Manchester City are bigger than Arsenal and Chelsea but NOT Celtic says talkSPORT pundit

Andy Townsend reckons Manchester City are bigger than Arsenal and Chelsea - but NOT Celtic.

Pep Guardiola's side can take a major step towards an incredible Double Treble by overcoming Real Madrid in tonight's Champions League quarter-final second leg - less than a year after becoming the first English side since Manchester United in 1999 to be crowned Premier League, FA Cup and European champions.

Repeating those achievements for a second successive season would undoubtedly rank City among the greatest teams in football history. But fans and pundits down south are still reluctant to consider the Blues - funded by Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan - as one of the world's elite clubs.

Townsend is among those who believe a club's status is defined by its history over the course of several decades, plus its worldwide appeal. And the Republic of Ireland legend is unconvinced City should be held in the same breath as English rivals Liverpool and Manchester United.

Speaking on talkSPORT, he explained: "I think what constitutes a big club, having commentated on matches throughout the world, when you rock up in Johannesburg and places like that, all you see is the red of Man United and the red of Liverpool. They are massive out there. In the Far East, Liverpool are ginormous. I think what really constitutes a big club is that global, worldwide appeal where you can turn up in some of the most remote places and see your team's colours."

Although Townsend played for Chelsea, the 60-year-old said: "I would suggest now, that Manchester City are a bigger club than Arsenal. What about Chelsea? Again, I'd have to say that Chelsea's recent winning history makes them very prominent. But right now, I'd say City are probably a bigger club than Chelsea. But it's purely an opinion. Liverpool and United are sort of away."

However, when put on the spot by host Andy Goldstein whether City eclipses Celtic, Townsend said: "Celtic are a bigger club, probably. From what I said earlier about global appeal, Celtic. You probably do (need 30, 40 or 50 years of history). We're talking about something here that we can't answer with City.

"They are so brilliant at the moment and right now, they are the best team that everyone would love to be most. But trying to have the global appeal that Liverpool and United have got, they haven't got that now. And it's going to take some time for them to."