Summary

  • Listen to 5 live Wednesday Night Club

  • Coutinho hat-trick, Mane (2), Firmino & Salah for dominant Liverpool

  • Liverpool win Group E

  • Llorente, Son & Nkoudou for Spurs lead against APOEL Nicosia

  • Bernard strike & Ismaily goal for Shakhtar, late Aguero penalty for Man City

  1. Back in the big time?published at 18:53 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Ah the glory days of the mid 2000s, when Premier League sides reached the Champions League final as a matter of course.

    TableImage source, BBC Sport

    It has been six seasons since an English team reached the final, when Chelsea somehow beat Bayern Munich in 2012. Our live text broke and I basically had to do it in a word document.

    Great days.

    Is this year a time for the clubs to return to the summit?

  2. The omens are goodpublished at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    Liverpool

    Lionel MessiImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Lionel Messi scored twice in one of Spartak's defeats on the road

    • Spartak Moscow have won only six of their last 40 Champions League games (D8 L26). They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 15 outings in the competition.
    • Meanwhile, Spartak Moscow have also lost 22 of their last 28 Champions League away games (W5 D1).
  3. Can we play you every week?published at 18:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45GMT)

    Simon Stone
    BBC Sport at Wembley

    He may have changed virtually his entire team for tonight's game but the history books don't suggest Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has anything to worry about at Wembley tonight.

    Spurs have played Cypriot teams five times. They have won four and drawn one and have a combined score of 15-3.

  4. Poch rings the changespublished at 18:50 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45 GMT)

    Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino makes eight changes to the team that started against Watford last time out as Georges-Kevin N'Koudou makes his first start of the season for the club.

    Michel Vorm, Serge Aurier, Danny Rose, Juan Foyth, Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Nkoudou and Fernando Llorente all come in.

    Dele Alli, Davinson Sanchez and Son Heung-min are the only players to retain their places.

    Tottenham XI: Vorm, Aurier, Sanchez, Foyth, Rose, Winks, Sissoko, Dele, Nkoudou, Son, Llorente.

    .Image source, .
  5. The Moyes effect?published at 18:50 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City (19:45 GMT)

    Truly bizarre!

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    End of twitter post
  6. Home banker?published at 18:48 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45 GMT)

    Harry KaneImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Harry Kane scored a hat-trick when the sides met earlier this season

    • Apoel are winless in their last 13 Champions League games (D3 L10). They have also failed to score in nine of those 13 outings.
    • Apoel have also never won an away game in the Champions League (D6 L7).
  7. Kop can help Klopppublished at 18:46 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    Liverpool

    Manager Jurgen Klopp says the Anfield atmosphere "can help" Liverpool progress in the Champions League.

    Liverpool will go through as group winners if they beat Spartak Moscow. They will also qualify for the last 16 with a draw.

    WATCH MORE: Klopp hails 'main man' Woodburn

  8. Dead rubber in a dead group?published at 18:45 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45 GMT)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    .Image source, .

    Tottenham: Through as group winners in an impressive campaign including a win and a draw against defending champions Real Madrid.

    Real Madrid: Qualify as runners-up.

    Borussia Dortmund: Will qualify for the Europa League if Apoel lose at Tottenham. Otherwise need to match the Cypriots' result.

    Apoel Nicosia: Will finish third if they avoid defeat by Tottenham and Dortmund lose at Real Madrid.

  9. What can happen in City's group?published at 18:44 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City (19:45 GMT)

    Manchester City

    .Image source, .

    Manchester City: Through as group winners having won their first five matches, including an impressive 4-2 victory at Napoli.

    Shakhtar Donetsk: Will go through as runners-up if they avoid defeat at home to Manchester City in their final match.

    Napoli: Need to beat Feyenoord and hope City beat Shakhtar.

    Feyenoord: Will finish bottom having lost all five of their matches.

  10. Liverpool report alleged racismpublished at 18:43 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Phil McNulty
    BBC Sport chief football writer

    Rhian BrewsterImage source, PA

    Liverpool have reported an alleged incident of racist abuse aimed at Rhian Brewster during a Youth League game with Spartak Moscow on Wednesday to Uefa.

    Brewster, the Golden Boot winner when England won the under-17 World Cup in October, was visibly angry at being targeted by a Spartak defender and had to be pulled away by team-mates and staff at the end of Liverpool's 2-0 win.

    The 17-year-old reported the alleged incident to match officials at the game played at Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park stadium and Liverpool have followed standard procedure by also reporting it to Uefa.

    It is the second time this season that a game between Liverpool and Spartak has ended with allegations of racist abuse after Nigerian-born forward Bobby Adekanye was subjected to chants and gestures from home fans in Moscow in September.

    Spartak were found guilty and Uefa ordered the club to close at least 500 seats for the their next Youth League game played at their academy stadium.

  11. Get involvedpublished at 18:42 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    #bbcfootball or 81111 on text

    Will Liverpool make it a comfortable evening for their fans? All five Premier League clubs safely through?

    Or will Spartak throw a spanner in the works?

    Steven GerrardImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Liverpool have failed to qualify from the group in their last two campaigns

    Fire over your pre-match thoughts to 81111 (UK Only) or tweet us at #bbcfootball

  12. What do Liverpool need?published at 18:42 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    Liverpool

    Group E

    Liverpool: Will go through as group winners if they beat Spartak Moscow at Anfield in their final game. Will also qualify for the last 16 with a draw.

    Sevilla: Will definitely qualify with victory over Maribor and will go through with a draw if Spartak do not beat Liverpool. If Liverpool lose or draw and Sevilla win, the Spanish side will top the group.

    Spartak Moscow: Victory at Anfield would take them through but anything less will mean they drop into the Europa League.

    Maribor: Will finish bottom of the group having collected two points from their first five games.

  13. Spurs shuffle the packpublished at 18:40 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45 GMT)

    Tottenham Hotspur

    As you'd expect there's no Harry Kane tonight though. Spurs make eight changes as just Davinson Sanchez, Dele Alli and Son keep their places from the weekend.

    There are rare starts for Georges-Kevin Nkoudou and Juan Foyth.

  14. Last time we met...published at 18:37 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Tottenham v Apoel Nicosia (19:45 GMT)

  15. Foden starts for Citypublished at 18:37 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Shakhtar Donetsk v Manchester City (19:45 GMT)

    Manchester City

    Phil Foden starts for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola quite sensibly rests his squad before the weekend's derby.

    There are seven changes in all from the team which beat West Ham.

  16. Coutinho captainpublished at 18:35 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017
    Breaking

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    Liverpool

    Liverpool make five changes from the team which beat Brighton as Philippe Coutinho is named captain.

    Sadio Mane returns to the starting line-up.

    Full team news to follow.

  17. It's been a whilepublished at 18:34 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    It may surprise you - it surprised me - but Liverpool haven't played a knockout game in the Champions League since a stonewall classic 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge in April 2009.

    Remember that?

    Chelsea won 7-5 on aggregate as there ended up being three Premier League teams in the semi-finals.

    Frank LampardImage source, Getty Images

    Barcelona still won it.

  18. A draw will do it...published at 18:30 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2017

    Liverpool v Spartak Moscow (19:45 GMT)

    Draw at home to Spartak Moscow tonight and Liverpool will make it an unprecedented five Premier League teams in the last 16 of the Champions League.

    Philippe CoutinhoImage source, Getty Images

    Beat Spartak Moscow at home and Liverpool will win their group too. They don't have Neil Mellor any more, but they shouldn't really need him this evening.

    Neil MellorImage source, Getty Images

    All set?