Manchester United

Manchester United players will be in training this morning before their trip to Romanian side FCSB in the Europa League on Thursday.

We will hopefully be bringing you a live stream of their session from around 10:15 GMT and you will be able to access it via the top of this page.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

Image source, Getty Images

In simple terms: Paris St-Germain will qualify for the play-offs if they avoid defeat at Stuttgart.

The full version: A draw would keep PSG’s opponents Stuttgart below them in the table on goal difference and ensure PSG can finish no lower than 24th.

In fact, a draw would realistically be enough for both PSG and Stuttgart to qualify for the play-offs as while a Man City win over Club Brugge would see City leapfrog them both on goal difference, it would cause the Belgian side to slip below both of them on goal difference too. The only threat to Stuttgart’s qualification if they drew would be if Dinamo Zagreb beat AC Milan by at least seven goals.

However, PSG will be eliminated from the competition if they lose to Stuttgart AND:

• Man City or Dinamo Zagreb win, Sporting avoid defeat or lose by at least one goal fewer than PSG AND Benfica avoid defeat or don’t lose by a bigger margin than PSG
• OR if Man City and Zagreb both win AND at least one of the Portuguese sides achieves the above.

Given how close PSG, Benfica and Sporting’s goal differences are, it could come down to goals scored.

Of course, if 10 points proves good enough to qualify then Shakhtar would have an outside chance if they win at Dortmund, but they would need at least an eight-goal swing against both Benfica and PSG.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

In simple terms: The likeliest route to a top-eight finish for Villa is that they win against Celtic AND Atalanta fail to beat Barcelona away. Alternatively, Villa would overtake Leverkusen if they win by two goals more on the night (eg. 3-0 to Villa, 1-0 to Leverkusen).

The full version: Villawill secure a top-eight finish if they beat Celtic AND:

• One of the four sides immediately above them fails to win. Even then, Villa would need to guard against any of the four teams currently below them on goal difference from winning by at least a two-goal greater margin. (NB. Two of those sides, Lille and Feyenoord, play each other).
• OR Villa win by at least two goals more than Leverkusen (e.g. 3-0 to Villa, 1-0 to Leverkusen). Even then, Villa would be relying on none of the other sides on 13 points winning by at least a two-goal greater margin than them.
• OR Villa win, Inter Milan lose and don’t score more goals than Villa on the night. Again, Villa would also need to ensure they’re not overtaken on goal difference by the teams immediately below them. (NB. Villa can mathematically overtake Arsenal but it would need an eight-goal swing in their favour. eg. Villa win 4-0, Arsenal lose 4-0).

A draw will only be enough for Villa to finish in the top eight if Bayer Leverkusen lose AND 10 sides (Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus, PSV and Brugge) all fail to win. Unlikely!

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

In simple terms: City will qualify for the play-offs if they win at home to Club Brugge. Anything else, and they’re eliminated.

The full version: As above. City’s qualification is not dependent on any other results. This is because if they win, it will not only move them above their opponents Club Brugge but also above at least one of Stuttgart and PSG, depending on the result between them, making Dinamo Zagreb’s result irrelevant to the English champions.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael Brown
Former Manchester City midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think for Mikel Arteta, the situation Arsenal are in chasing in the Premier League, I quite fancy them in this year's Champions League. I feel like he has done all of his prep, he has said he has watched them three or four times. It's another game, they want to develop and go on and win.

I don't think their approach will be cautious, I think they will be after it to try and get a positive result. that is the mentality he has, he wants to win every single game.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

Image source, Getty Images

In simple terms: They are into the round of 16 bar an improbable sequence of results and swing in goal difference.

The full version: To slip out of the top eight they would need to lose at Girona, for Inter to avoid defeat AND, realistically, five of the other nine teams within reach to win. Even then, Arsenal’s goal difference is at least +6 better than all six sides currently three points behind them (two of those, Lille and Feyenoord, play each other). Opta put the chances of Arsenal not finishing in the top eight at just 0.04%.

Looking up the table, a win would see them finish in the top two if Barcelona lose at home to Atalanta. If Barca draw, then the Gunners would have to win by four goals.

See what John had to say at 08:40.

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

In simple terms: Celtic have already qualified for the play-off round and have no realistic chance of finishing in the top eight.

The full version: Celtic would secure an extremely unlikely top-eight finish if they win at Aston Villa AND:

• All 10 sides immediately above them (Leverkusen, Villa, Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille, Brest, Dortmund, Bayern, Real Madrid and Juventus) fail to win (NB. Lille play Feyenoord and Brest play Real Madrid).
• OR 9 of the 10 sides immediately above them all fail to win AND Atalanta lose at Barcelona.
• OR Atletico and AC Milan both lose (with the required goal swing), Atalanta lose and 7 of the 10 sides immediately above Celtic all fail to win.

Opta put the chances of any of this happening and Celtic finishing in the top-eight at just 0.05%.

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Collinson
BBC football statistician

In simple terms: Liverpool have already qualified for the round of 16 and will finish top of the table if they avoid defeat at PSV OR Barcelona fail to beat Atalanta at home.

The full version: Apart from being named the inaugural ‘Champions League league winners’, there’s no real difference between finishing first or second as they’ll be the ‘best team’ on one side of the draw either way.

Image source, Getty Images

With 18 matches all kicking off at the same time this evening in the Champions League, you may be feeling a little bit overwhelmed by what results are needed by who in this new format.

Well, BBC Sport's Chris Collinson has got you covered.

Here, he explains what teams need from the final round of matches in the league phase of the Champions League to qualify for the knockout stages.

Manchester City

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola on Club Brugge:

"I expect a tough game. When a team are unbeaten in 20 games it's because they are good, there's no secret there. I saw some of the games, when they played Aston Villa and Juventus and against Milan they played good. They have done really well. Different variations in build-up and man marking - they make it uncomfortable.

"Of course in every team, Man City included, there are weaknesses and you have to discover them and punish them."

On players being up for the match:

"I hope so. I know they want it. I know how focussed they are and I don't have doubts that we'll perform to go through but this is football and you never know."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

There will be a familiar face in the Club Brugge goal tonight.

Former Sunderland and Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet has plenty of experience of playing at the Etihad Stadium. He also still keeps across events in the Premier League, so knows acutely the struggles Manchester City have been having.

He doesn't know whether City's predicament is a good thing or bad one for the Belgian side, who could go through even if they lose.

"You can see it both ways for us," he said.

"In first instance, we are in a situation that we want to qualify to go to the play-off round, which would be an unbelievable performance and achievement for us.

"Now, we don't have to look at what reasons are, and why Manchester City are in the situation they are in.

"We only know that when you have to come to the Etihad, it's going to be a tough night, whatever situation they're in.

"Maybe it might even be more difficult because of the situation they are in. But we're not really looking at them. It's really about whether we can play our best."

John Murray
BBC Radio 5 Live chief football correspondent

This is something we have never experienced before with all 18 matches kicking off at the same time. I would like to throw in the proviso as well, I think they have got lucky so far.

I think it was risky to play all of these final matches in January all across Europe. There has to be a high chance at some stage of the weather playing a part in this but touch wood that won't be the case, that would put the cat among the pigeons.

The other thing I will say, it needs to be remembered we have talked a lot about no FA Cup replays anymore and a lot of people are unhappy about that, this is part of the reason why there are no replays in the rounds proper anymore because of these extra matches in the Champions League in January.

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Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Manchester City have already spent £123m on three transfers of senior players this month, none of whom can play against Club Brugge tonight.

They don't have any problems meeting current Profit and Sustainability regulations as they have sold so well over the years.

However, City boss Pep Guardiola knows there will be a financial hit if his side cannot beat Club Brugge tonight and make it through to the Champions League play-offs.

The winner of the tournament will get around €25m (£20.95m) and clubs reaching the last 16 will receive €11m (£9.22m) in prizemoney alone.

It is a hefty sum to miss out on.

"I didn't speak with my CEO about that," said Guardiola.

"I would say the budget is positive but I'm not naive enough to know how important this competition is financially for the club.

"But we want to try and go though for sporting reasons."

In fairness, City chief executive Ferran Soriano does know the club will benefit financially from being in FIFA's Club World Cup in the summer which would soften the pain a little bit.

The I

Finally, the I looks at comments from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and the potential loss of significant revenue from the Champions League, should City fail to make the play-offs this evening.

Image source, The I

Metro

Metro have focused on the story of Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly's overturned suspension, using the headline "Myles better!"

They also look at the Champions League matches this evening for Manchester City, Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Image source, Metro