsenal were lauded for going to Bergamo and digging deep to get a goalless draw,” he said (RecordSport).

“Mikel Areta’s side set out to contain and had only two shots on target during the Game, whilst also needing keeper David Raya to make a brilliant double-save at a penalty to get them their point.

“It was saluted as a terrific away-day performance and, when a team which came within two points of toppling Manchester City for the English Premier League crown set about it that way and get patted on the back for pulling it off, Celtic deserve huge credit for doing the same.”

Celtic fans were perhaps taken aback by their team’s Bergamo approach as much as most pundits were.

After the Borussia Dortmund mauling, though, things undoubtedly had to change.

Brendan Rodgers recognised this and set his team up to be compact, absorb pressure, and look to hit on the counter.

Celtic were sloppy in possession at times, and they need to improve on that aspect the next time they implement such a Game plan, although, as Sutton says, they deserve enormous credit.

Atalanta won the Europa League last year, and if the Hoops’ result against Gian Piero Gasperini’s men wasn’t impressive enough, consider that they won 6-1 against Hellas Verona last night.