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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 qualification hopes beginning to take shape.

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

Liverpool were stunned by Red Star Belgrade on match day three, losing for the second time in the group stages this season after a dismal performance in the Serbian capital.

Spurs meanwhile kept their qualification hopes alive after coming from behind at Wembley to beat PSV Eindhoven, with Harry Kane's brace wiping out an early Luuk de Jong goal.

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

What Liverpool need

(AFP/Getty Images)

While a defeat in Belgrade was damaging, Liverpool are still in control of their own destiny of sorts.

A win away to Paris Saint-Germain later this month with Red Star failing to beat Napoli would confirm their place in the last 16. But with the Parisians desperate to avoid an early exit of their own, this one may be decided in the final gameweek.

A Liverpool defeat in Paris and a Napoli victory would leave Jurgen Klopp’s side needing to beat the Serie A giants by two clear goals in huge decider at Anfield in December.


What Tottenham need

Tottenham welcome Inter to Wembley at the end of the month needing to win to keep their hopes alive.

Should they beat them by two clear goals, they will need to match the Nerazzurri’s result in the final gameweek when they visit Barcelona.

With Inter at home to PSV that evening, that will likely need to be a win.

(Action Images via Reuters)

What Manchester City need

(AFP/Getty Images)

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


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.

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