Ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton is worried that his former club could be on the end of a heavy defeat to AC Milan when the two sides face off in the Europa League on Thursday night.

The Rossoneri have won all seven matches they have played in all competition so far this campaign, and Sutton says that if the Hoops lose heavily later this week, it may even prompt the club’s chief executive Peter Lawwell to consider Neil Lennon’s future as manager:

“He needs a performance, and he needs a big performance, and maybe he’ll get it against AC Milan on Thursday. The truth of the matter is we’re all sitting there and thinking AC Milan, in the form they are in, will come and turn Celtic over easily. But Neil Lennon somehow needs to get a tune out of his players, otherwise Peter Lawwell might be thinking ‘we need a different voice, I can’t let this carry on’.”

It’s a strong statement from Sutton, considering he is one of Lennon’s former teammates and usually has the Irishman’s back. However, the pressure is starting to build on the Celtic boss after a poor start to the season.

Being knocked out of the Champions League qualifying rounds for a second year in a row, combined with the disappointing loss to arch-rivals Rangers last Saturday, means patience is wearing thin and, as Sutton mentions, Lennon really needs a good result versus Milan to turn things around.