This is the fourth successive season that Manchester City are taking part in the UEFA Champions League.

The Citizens failed to leave their mark on the continent but they should consider themselves unlucky to have picked the toughest groups in the competition draw.

In 2011-12, they were pitted against Bayern Munich and Napoli. They could have done better against the Italians, in particular. But that was their baptism in the Champions League so you cannot blame them completely for some erratic play.

Season 2012-13 put City in the same group with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. This time they fared even worse, finishing bottom of their group.

In 2013-14, despite being in another ‘group of death’, City succeeded in qualifying to the knock-out stage, going down to Barcelona after losing both home and away ties.

After picking up only one point from matches against Bayern Munich and Roma, City look on the brink of another early exit this season. However, if they gain six points from the double header against CSKA Moscow, City will revive their hopes.

The first leg of the home-and-away ties, in which the same two sides play each other in successive duels, will be next week.

Manchester City (Group E): P2, W0, D1, L1, Gls 2-1, Pts1.

Away vs Bayern Munich 0-1.

Home vs Roma 1-1 (Aguero pen).

The two encounters with CSKA will be crucial for City since the Russians are behind the English champions with no points.

Next week, City face CSKA in an empty stadium after the Russian club were ordered to play their next three Champions League home games behind closed doors.

UEFA has punished CSKA for a series of offences, including racist chanting.

After their win in Lisbon against Sporting, Londoners Chelsea head their group, two points more than nearest challengers Maribor and Schalke. Sporting have one point.

Chelsea (Group G): P2, W1, D1, L0, Gls 2-1, Pts 4.

Home vs Schalke 1-1 (Fabregas).

Away vs Sporting Lisbon 1-0 (Matic).

Chelsea captain John Terry has become the sixth English player to reach a century of appearances in the Champions League, following in the footsteps of Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, David Beckham, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard.

This month, Chelsea will be involved in a double header against Maribor, of Slovenia, kicking off at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

NK Maribor, eight-times champions in their country, have never met an English side in the Champions League before but last season they came across Wigan in the Europa League, winning 2-1 at home, and going down 1-3 away.

In summer, Maribor beat Celtic 2-1 over two legs to seal their place in the group stage.

In Group D, after their 0-2 defeat in Dortmund to Borussia, Arsenal made up ground after trouncing Galatasaray 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal (Group D): P2, W1, D0, L1, Gls 4-3, Pts 3.

Away vs Borussia Dortmund 0-2.

Home vs Galatasaray 4-1 (Welbeck 3, Sanchez).

Arsene Wenger and the media were full of praise for the way Danny Welbeck took his three goals against Galatasaray.

The £16 million signing from Manchester United produced a clinical display to keep his side in the hunt and help Wenger celebrate his 18th anniversary in European football with a win.

Welbeck became the sixth English player to score a hat-trick in the competition, joining Mike Newell (Blackburn, 1995), Andy Cole twice (Manchester United 1997, 2000), Michael Owen twice (Liverpool 2002, Manchester United 2009), Alan Shearer (Newcastle 2003) and Wayne Rooney (Manchester United 2004).

Arsenal’s next match will be away at Anderlecht with the return against the Belgians two weeks later.

On Wednesday, Liverpool host 10-times European champions Real Madrid at Anfield.

Liverpool (Group B P2, W1, D0, L1, Gls 2-2, Pts 3.

Home vs Ludogorets 2-1 (Balotelli, Gerrard penalty).

Away vs Basel 0-1.

The Reds hold the edge against Real in head-to-head clashes but those days Liverpool were kings of European football.

In 1981, Alan Kennedy scored the winner as Liverpool beat Real 1-0 in the final of the European Cup in Paris.

In 2009, with Rafael Benitez at the helm, Liverpool did the double over the Spaniards in the second round (last 16) of the Champions League. After an away 1-0 win, the return at Anfield was a show of force as the Reds hammered Real 4-0.