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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport

Champions League permutations: How Liverpool, Tottenham, Man Utd and Man City can qualify for knockout stages

We are entering the business end of the Champions League group stages, with three games down and three to go.

For the four English representatives - Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham - it has been far from plain sailing.

Liverpool beat Paris Saint-Germain on the opening round and Red Star Belgrade in matchday three but lost away in Napoli. Manchester City have a similar record, losing their matchday one game at home to Lyon but then beat Hoffenheim and Shakhtar Donetsk.

Manchester United beat Young Boys but were then held by Valencia and lost at home to Juventus. In stark contrast to last season, Tottenham are winless after three games and clinging on to faint hopes of qualification. Late goals saw them beaten at Inter, Barcelona won at Wembley and another late goal saw PSV earn a draw in Eindhoven.

So what do English teams need to reach the knockout stage?

What Liverpool need

(AFP/Getty Images)

Group C is very competitive but Liverpool know anything but a win in Belgrade in matchday four would be damaging. Another draw between Napoli and PSG as Liverpool win would leave the Reds three points clear with two games to play.


What Manchester City need

(AFP/Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola's side will qualify by beating Shakhtar Donetsk and if Lyon beat Hoffenheim.


What Manchester United need

(Getty Images)

Juventus will finish top if they beat Manchester United and qualify with a draw in Turin.

United will slip to third if they lose to Juventus and Valencia beat Young Boys. A win for United and Valencia not beating Young Boys would set them up well for the final two games.


What Tottenham need

(Getty Images)

Barcelona will win the group by beating Inter. Spurs' hopes will be over if they fail to beat PSV and Inter beat Barca.

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