Champions League group-stage football is due to return to Parkhead under the lights this evening as Celtic host Serie A side Lazio in Glasgow.
The Hoops come into the match on zero points in their group after they lost 2-0 to Feyenoord in their first match in the competition this season and are up against a struggling side.
Lazio are currently 16th in the Serie A and have only won two of their seven league games this term, whilst they also recorded a draw against Atletico Madrid in their first group stage outing.
Brendan Rodgers' side will be hoping to build on the positive momentum that was started with a dramatic win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership last Saturday.
The Bhoys won 2-1 away from Paradise as Matt O'Riley scored a 97th-minute winner for the Scottish giants, after the home side had equalised and looked set for a point in the 95th minute.
What's the latest Celtic team news?
Rodgers has confirmed that central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will not be available for selection against Lazio as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury.
The Hoops will also be without two players who were sent off against Feyenoord in the Netherlands, as they are now suspended for tonight's clash.
Odin Thiago Holm was shown a straight red card and will not be in the mix to start in central midfield, whilst centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke is also out after being sent off for two bookable offences.
This means that there is an opening for a player to come in at the heart of Celtic's defence after the Sweden international started the win over Motherwell.
Will Nat Phillips start against Lazio?
Rodgers must now unleash Liverpool loanee Nat Phillips from the start as Lagerbielke, Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki, who did not make the Champions League squad list, are all unavailable.
The Swedish summer signing started alongside Liam Scales on the right side of the defence at the weekend and this is the perfect position for the English titan, who is right-footed, to come in and take.
Therefore, the Northern Irishman should start the 6 foot 3 stopper for the first time in Europe this season since his temporary move to Parkhead from the Premier League side.
Celtic are facing a minor crisis at centre-back with so many options out of action, including Stephen Welsh, who is set to be out for three to four months, but Phillips has the quality to put in an excellent performance tonight to ease any fears from supporters.
He is set to be up against legendary Lazio forward Ciro Immobile, who has scored 198 goals in 305 matches for the club, and will be in for a tough evening. However, the 26-year-old defender has experience at this level and has shown that he has the ability to excel against the best of the best.
How many Champions League appearances has Phillips made?
The central defender played five Champions League matches during his time at Liverpool with those games coming against AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and RB Leipzig. Tough opposition indeed.
His side won three of those clashes and only conceded four goals, three of which came in a 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium against Real.
Phillips averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across three games against Real and Leipzig combined during the 2020/21 campaign and caught the eye with a dominant 71% aerial duel success rate.
The English centre-back, who made 3.7 tackles and interceptions combined per match, has the potential to dominate Lazio and Immobile, who happens to have lost 75% of his Serie A aerial battles this season.
Celtic's central defender has consistently showcased an ability to win the physical battle with the opposition and the Italy international has struggled with that side of the game this season.
How many goals has Immobile scored this season?
Immobile has registered two goals in eight games for the Italian side throughout the 2023/24 campaign to date and is coming off the back of 14 goals and seven assists in 38 matches last term.
The 33-year-old, who has scored nine goals in 16 Champions League career matches, had also netted a a whopping 32 goals in 40 matches in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign.
He has proven himself to be an exceptional goalscorer for Lazio over the course of a number of years, with only two goals needed to reach a double century of strikes for the club, but his physical play has been less-than-impressive this term.
Immobile has lost 66% of his ground duels and 75% of his aerial battles across seven Serie A outings this season which suggests that Phillips could be able to dominate him.
How good is Phillips in the air?
The English brute was once described as a "monster" in the air by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and this is backed up by his statistics over the years.
Phillips won 66% of his aerial contests across 17 Premier League appearances during the 2020/21 campaign and then caught the eye on loan with Bournemouth the following term, coming out on top in 69% of those duels in 17 Championship games for the Cherries.
Therefore, the Reds loanee has the potential to dominate Immobile, who has started seven of Lazio's eight games in the Serie A and Champions League, with his outstanding ability when the ball is off the ground.
The Hoops enforcer has consistently proven himself to be a dominant force and by contrast, the Italy international has struggled to deal with those situations, which could allow Phillips to impose himself on the veteran finisher this evening.
That's not to suggest his impact is limited to those situations, however. Indeed, the £65k-per-week gem, who was once dubbed "immense" by Klopp, could also make an impact in possession as he ranked among the top 7% of centre-backs for progressive passes per 90 (seven) during the 2020/21 Champions League campaign.
This essentially means that he was one of the best players in his position at progressing the ball through the thirds to start attacks for his side from centre-back on a regular basis.
Phillips could help Celtic to build play out from the back to create chances which paired with his aerial prowess, could well set Rodgers' men on the way to an unlikely result.
