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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Connor Dunn & Elliott Jackson

Champions League fixtures hand Chelsea title advantage over Liverpool and Man City

Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea discovered their opponents for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League on Monday.

All three English clubs topped their groups and head into the first knock-out round with the Reds facing RB Leipzig, City playing Borussia Monchengladbach and Chelsea battling Atletico Madrid.

This weekend saw all three clubs drop points after their midweek European exploits, with City and Liverpool both drawing while Chelsea were beaten 1-0 by Everton.

Despite the lack of European football until mid-February when the Champions League restarts, the fixture list doesn't become any more forgiving in the coming weeks as English clubs gear up for the hectic Christmas fixture pile-up and the start of the FA Cup.

Later down the line, those European fixtures could have a significant bearing on Liverpool's hopes to retain their Premier League title, especially given their current injury crisis.

Out of the three clubs remaining English clubs in the Champions League, it's Chelsea who have the nicest-looking fixture list, when comparing who each side could face after their European matches later in the season.

All three clubs could take on three of the traditional 'big six', depending on when they play their last-16 matches and assuming they reach the semi-finals, while Manchester City and Liverpool will also take on Leicester City.

For Liverpool, their trickiest week could fall either side of their round of 16 second leg, if they're selected to play on the March 16/17.

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The last 16 fixtures are split between two sets of midweek action, so Liverpool will either face Fulham (H) and Wolves (A) or potentially Wolves, then Chelsea (H).

Arsenal (A) and Aston Villa (H) would follow in the first leg of the quarter-finals and the second leg would be finished off with Leeds (A), the following week.

Should Jurgen Klopp's side reach the semi-finals, they'd begin that week with a home clash against Newcastle United before travelling to Old Trafford after their first leg.

Fourth-place Southampton at home would then be their opponents after the second leg.

Here's a rundown of all the provisional fixtures, with matches all subject to change.

Liverpool

16/17/23/24 February - CL first-leg Ro16 - Leicester (A), Everton (H), Sheff Utd (A)

9/10/16/17 March - CL second-leg Ro16 - Fulham (H), Wolves (A), Chelsea (H)

6/7 April - CL first-leg QF - Arsenal (A), Aston Villa (H)

13/14 April - CL second-leg QF - Aston Villa (H), Leeds (A)

27/28 April - CL first-leg SF - Newcastle (H), Man Utd (A)

4/5 May CL second-leg SF - Man Utd (A), Southampton (H)

Manchester City

16/17/23/24 February - FL Ro16 - Tottenham (H), Arsenal (A), West Ham (H)

9/10/16/17 March - SL Ro16 - Man Utd (H), Fulham (A), Wolves (H)

6/7 April - FL QF - Leicester (A), Leeds (H)

13/14 April - SL QF - Leeds (H), Villa (A)

27/28 April - FL SF - Southampton (H), Crystal Palace (A)

4/5 May SL - SF - Crystal Palace (A), Chelsea (H)

Chelsea

16/17/23/24 Feb - FL Ro16 - Newcastle (H), Southampton (A), Man Utd (H)

9/10/16/17 March - SL Ro16 - Everton (H), Leeds (A), Liverpool (A)

6/7 April - FL QF - West Brom (H), Crystal Palace (A)

13/14 April - SL QF - Crystal Palace (A), Brighton (H)

27/28 April - FL SF - West Ham (A), Fulham (H)

4/5 May SL - SF - Fulham (H), Man City (A)

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