Premier League trio Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle will be aiming to secure a passage to the Europa League knockout stages with a game in hand today.
While the English clubs have had modest starts to their domestic campaign and are all in unfamiliar mid-table positions, their fortunes have been brighter in continental action as they close in on the last 32 stage.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has finally put the Anfield giants on the right track after a disastrous start to the season and a win at home against Swiss hopefuls Young Boys will guarantee the club their ongoing quest for a first European trophy since their famous Champions League win over Milan in 2005.
Tottenham face a sterner test of their pedigree as they travel to the Olympic stadium in Rome and a tie against unbeaten Lazio.
A win in the Italian capital and failure for Slovenian club Maribor to beat Panathinaikos in Athens will also put under-pressure manager Andre Villa-Boas and his North London side into the next round.
Villa-Boas handed French no.1 Hugo Lloris only his second league start of the season last weekend but the former Lyon custodian shipped five goals in the 5-2 defeat at bitter rivals Arsenal as he lost ground in his battle to dislodge veteran Brad Friedel from the starting job.
While Lloris has played almost all of his matches in cup competitions, it is likely Friedel will be between the posts for what could decide the fate of Group J.
Newcastle have a chance to revive their form at St James’ Park where they have lost consecutive league matches against West Ham and Swansea.
Manager Alan Pardew will likely rotate his squad despite the club’s struggles but the bookmakers will still make them strong favourites against Portugal’s Maritimo Funchal and victory will guarantee qualification from Group D.
Bordeaux will also advance with victory at Belgium’s Bruges.
Defending champions Atletico Madrid, who saw their record 16-game winning streak snapped at Portuguese club Academica de Coimbra on matchday four, will continue their quest for a repeat triumph at home to Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Academica are five points behind the European Super Cup winners as well as Viktoria Plzen and must beat the Czech side at home to have any chance of keeping alive their hopes going into the final round of matches.
Fenerbahce are five points clear of Marseille and B. M’gladbach but defeat at the Velodrome and a win for the German team at home to AEL Limassol, of Cyprus, will make for a nervous final day when the Istanbul-based club host the former Bundesliga champions on December 6.
Marseille coach Francis Gillot will be able to field English midfielder Joey Barton who continues to serve his 12-match domestic ban and the on-loan QPR signing scored his first goal directly from a corner during the 2-2 draw against Borussia M’gladbach last time out.
Today’s Europa League fixtures
Group A: 18.00 Anzhi vs Udinese; 21.05 Liverpool vs Young Boys.
Standings: Anzhi 7; Liverpool, Young Boys 6; Udinese 4.
Group B: 21.05 Academica vs Viktoria Plzen; A. Madrid vs H.Tel-Aviv.
Standings: A. Madrid, Vik. Plzen 9; Academica 4; H. Tel-Aviv 1.
Group C: 21.05 Marseille vs Fenerbahce; B. M’gladbach vs AEL Limassol.
Standings: Fenerbahce 10; B. M’gladbach 5; Marseille 5; AEL Limassol 1.
Group D: 21.05 Bruges vs Bordeaux; Newcastle vs Maritimo.
Standings: Newcastle 8; Bordeaux 7; Bruges 4; Maritimo 2.
Group E: 21.05 Molde vs FC Copenhagen; S. Bucharest vs Stuttgart.
Standings: S. Bucharest 10; Stuttgart 5; Copenhagen 4; Molde 3.
Group F: 21.05 AIK Solna vs Napoli; PSV vs Dnipro.
Standings: Dnipro 9; Napoli 6; AIK Solna, PSV 4.
Group G: 19.00 Basel vs S. Lisbon; Videoton vs Genk.
Standings: Genk 8; Videoton 6; Basel 5; S. Lisbon 2.
Group H: 18.00 Neftci vs P. Belgrade; 18.00 Rubin Kazan vs Inter.
Standings: Inter (Q), Rubin (Q)10; Neftci, Partizan 1.
Group I: Hapoel Shmona vs A. Bilbao pp; 19.00 S. Prague vs Lyon.
Standings: Lyon 12 (Q); S. Prague 7; Hapoel KS 2; A. Bilbao 1.
Group J: 19.00 Lazio vs Tottenham; Panathinaikos vs Maribor.
Standings: Lazio 8; Tottenham 6; Maribor 4; Panathinaikos 2.
Group K: 19.00 M. Kharkiv vs B. Leverkusen; Rosenborg vs R. Vienna.
Standings: B. Leverkusen (Q), Metalist (Q) 10; Rosenborg 3; R. Vienna 0.
Group L: 19.00 Hannover vs Twente; Helsingborgs vs Levante.
Standings: Hannover 10 (Q); Levante 7; Twente 3; Helsingborgs 1.