Celtic named among top clubs in world football as Angeball sees Scottish champions surge above Manchester United

Scottish champions Celtic have are among the top 50 sides in world football right now ahead of super-clubs including Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou 's men have carried on their domestic dominance from last season so far this term to sit at the top of Scottish Premiership with a two-point lead over rivals Rangers. However, that form has failed to translate into European success with a disappointing Champions League campaign all-but over after defeat to RB Leipzig on Tuesday - but that has not deterred the boffins at statistical analysis website FiveThirtyEight.

They have compiled a Soccer Power Index which ranks the best teams across the globe based on their offensive and defensive ratings so far this season. The offensive rating represents the number of goals each club would be expected to score against an average team on a neutral field, and a defensive rating represents the number of goals it would be expected to concede.

Celtic's recent success has been defined by Postecoglou's all-out attacking approach, with full-backs Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor flooding forward at every opportunity. However, they also boast a strong defensive - particularly in the Scottish Premiership where they have conceded just give goals.

That has seen them handed a combined SPI rating of 70.8, ranking at 42 ahead of the likes of Manchester United and Juventus. Rangers also make an appearance in the top 100, with an rating of 68.5 putting them at 52. Premier League champions Manchester City top the list with a rating of 93.1. Bayern Munich are a close second checking in with 92.0 so far this term.

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